In our increasingly digital world, ensuring accessible technology is paramount for professionals. Creating inclusive digital experiences is not just a nice thing to do; it’s a necessity that expands your reach and avoids potential legal issues. Are you unknowingly excluding a significant portion of your audience?

1. Conduct an Accessibility Audit

Before you can improve your accessibility, you need to know where you stand. I recommend starting with a comprehensive audit of your current digital assets: websites, documents, presentations, and even social media content. There are several automated tools available, but remember that automated testing only catches about 30% of accessibility issues. Human review is essential.

We often use axe DevTools, a free browser extension from Deque Systems, for initial scans. It quickly identifies common problems like missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, and keyboard navigation issues. Install the extension in Chrome or Firefox, run it on your webpages, and review the detailed reports. But don’t stop there!

Pro Tip: Involve users with disabilities in your testing process. Their lived experience provides invaluable insights that automated tools simply can’t replicate. This isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about creating truly inclusive experiences.

2. Implement the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

WCAG is the gold standard for web accessibility. Aim for WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance as a minimum. This covers a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. You don’t need to memorize the entire guideline, but familiarizing yourself with the core principles is crucial: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).

For example, “Perceivable” means providing text alternatives for non-text content (images, videos, audio). “Operable” means making sure your website is navigable by keyboard alone. “Understandable” means using clear and simple language. And “Robust” means ensuring your website works with a variety of assistive technologies.

Common Mistake: Many people think accessibility is a one-time fix. It’s not. It’s an ongoing process that needs to be integrated into your design and development workflows.

3. Add Alternative Text to Images

Alternative text (alt text) is a short description of an image that is read aloud by screen readers for users with visual impairments. It’s also displayed if the image fails to load. Writing good alt text is an art. Be concise and descriptive. Focus on the essential information conveyed by the image. Avoid phrases like “image of” or “picture of.”

In WordPress, for example, you can add alt text in the Media Library when you upload an image. In HTML, use the `alt` attribute in the `` tag: ``.

Pro Tip: If an image is purely decorative and doesn’t convey any meaningful information, use an empty alt attribute: ``. This tells screen readers to ignore the image.

4. Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast

Insufficient color contrast can make it difficult for users with low vision or color blindness to read text. WCAG requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. There are many online color contrast checkers you can use, such as the WebAIM Contrast Checker. Enter your foreground and background colors, and it will tell you if they meet WCAG requirements.

We recently redesigned a website for a local non-profit, the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Their original color scheme used a light gray text on a white background, which failed miserably in terms of contrast. We switched to a darker gray, increasing the contrast ratio to 5:1, which significantly improved readability for all users.

Common Mistake: Relying solely on your own visual perception to judge color contrast. What looks fine to you might be inaccessible to others.

5. Use Semantic HTML

Semantic HTML uses HTML elements to convey the meaning and structure of your content, rather than just its appearance. For example, use `

` for the main heading, `

` for subheadings, `

` for paragraphs, `

` and `
` for lists, and `