Accessibility

The business case for accessibility

15% of the global population has some form of disability. Inaccessible websites exclude potential customers, partners, and employees. Beyond ethical responsibility, accessibility is simply good business—you're designing for everyone, not just the majority.

Accessible sites also rank better in search. Google's algorithms reward clear structure, semantic HTML, and usability signals—the same foundations that screen readers require. Making your site accessible improves SEO as a natural byproduct.

Core accessibility requirements

Colour contrast: Text must have sufficient contrast against backgrounds. WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text. Test with browser devtools or dedicated contrast checkers.

Keyboard navigation: Every interactive element—links, buttons, forms—must be operable without a mouse. Tab through your site. Can you reach everything? Are focus states visible?

Semantic HTML: Use proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3), meaningful link text ("read our services" not "click here"), and appropriate elements (buttons for actions, links for navigation). Screen readers rely on semantic structure to understand content.

Alternative text: Every image needs descriptive alt text explaining what the image shows and why it matters. Don't stuff keywords—write naturally as if describing the image over the phone.

Common accessibility mistakes

Low contrast text that looks elegant but fails readability tests. Custom UI components that ignore keyboard navigation. Generic link text like "learn more" without context. Images without alt attributes. These issues are fixable with awareness and testing.

We build accessibility into every site from the start: semantic HTML, keyboard support, focus management, ARIA labels where needed. It's easier to build accessible initially than retrofit later.