As an eCommerce professional, it’s essential to understand the importance of accessibility in the industry. It refers to how well individuals with disabilities can reach and use your website. Making your eCommerce website accessible means everyone, regardless of their abilities, can navigate, understand, and interact with your site easily.

In a brick-and-mortar store, you might think of accessibility elements like a wheelchair-accessible entrance or offering services to meet the needs of your diverse customers. Accessibility is not only a legal requirement but also a moral obligation to ensure everyone has equal access to your products and services.

Recent years have seen a growing emphasis on website accessibility. Various countries have passed laws and policies to ensure websites are accessible to all users. In the United States, for example, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to provide equal access to their services and products for people with disabilities. Then, in 2010, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a rule stating that websites must be accessible to people with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, or have physical disabilities.

In addition to meeting legal requirements, making your website accessible brings many benefits to your business: Your site becomes easier to navigate, provides a better user experience, and can grow your customer base. Additionally, an accessible website can increase website traffic and even enhances search engine optimization (SEO).

Whether you run a small business or a large corporation, you must ensure your company’s website is accessible to all visitors. To help you meet the legal definition, we’ve broken down eight vital accessibility features for your website. We’ll explore how these features can benefit your customers and your business and provide step-by-step instructions on how to implement them.

Textual accessibility features

One of the most important aspects of website accessibility is ensuring your website’s text is easy to read and understand. That involves making the text size and color contrast suitable for all users, including those with visual impairments. This is an important detail because:

• By allowing users to adjust the text size, visitors with visual impairments can increase it to a level that’s comfortable for them to read.
• A high contrast between text and background colors makes it easier for users with visual impairments to read your website.

Another important textual accessibility feature is text-to-speech software, which reads website content aloud to visitors. To implement this feature, you can add a plugin to your website that gives users the option to hear the content. Text-to-speech software is beneficial both for users with visual impairments and those who prefer to listen to content instead of reading it.

It’s also critical that the language on your website is clear and easy to understand. Avoid using technical jargon or complicated verbiage that may be difficult for some users to comprehend. You should also provide simple instructions on how to use your website’s features so people can navigate the site easily.

Screen readers: What are they and why implement them?

Screen reader compatibility is another way to increase site accessibility for the visually impaired. Similar to text-to-speech, screen readers are software programs that read website content out loud.

To make your website screen reader-friendly:

• Include alt text in all images: Alt text is a brief description of the picture that screen readers can read aloud. This helps users with visual impairments understand what the image depicts.
• Organize your website’s layout and structure: Clearly structure your site with headings, subheadings, and lists to make it easier for screen readers to move through the content and provide a more pleasant user experience.
• Ensure all forms and interactive elements are easy to use: Use labels and descriptive text to explain each field or button’s purpose in your forms and interactive elements.

Navigational accessibility features

Navigation is a core characteristic of any website. As such, yours must be clear and easy to use in general but particularly for users with disabilities.

In addition to screen reader compatibility, you can improve site navigation accessibility by:

• Making your website keyboard-friendly: Users with physical disabilities often use keyboard shortcuts to navigate through a website. This means all website features, including menus and buttons, should be accessible using only a keyboard. You can achieve this using standard HTML tags and attributes that enable keyboard accessibility, such as “tabindex” and “aria-label.”
• Creating simple menus: This includes using clear and descriptive labels for menu items, avoiding drop-downs, and maintaining a consistent menu structure across all site pages. Providing a site map or search functionality can also be helpful for users who have difficulty finding specific content on your website.

Visual accessibility features

We discussed the importance of alt text in images for users who are blind or visually impaired. However, there are other visual accessibility features you can incorporate to achieve a more inclusive site experience:

• Closed captions for videos: Closed captions are text descriptions of a video’s audio content that appear on screen. This feature allows users who are deaf or hard of hearing to understand what’s said in the video. You can add closed captions easily using various tools or plugins available on most video hosting platforms.
• Suitable color scheme and design: Include high-contrast colors on your site, avoid relying on color alone to convey information, and use easily readable fonts. You should also ensure the layout of your website is consistent and easy to follow.
• Legible text and interactive elements: Adopt a responsive website design that adapts to different screen sizes and resolutions. Also, offer options for users to adjust the size of the text or the zoom level on the page.

Cognitive accessibility features

This category of features is essential for users with cognitive disabilities, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, or autism. These users may have difficulty with reading comprehension, memory, or processing information, which can make it challenging to navigate and use a website. To lower these barriers, you can:

• Include simple language and clear instructions: Avoid complex sentences or technical jargon that can be difficult to understand. Instead, use plain language and concise sentences to convey your message.
• Employ a consistent design and layout: Featuring consistent design elements, such as color schemes, fonts, and page layouts, makes it easier for users with cognitive disabilities to comprehend your website. Additionally, maintain a clear and uncluttered website layout, with a logical hierarchy of content.
• Provide support: This can include providing audio recordings of your content or using text-to-speech software. Additionally, you can provide a glossary or list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help users understand your website content.
• Offer clear feedback to users: Display confirmation messages when users complete an action, such as submitting a form or making a purchase. Be sure your error messages are clear and concise as well, with suggestions for how to correct the error.

The subtle benefits for you

By making your website accessible to all users, you can increase your consumer base and improve your brand reputation. Not to mention, it’s simply the right thing to do.

In terms of technical aspects, accessibility significantly improves SEO. Search engines like Google prioritize websites that are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. As such, implementing accessibility features such as alt text for images and closed captions for videos boosts your website’s search engine rankings, which can ultimately lead to more traffic and conversions for your website.

An accessible website is also necessary to comply with legal requirements and prevent potential lawsuits. Failure to abide by accessibility laws can result in legal action against your business, costly lawsuits, and negative publicity. By prioritizing accessibility in your website design, you can mitigate these risks and ensure that your business is complying with legal requirements.

Finally, it enriches the overall user experience for every visitor, not just those with disabilities. Features like clear navigation and easy-to-read text create a more user-friendly website that’s simpler to use. This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, resulting in higher conversions and revenue for your business.

Wrapping up — Open access to your eCommerce website to all visitors

Ensuring your eCommerce website is accessible to all users is both a legal requirement and a moral obligation. You can transform your website into an inclusive experience using textual, navigational, visual, and cognitive accessibility features.

Incorporating these elements provides a smoother experience for all visitors, which serves to expand your customer base and strengthen your site’s SEO. Additionally, you’ll prevent potential lawsuits by complying with legal requirements.

Accessibility is an ongoing process, and you should regularly evaluate your website’s to make sure it meets the needs of all users. By prioritizing accessibility in your website design, you’ll create a more inclusive online environment and set a positive example for others in your industry — while reaping the rewards of greater consumer loyalty.