Accessibility & SEO

I have a real passion for creating accessible sites – everyone with a connection to the internet should be able to access your website. This goes beyond browser compatibility for older browsers, but also includes screen-reader friendly websites for the blind, adjustable sites for the visually impaired, and even internet-capable devices like phones.

I first started learning my accessibility techniques in 2003 when I lived in the UK. Legislation was passed in 2002 through the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) that it was “unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to members of the public.” In the UK there are 3 levels of accessibility — A, AA and AAA of which A is simple and easy to achieve and AAA is the strictest standard and the most difficult to achieve. I can design for any of the three. In the US we have a similar Website Accessibility Initiative (WAI) which has way fewer and slightly different requirements for web design. I aim to apply both AA and WAI to all sites, with AAA being applied if specifically requested.

Did you know there are huge benefits to having a well designed accessible website? These include:

• Highly improved search engine ranking (due to the content being fully accessible to screen readers)
• Pages load faster and maintenance is easier (therefore cheaper)
• Your website will be more compatible with future technologies which extends its lifespan
• Future site upgrades or redesigns can be much quicker and easier
• It shows you care about your customers and community. You’d be surprised how many people appreciate the effort.
• Your website might even win an award for accessibility! I helped the Kent Walking Festival win an award by producing a AAA site for them.

And remember, an accessible site should never be bland and boring. It should be a rich experience for everyone.