How many potential customers leave your website because they simply can't use it? It's a bigger number than most owners expect. In one survey, 69% of internet users with a disability said they'd abandon a site that was hard to navigate, and walked away from doing business there. For a small or mid-sized business, that's real revenue going out the door for a reason you can fix.
Making your website and documents accessible isn't a technical chore reserved for big companies. It's a series of small, sensible changes that make your business easier to use for everyone, and a smart bit of insurance, since accessibility standards like the Americans with Disabilities Act can apply to your website too. Here's the plain-English guide we walk businesses across the Denver area through.
Start by watching how people actually use your site
It's easy to assume your website is easy to use, because it's easy for you. But plenty of people get around differently: some use only a keyboard instead of a mouse, some rely on screen-reading software that reads the page aloud, some use voice commands. The most useful thing you can do is watch a few real people with different needs try to use your site, and notice where they get stuck. Small changes often clear big hurdles.
Make the visuals easy to see
Visual accessibility is one of the most commonly overlooked areas, and one of the easiest to improve. Lots of people have some degree of low vision or color blindness, so text needs to stand out clearly from its background. A good rule of thumb is a strong contrast between text and background, and there are free tools online that check it for you in seconds, so you don't have to guess.
Make your documents readable too
Plenty of businesses share key information as downloadable PDFs, Word files, or slideshows, and most of those are hard for assistive software to read by default. A few habits fix this: build documents with proper headings so the structure is clear, add short text descriptions to images so a screen reader can describe them, and run the built-in accessibility check before you publish.
Keep the writing simple
Some readers process information differently or have a cognitive disability that affects how they read, but honestly, everyone benefits from clear, uncluttered writing. Use plain language, keep sentences short, and break things up with helpful subheadings so people can scan and find what they need. Choose a clean, readable font at a comfortable size, and skip blocks of all-capitals or italics, which are harder to read.
Support hearing and mobility needs
Accessibility goes beyond what people can see. A couple of changes cover a lot of ground:
- Add captions or transcripts to video and audio. This helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the many people who watch with the sound off at work. As a bonus, transcripts give search engines more to read, which can help your site get found.
- Make sure everything works with a keyboard alone. Some people can't use a mouse, so every link, button, and form field should be reachable with the Tab key. Avoid features that need fine, precise movements, like tiny buttons or drag-and-drop.
Treat it as an ongoing habit
Accessibility isn't a one-time project. Every time you update your site or add new content, it's worth a quick check that everything still works for everyone. Invite visitors to flag problems, and consider adding a short accessibility statement with a way to reach you. Your website analytics help here too: when people consistently abandon a page or form, that's often a usability problem worth a look.
Why it's worth the effort
For a smaller business, accessibility can feel like one more item on a long list. But it's a genuine investment in your reputation and your customer relationships. An accessible site tells people your business is thoughtful, inclusive, and professional, and it widens the audience who can actually become customers. Best of all, a modern, attractive site and an accessible one are the same thing when you make good choices about color, layout, and language.
At its heart, this is just good service: meeting customers where they are and leaving no one out. If you'd like help making your website and documents welcoming to everyone, that's exactly the kind of practical work we do. Reach out and we'll help you turn your site into an asset that works for every visitor.