Imagine walking up to a store only to find the door is locked, but everyone else is walking right through. That is what a website feels like to someone with a disability when the site isn’t built correctly.
Web Accessibility (often called A11y) is the practice of making sure your website can be used by everyone—including people who are blind, color blind, or cannot use a mouse.
Why Accessibility is a Must-Have
Making your website accessible is one of the smartest moves you can make for your online presence:
- Reach More People: About 20% of the world has some type of disability. If your site isn’t accessible, you are turning away a huge number of potential customers.
- Better Search Rankings: Google favors websites that are structured correctly. Many accessibility improvements, like clear headings and image descriptions, also help your SEO.
- Legal Protection: In many countries, having an accessible website is a legal requirement. Staying compliant helps you avoid potential lawsuits and fines.
Introducing the Right Tools
To make sure your website meets these standards, developers use specialized “engines” to scan for errors. One of the most trusted tools in the industry is called Axe-core.
Axe-core is a fast, automated testing tool that looks at your website’s code and identifies issues that need fixing, such as:
- Text that is too hard to read because of low contrast.
- Missing labels on forms that make it impossible for screen readers to understand.
- Buttons that don’t have clear descriptions.
Great Alternatives to Consider
While Axe-core is excellent, there are other free tools you can use to get a complete picture of your site’s health:
- WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): This is perfect for visual thinkers. It shows icons directly on your page to point out exactly where errors are happening.
- Accessibility Insights: Created by Microsoft, this tool guides you through a step-by-step check of your site, helping you find things that automated tools might miss.
- Lighthouse: This is built right into the Google Chrome browser. With one click, it gives you a score and a list of ways to improve your site’s accessibility and speed.
Ready to Make Your Website Better?
A great website is one that everyone can use. Whether you are using WordPress or a custom-built site, staying on top of accessibility is the key to long-term success and reaching a wider audience.