When you’re running a small business, having a website that works for everyone is key to building a strong online presence. But far too often, website accessibility is overlooked in web design. Accessibility isn't just about meeting legal requirements or ticking a box—it’s about making sure that anyone, regardless of ability, can access and navigate your site. By ensuring your website is accessible, you're opening your business to a broader audience, improving your search engine rankings, and enhancing the overall user experience.
Creating an accessible web design shows you care about all your visitors, and it can also have a direct impact on your business success. According to a report by the World Health Organisation, around 16% of the global population lives with some form of disability . That's a significant chunk of potential customers that could be excluded if your website isn’t designed with accessibility in mind. But accessibility isn't just about people with disabilities. Many features that make a site accessible, like clearer navigation or better colour contrast, improve the experience for all users, whether they're browsing on a mobile device in bright sunlight or dealing with slow internet speeds.
In this post, I’ll explore why accessibility matters, how it can improve your site’s SEO, and provide five practical, lesser-known steps that you can take to make your website more accessible. Whether you’re building your site on Squarespace, Wix, or another platform, these tips can help make sure your small business website is working for everyone.
Why does website accessibility matter?
Reach a broader audience
As I mentioned, making your website accessible is essential for reaching a larger audience. With nearly 1 in 6 people living with disabilities globally, an accessible website ensures you’re not excluding potential customers. People with visual, auditory, or motor impairments, as well as cognitive limitations, may face challenges navigating websites that don’t meet accessibility standards. By proactively addressing accessibility issues, you ensure that all users, regardless of ability, can engage with your brand.
SEO benefits of accessibility
Did you know that accessible websites often perform better in search rankings? That’s because many accessibility best practices overlap with SEO guidelines. For example, using clear headings and structure, providing text alternatives for media, and creating easy-to-navigate content all make your website more user-friendly and easier for search engines to crawl. Google's algorithms prioritise sites that offer a better user experience, and accessible websites often provide exactly that.
According to a study from Search Engine Watch, websites that are accessible are more likely to rank higher in search results, which can increase traffic by as much as 50% . Improving your website accessibility is a win-win for both your users and your search rankings.
Enhancing user experience
Accessibility is about more than just serving people with disabilities. Many of the design changes you’ll make to improve accessibility also create a smoother, more intuitive experience for all users. For example, improving keyboard navigation not only benefits people with motor impairments but also helps anyone using a mobile device or a keyboard instead of a mouse. An accessible website ensures that no matter how someone interacts with your content, their experience is consistent, intuitive, and enjoyable.
How can you improve your website accessibility for your small business?
While many people know about adding alt text for images to improve accessibility, there are many lesser-known techniques that can make a big difference. Here are five practical steps you can take to make your small business website more accessible, especially if you're using platforms like Wix or Squarespace.
1. Ensure strong colour contrast
One of the simplest yet most impactful changes you can make is ensuring proper color contrast between your text and background. Many people with visual impairments or colour blindness struggle to read text that doesn’t stand out enough from the background. For instance, light grey text on a white background can be nearly impossible for some users to read.
Use tools like the Colour Contrast Checker to test the contrast ratios of your website's colour schemes. For body text, a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 is recommended, while for larger text, a ratio of 3:1 is sufficient.
2. Make your website fully keyboard navigable
A key aspect of accessibility is making sure users can navigate your website using only a keyboard. This is essential for people who rely on assistive technologies or who cannot use a mouse. Keyboard navigation should be seamless, with a clear focus indicator that shows which element is selected when a user is tabbing through a page.
Test your site by unplugging your mouse and using only the keyboard to navigate. Can you reach all interactive elements like links, buttons, and form fields? On platforms like Wix, you can add custom code to enhance keyboard navigation, while Squarespace offers built-in options to ensure navigability.
3. Use descriptive headings and labels
Organising your content with clear and descriptive headings not only makes your website easier to navigate for screen readers but also improves overall usability for all visitors. Headings should be used in a logical hierarchy (H1 for the main title, H2 for section titles, H3 for subsections, etc.). This not only helps screen readers understand the structure of your content but also makes your website more SEO-friendly, as search engines prioritise well-structured content.
In both Squarespace and Wix, you can easily format text using built-in heading styles. Be sure to use headings to break up long sections of content and make it easier for users to scan your page and find the information they need.
4. Optimise for mobile accessibility
With mobile traffic making up over 50% of global web traffic , it's crucial to ensure your website is accessible on mobile devices. Many users access websites via touch screens, so make sure interactive elements like buttons and links are large enough and spaced out to avoid accidental clicks. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a touch target size of at least 44x44 pixels.
I always recommend testing on a real mobile device (and ideally more than one, to cover both Apple and Android examples), rather than only relying on the built in mobile view in tools like Wix and Squarespace.
5. Test your website with real users
The best way to ensure your website is accessible is by testing it with real users, particularly those who rely on assistive technology. You can use automated tools like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool), but nothing beats real user feedback. Invite users with disabilities to navigate your site and provide feedback. Their insights can help you identify issues that automated tools might miss.
If you're a small business, you might not have a large budget for extensive user testing, but even informal testing with a few users can make a world of difference. Wix and Squarespace both integrate easily with accessibility evaluation tools, making it simple to test your site.
Website accessibility is an essential part of website design.
And this is particularly true for small businesses that want to reach a broader audience. Not only does accessibility improve the user experience for everyone, but it can also boost your SEO rankings and help you tap into a market that might otherwise be excluded.
Remember, an accessible website is a better website—not just for users with disabilities but for everyone who visits your site.
Not sure where to start? Reach out to us today to see how we can help!