In 2020, WebAIM conducted a usability survey across one million websites. Only two percent offered a fully accessible experience, with most pages having issues related to low-contrast images or text, missing alt-text, and other problems that would cause users with disabilities to have an incomplete experience.
On your eCommerce site, building layers of accessibility is a process. The WebAIM data highlights how basic accessibility efforts are a good start. Still, many sites have a long way to go before joining the elite online sites that offer the best possible accessible experience.
This guide will focus on one specific area of web accessibility: your eCommerce product descriptions. Learn more about the value of these descriptions and how you can make them more accessible, which can drive your sales.
Why are product descriptions important?
Your product descriptions provide potential buyers with information about the items you sell. The content you create should offer clear specifications for the products, use cases, descriptions, and other valuable information that the buyer needs to know.
A well-written product description can answer a buyer's questions, assuring them that the item is the best option for them to buy. These descriptions can sell people on your brand and your inventory, keeping buyers on your website longer and increasing their chances of converting into sales.
There are even tertiary benefits of quality product descriptions. Fewer products will be returned for a refund, and customer service will receive fewer complaint calls because customers will have received the products they expected at the time of their purchase.
Consider the needs of readers with various disabilities who surf the web – aim to make your products universally accessible, including those with hearing or visual impairments and cognitive and learning disabilities. You can apply the following steps to make your product descriptions more accessible and practical.
Set content guidelines for your descriptions
You can increase the value of your product descriptions by updating the content you write. Not only should you stop writing for bots, but you should consider the needs of customers who cannot see the products you are advertising.
"There have been some occasions where what I received was not what I thought I was ordering at all due to a misleading or poor description of the item," says Fern Lulham, a visually-impaired blogger and BBC broadcaster.
Work with your content team to set guidelines for your product description copy. Each description should have the following:
- Measurements of the item and the weight (when applicable).
- The materials used to create the product.
- A physical description of the item, including variable options like colors.
- Context for product use, including any notable special features or design elements.
There are multiple ways to provide context on how to use a product. For example, a retailer can highlight a dress that is ideal for a casual day out with friends compared to another dress that is perfect to wear to a formal celebration.
If you focus on these elements in your product descriptions, you will write valuable information that will help all of your customers.
Make your content scannable
The next way to improve your product descriptions for accessibility is to make them easy to scan. Too often, when content is only written for SEO, you will see large blocks of text on product pages.
Here are a few ways to make your content more scannable:
- Break up large blocks of text. Consider using lists and bullet points.
- Bonus: Smaller chunks of text will also make the content more mobile-friendly.
- Include subheadings.
- Screen readers will pick up the subheads to allow users to navigate to relevant sections.
- Be consistent with descriptions across products. Your users can pick up on the pattern and comparison shop. They can move across your site confidently.
Imagine the frustration of a user who wants to compare the measurements of two items, only to discover that one product has this information featured prominently and the other product does not include it.
Offer audio descriptions
There are opportunities to make your product descriptions more accessible by using sound.
Audio descriptions take the content of your product pages and record them for visually impaired people and those who have difficulty reading. Adding audio descriptions allows you to showcase your accessible features while reducing the risk of screen readers messing up. These audio descriptions are typically placed at the top of large bodies of text so users who cannot read the copy can listen to the description instead.
Updated product descriptions are just the start
As you make your product descriptions more accessible, you may discover other accessibility factors that you want to improve. This is great! Accessibility should be a long-term goal for your business. As technology continues to change, so will your opportunities to create better experiences for your users with disabilities. Each improvement you make will help individual customers feel included and valued.
Consider making accessibility a core value in your organization and a key driver of your online presence. You can make your eCommerce shop a welcoming place for every customer who is interested in your products.
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