Enhancing Your WordPress Site: A Guide to Web Accessibility

Have you ever wondered how some websites are easy for everyone to use, no matter what their abilities? Or how certain sites feel more inclusive, making navigation seamless for all users? The answer lies in web accessibility. In this blog we will discuss how you can improve the web accessibily  in WordPress that can transform your website into an inclusive space. 

WordPress Accessibility means using WordPress in such a way that it becomes easy for all to use your website, including the differently abled. The website is structured such that those with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments can navigate and interact with it. This includes such things as making sure a site works with screen readers, is navigable by keyboard, and text has good contrast with a good color use. Accessibility matters not to segregate individuals who cannot otherwise partake in the service’s content. This not only ensures equal opportunities for everyone, but also help companies fulfil the regulatory requirements and compliance. While ensuring accessibility, it’s important to consider the WordPress maintenance cost for ongoing updates and adjustments to keep your site accessible and compliant over time.  

Accessible websites reach a far wider audience, rank better in searches, and offer a better user experience since they are easier to use for everybody. By systematically putting a premium on accessibility, you show social responsibility, making the physical environment a friendly, accessible place for all visiting users. 

So, let us learn about the ways in which one can improve web accessibility in WordPress can turn your website into a truly inclusive space, ensuring all users can navigate and interact with ease! 

How to Improve WordPress Accessibility  

1. Adopt a Clear Layout  

A clear layout helps users to locate required information on your website easily. Ensure that your page is laid out in such a way that it’s obvious which sections and headlines all go together. Arrange your content into easy-to-understand categories that correspond to your navigation menu. Ensure high-importance content is within one click from the main navigation bar; this will make using your website easy, and guests can find what they are looking for within a short time. 

2. Include Readable Content  

The design should be simple and clear to promote the clarity of your website content. Good contrast between the text and the background colors will ensure that your text is well visible. The suggested fonts are sans-serif or serif, while avoiding fancy or too decorative styles. The text should be at least 16px in size to be legible to most readers. Write in simple language, avoiding obscure words and technical terminologies. Always proofread for misspellings or grammatical errors in the content, and always spell out acronyms. These practices will make your content more accessible and user-friendly to all. 

3. Ensure Accessible and Responsive Navigation Menus  

Your website’s navigation must be user-friendly. Visitors must have the ability to reach most major pages—the contact page, the about page—in no more than a click or two. Shy away from difficult dropdowns because they frequently turn into a headache when trying to find something. Keep only a clean header-style menu at the very top of your homepage. Also, be sure your navigation is responsive so it’s going to work well on all devices and that users are easily able to explore your site—on either a computer, tablet, or smartphone. 

4. Optimize Icons and Images with Alt Text and Captions  

Image alt text is used to describe visual content, so it is available for access by visually impaired users. The screen reader takes this information and turns it into audio to describe a context. Additional information contained through having image and text alternatives—including voiceovers—means that generally there is much more accessibility. Provide text describing the content if the key information is only conveyed in images, so all users can access and understand it. 

5. Clearly Label Contact Forms  

Label each field within your contact forms to help users easily and accurately complete the needed information. For better accessibility, keep the text on the left and use terms commonly known. Describe the purpose of each of your form fields by using ARIA labels. ARIA labels are HTML attributes that provide alternative labels, underpinning screen readers and other assistive technologies. ARIA labels should be brief and descriptive, clearly articulating the purpose of interface elements such as buttons, links, or form fields, without including the visible text verbatim. It enhances the usability of forms for all users. 

6. Use Descriptive Anchor Texts  

Be sure that your anchor text describes clearly where the link is taking a visitor. Anchor text, such as “Learn more about our services,” gives screen readers a sense of what type of page the visitor will be going to. Avoid generic text like “click here,” as it gives very little context for visually impaired users who might be searching through the links on a page for one. Use specific and meaningful anchor text to help all users know what type of page they’ll be going to when they click on a link. 

7. Choose Appropriate Colors  

While choosing your website colors, ensure the contrast is high enough between the text and the background for the text to be clearly readable. Avoid using too many high-contrast colors together since bright colors that clash can overwhelm or sometimes even be a little painful for the user’s eyes and brains. Instead, have a continuous color scheme with more neutral tones and plenty of white space to create a more visually appealing and accessible design for all users. 

8. Add an Accessibility Statement to Your Site  

Add an accessibility statement to the website for protection against laws and regulations and for user information. It may include information about parts of the site that cannot offer full accessibility, hence availing information on alternative content in such instances. This helps a user with a considerable disability to know if your site can meet their needs. Add contact information whereby visitors may report problems related to the accessibility of the website.  

9. Install Accessibility Plugins

Make your WordPress website more accessible with the perfect plugins. This includes features which make the usability of a website easier for disabled persons, such as font size increase, keyboard shortcuts, text to speech and color contrast adjustment options, and others. All you do is log into your WordPress admin panel, search for “accessibility” in the plugin directory, and choose from a variety of free and paid solutions. Install and activate the plugin to begin with the accessibility improvement of your site.