Here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design experts. We work with companies and businesses across the North West, from Southport to Wigan, to deliver effective web design solutions. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about creating an effective and accessible website.
What is accessible web design?
Accessible web design is a website design option that focuses attention on ensuring that key features are accessible, and can be used and accessed by all website users. There are a number of factors that can have an effect on the way that end-users interact with a website, these include:
- Visual issues- some people can struggle to process information from a website with a lot of visual information
- Auditory issues- auditory issues can make it difficult for some people to listen to video content on a website
- Cognitive issues- cognitive issues can effect concentration and memory which can make a website difficult to navigate
- Physical issues- some people can physically struggle to use your website with swipe or scroll actions
By creating a high quality website, with accessibility at the front of the design choices, you can reduce the barriers to access on your website and ensure that your website is practical and useful for all users.
What are the key features of accessible web design?
There are a number of key features that can help make any website more accessible. These include:
- Effective page structuring- A screen reader is a web browser that can read the content of a website out loud. However, to do this, the page needs to be well structured, including using heading tags in the right order, using image alt tags to provide a n effective description of the image, as well as using descriptive names for links. This can all help to improve the experience of people with visual issues when using your website.
- Clean and clear layout- a layout that is clear and obvious can be very beneficial, not just in terms of accessibility, but also for professional presentation and building trust too. This means that your navigation bar should be well organized and categorized, while your on screen content should also be separated and divided effectively. This simple step can make your website easier to use, for all website users and potential customers and clients.
- Simplifying language- language used on your website should be simple and easy to understand, even if the subject matter is technical or specialist. Using simplified language where appropriate can make your content easier to skim and scan for potential customers or clients that are looking for certain pieces of information. But it can also make your written content easier to process, and prevent confusion for your website users.
For more information about professional web design, or web marketing, get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.