The internet is a powerful tool, and people increasingly turn to it for information. This has created an interesting problem: how do you make your site accessible? Some things that could help include captions on videos, making sure navigation menus can be reached by keyboard or screen readers, using tools such as accessiBe, and ensuring your site will work with any browser. But there are many other ways to make your site more accessible, and it’s important to make sure you’re doing everything you can. In this article, we’ll go over ten common web accessibility mistakes and how to avoid them.
Mistake Number 1: Not using alt text for images
One of the most common accessibility mistakes is not using alt text for images. Alt-text is used to describe an image, and it’s important for people who are blind or have low vision.
To add alt text in WordPress, go to the “add media” section and click on the image to which you want to add alt text. Then, there will be a field in the right-hand sidebar where you can add alt text.
Mistake Number 2: Not using headings
Another common mistake is not using headings. Headings help people who are blind or have low vision to navigate your content. They also help people with cognitive disabilities, as they can provide a structure for your content.
To add headings in WordPress, simply select the text you want to be a heading and click on the “heading” button in the toolbar.
Mistake Number 3: Not using coding standards
When coding your website, it’s important to use coding standards. This will help make your site more accessible for people with disabilities. There are many different coding standards, but a few of the most popular ones are HTML5 and WAI-ARIA.
HTML5 is the latest version of HTML, and it includes many features that make websites more accessible. WAI-ARIA is a specification that helps developers create accessible websites.
Mistake Number 4: Not using a font size that’s easy to read
When choosing a font size, it’s important to choose one that’s easy to read. This will make your website more accessible for people with low vision.
To change the font size in WordPress, go to the “Settings” section and click on “General.” Then, in the “Site Title and Tagline” section, you can change the font size.
Mistake Number 5: Not using a color scheme that’s easy to see
When choosing a color scheme, it’s important to choose colors that are easy to see. This will make your website more accessible for people with low vision or colorblindness.
To change the color scheme in WordPress, go to the “Appearance” section and click on “Customize.” In the “Colors” section, you can change the colors of your website.
Mistake Number 6: Not using enough contrast
When choosing colors for your website, it’s important to ensure enough contrast. This will make your website more accessible for people with low vision or who are colorblind.
To check the contrast of your colors, you can use a tool like Color Contrast Checker.
Mistake Number 7: Not making links easy to identify
When creating links, it’s important to make them easy to identify. This will make your website more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision.
To make links easy to identify, you can add a CSS class to them. For example, you could add the class “visually-hidden” to links that are not visible on the screen.
To add a CSS class in WordPress, go to the “Appearance” section and click on “Customize.” Then, in the “Additional CSS” section, you can add CSS classes to links.
