How to Fix the 5 Most Common Web Accessibility Mistakes

16% of the global population are living with some form of disability. However, as the world population continues to increase, so does the number of people with a disability. It is becoming more important for website content to be fully accessible for people with sight loss, cognitive, and physical disabilities.

What is Web Accessibility and why is it Important?

You may already understand accessibility in terms of the physical environment, but accessibility in digital spaces is proving to be just as essential. Web accessibility is the design practice of making websites, mobile applications, and digital documents usable for as many people as possible, including those with disabilities.

With the rise in popularity of remote working, learning, and e-commerce, disability acts have begun enforcing the need for accessibility compliance. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), upheld as the worldwide standard for digital accessibility, are named in legislations around the world. If public-facing organisations want to operate in places like the USA or European Union, they must meet the WCAG or face legal repercussions.

Digital inclusion is also a growing issue in the minds of users. With 16%, or one in seven, people worldwide experiencing some form of disability, that is a huge demographic who may miss out on information or online services because a website or mobile application is not accessible. The developers, designers, and content creators of today must learn how to identify areas on their website with poor accessibility and implement fixes.

Solutions to the 5 Most Common Web Accessibility Mistakes

To help your website become more compliant with accessibility guidelines (and less likely to receive a lawsuit), we’ve compiled a list of the top five most common web accessibility mistakes and how you can fix them:

Unclear or Vague Link Text

Links help users navigate the internet by directing them to specific pages and websites.

It is essential to have clearly labelled links so users instantly understand where they are going.

Links named ‘read more’ or ‘click here’ do not provide enough context or information, and the same goes when using buttons and images as links.

People are less likely to follow a link if link text is vague and unclear. Naming links something as simple as the title of the webpage it is leading to is enough to comply with accessibility standards.

You May Be Making More Accessibility Mistakes…

Preventing or correcting these five accessibility issues will bring you closer to your users, but they will not make your website 100% digitally accessible. Contact Vially today if you would like to conduct a full audit of your website, mobile app, or digital document and find out exactly where you can improve your digital accessibility and open doors to more users.