Making your website accessible is one way to show your clients that you value all of your users, including those with disabilities. With 96% of the world’s top homepages having accessibility errors, it’s clear that not enough of the internet is as accessible as it should be.
So which web platform should you use to build your website? And how can you ensure that your website meets the accessibility requirements laid out in standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1?
Which web platform should I choose?
Consultant Claire Jarrett says:
“There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the individual's level of expertise and comfort with different platforms. However, generally speaking, platforms that are based on templates, such as WordPress and Webflow, are often easier to make accessible than those that require more custom coding.”
That’s an important point. A service can have all the bells and whistles imaginable, but if you or your team can’t find your way around its accessibility features, you’re going to be defeated before you get started.
One complicating factor is that the options are seemingly endless. With advertisements for platforms like Wix, Webflow, Squarespace, and WordPress ubiquitous in the online marketplace, you’d be forgiven for being overwhelmed, but there are some signposts to keep you moving forward.
What resources are there to help with making an accessible website?
The WCAG quick reference guide can serve as a checklist, which Jarrett says is useful for staying consistent not just while building a website, but also when it comes time to create content. Consistency is key to maintaining the accessibility you’re looking to create.
“You have to have a list of tasks that you're going to complete related to accessibility, and you have to complete them regularly. For example, you should have a list of issues to review once a month.”
WCAG’s quick reference guide isn’t the only checklist available:
- Webflow provides a public template and a course through their WebFlow University resources
- Wix offers an accessibility wizard, a dedicated page on accessibility, and an accessibility checklist
WordPress, with its maze of plug-ins, requires WCAG compliance as part of their coding standards, and they do appear to have an accessibility working group that meets regularly. But – as with any open-source platform – your mileage may vary.
Help make the web more accessible
As with many other aspects of accessibility, not enough content creators are focused on making the web more inclusive. But that can lead to lawsuits and other repercussions. Learn more about digital accessibility and ways to make your content more accessible to become one of the content creators affecting the change we need to see.
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