For many small business owners, a WordPress site is the basis for their online footprint. However, if your site is old, you may need to check your Americans with Disabilities ACT or ADA compliance. Not only will this keep your business in compliance, but you can increase customer loyalty by making it easy for those with perception challenges to study and enjoy your product line.
Benefits Of ADA Compliance
No matter what you are selling, it is critical that you give your potential clients as much information as possible. For example, if you sell silk scarves, adding a number to each color and being as consistent as possible will make it possible for people with any visual impairment, or a limited sense of color, to buy your products with confidence.
Getting your ADA compliance right is particularly important since the recent health crisis pushed a great deal of commerce online. While your products may be consistent, lighting and image quality can impact what your products look like on screen, and you have no idea of the settings on the other end of the transaction. Numbers and audio additions can help with your website accessibility and site compliance.
Testing to Make Sure Your Website is Available to All
It's pretty simple to test your website for ADA compliance, but it will take some time and attention to detail. Make sure that every image has alternate text for the visually impaired. Make sure that every video has a visible script available for the hearing impaired.
Finally, don't forget about color contrast. For those who struggle with color blindness, putting the wrong colors together can actually make text invisible. Before your web designer gets creative with color combinations on website ribbons and bars, check the contrast. Also be sure to go through your published logos to reduce the risk of clarity loss.
Use The Right Tools For Accessibility
There are many tools that you can use to meet WordPress accessibility. Be aware that this is also a good time to change some design elements, update some videos, and make other necessary changes you've had on the "at some point" list.
For example, many with vision challenges have a tool or attachment to their computer that allow them to view the text on your website as a larger image. All text on your website should allow this expansion for web page compliance and accessibility. Additionally, make sure that every image on your website has enough text to serve as a concise description so it can be read via braille reader. Additionally, if you have a blog connected to your website and send it out as a PDF newsletter to subscribers, be aware that you also need an RTF format so it is readable by a text to voice program.
Make Sure Your WordPress Website Is Universally Accessible
The usability of your website can add to your bottom line. Additionally, if you need to take down pages and reconstruct them, having a message to confirm that you're bringing your site up to ADA compliance for the benefit of all users will let your existing customers know that your business is open to all. Community is key when putting together an on-line business, so keep your digital doors as open as possible!
