Accessibility Audit

An accessibility audit assesses how easy it is for people of all abilities to use your website. It's like a health check for your site to ensure that everyone - including people with disabilities - can navigate and use it with ease. Let's explain what an accessibility audit is, why it's important and how you can do it.

Why accessibility is important

Accessibility ensures that your website is inclusive. It is not just for people who can see, hear and use a mouse perfectly, but for everyone, including

• People with disabilities (e.g. blindness or color blindness).
• People with hearing impairments.
• People who are dependent on keyboard navigation.
• People with cognitive impairments who need a clear and simple structure.

By making an accessible website, you not only help your users, but also fulfill legal requirements such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

What is an accessibility audit?

An accessibility audit checks your website for obstacles that could affect users with disabilities. It checks whether your site meets standards such as WCAG 2.1 or WCAG 2.2. The aim is to ensure that your website can be used by everyone - regardless of ability or device.

Important checkpoints in an accessibility check

• Keyboard navigation
  • Can the website only be navigated using a keyboard?
  • Do all links, buttons and menus work without a mouse?
• Text and contrast
  • Is the text easy to read and does it have sufficient color contrast?
  • Can the text be enlarged without destroying the layout?
• Alternative texts for images
  • Do all images have clear and meaningful alt texts for screen readers?
  • Are images with text only used when absolutely necessary?
• Forms and labels
  • Are all form fields clearly labeled?
  • Do the forms work with assistive technologies such as screen readers?
• Videos and audio
  • Do videos have subtitles?
  • Are audio controls easy to find and use?
• Responsive design
  • Does the site work well on mobile devices and tablets?
  • Is it easy to zoom in and out?
• Error messages
  • Are error messages clear and helpful?
  • Do you explain what went wrong and how to fix it?

How do you carry out an accessibility check?

• Use automated tools
  Tools like WAVE, Axe or Lighthouse can quickly scan your website for common problems. These tools are useful, but do not detect all barriers.
• Carry out manual tests
  Test the website yourself: Navigate using a keyboard only. Use a screen reader. Check for contrast problems.
• Get feedback from users
  Involve people with disabilities to get real insights into the usability of your website.
• Bring in experts
  Accessibility experts can carry out a detailed audit and provide you with a comprehensive report with specific recommendations for action.

Benefits of accessibility

• Improved user experience: An accessible website is easier to use for everyone - including people without disabilities.
• Expanded reach: Inclusivity allows you to reach a wider audience.
• Compliance with legal requirements: Many countries have laws that require accessible websites.
• SEO boost: Accessibility improvements often boost your website's search engine rankings too.

Conclusion

Accessibility means making the web a better place for everyone. Even small changes can make a big difference to the user experience. An accessibility audit is the first step on this journey.

Get started today and make the web more inclusive and welcoming for everyone!