How to Make Your Website More Accessible to All Visitors

 

Your website should work for everyone—not just people using a laptop in perfect conditions. Visitors may be browsing on a phone, using a screen reader, dealing with low vision, or navigating with a keyboard instead of a mouse.

Making your website more accessible isn’t just about compliance. It’s about good customer service, better user experience, and showing that you care about every person who visits your site.

At SockEm Web Solutions, we work with small businesses, non-profits, and local governments to build sites that are easier for everyone to use. Here are practical steps you can take to make your website more accessible.

 

1. Use Clear, Simple Content and Headings

Accessibility starts with clear communication.

  • Use short paragraphs and plain language where possible
  • Break up content with descriptive headings (H1, H2, H3)
  • Avoid long walls of text

Good heading structure helps screen readers and makes it easier for all visitors to scan and find what they need.

 

2. Choose Readable Fonts and High-Contrast Colors

Design choices can make your site easier—or harder—to read.

  • Use font sizes that are large enough on both desktop and mobile
  • Stick to simple, easy-to-read fonts
  • Ensure strong contrast between text and background (e.g., dark text on a light background)

High contrast and readable fonts help visitors with low vision, older users, and anyone viewing your site in less-than-ideal lighting.

 

3. Add Alt Text to Images

Alt text (alternative text) is a short description of an image that screen readers can read aloud.

  • Describe what’s important about the image (“Woman speaking at a community meeting,” not just “image”)
  • Avoid keyword stuffing—keep it natural and helpful
  • For decorative images that add no meaning, you can use empty alt text so screen readers skip them

Alt text helps visitors who can’t see the images still understand your content.

 

4. Make Your Site Keyboard-Friendly

Some visitors can’t use a mouse and rely on keyboard navigation.

  • Ensure users can move through links and form fields using the Tab key
  • Make sure focus states (the highlighted element when tabbing) are visible
  • Avoid interactive elements that only work with a mouse hover

If you can’t navigate your own site using only the keyboard, it’s a sign that some visitors will struggle too.

 

5. Use Descriptive Link Text

Links like “Click here” or “Read more” don’t tell visitors—or screen readers—where they’re going.

Instead, use descriptive link text such as:

  • “View our website design services”
  • “Download the 2025 budget report”
  • “Read our municipal website case studies”

This helps all users quickly understand what to expect when they click.

 

6. Structure Forms Clearly

Forms are often where accessibility issues show up.

  • Clearly label each field (e.g., “Email Address,” “Phone Number”)
  • Group related fields logically
  • Provide helpful error messages when something is missing or incorrect

Accessible forms reduce frustration and make it easier for visitors to contact you, request services, or complete applications.

 

7. Ensure Your Site Works Well on Mobile

Mobile-friendly design is a big part of accessibility.

  • Text should be readable without zooming
  • Buttons and links should be large enough to tap easily
  • Layouts should adapt to different screen sizes

A responsive, mobile-friendly site helps everyone, especially users who rely on their phones as their primary device.

 

8. Consider Accessibility from the Start (or During a Redesign)

It’s much easier to build accessibility into your website from the beginning than to bolt it on later. But even if your site is already live, you can still make meaningful improvements over time.

Start with:

  • High-contrast colors
  • Better headings and content structure
  • Alt text for key images
  • Keyboard navigation checks

Then, continue to improve as your site evolves.

 

Need Help Making Your Website More Accessible?

You don’t have to figure this out alone. SockEm Web Solutions can help you review your current site, identify accessibility issues, and make practical improvements that benefit all your visitors.

Whether you’re a small business, non-profit, or municipality, we’ll work with you to create a website that’s more inclusive, user-friendly, and welcoming to everyone.