If you have been reading the news lately then you have probably seen that businesses are facing huge fines. Some brands are even paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for not meeting website accessibility rules. Well everyone is now doing business online so it is easy to see why WCAG accessibility a big concern. You are probably thinking that your business is online too and you do not want to get fined.
Things can get difficult for small business when then have to figure out how to make websites accessible while keeping costs low. Well, the good news is that compliance to the WCAG guidelines is not expensive. Follow these specific steps to make sure your website is accessible within your budget.
Use free and low cost WCAG accessibility Checkers
There are free tools online to check your website accessibility and point out areas that need improvement. You can find color contrast problems and missing headings with these tools.
If you are on a tight budget then start with free tools. When you know what issues to address then go through them one by one.
Simple compliance step is to add Alt text to images
Add Alt text description to an image that screen readers can read aloud to visually impaired users.
For instance, a picture of a coffee mug on your website should have an alt text that say white ceramic coffee mug with steam rising. You should know how to use the website CMS like WordPress or Shopify to add this text.
Follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG with high contrast text
Make your text is easy to read by using light text on a dark background or dark text on a light background.
Find an online Color Contrast Checker which is free to use. It will tell you if the website colors pass the WCAG accessibility standards. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for regular text and 3:1 for larger text.
WCAG standards require simplified content
Simple is better for accessibility standards. Long complex sentences with technical jargon might confuse visitors. Break your content into smaller paragraphs and use bullet points to make it easier to read.
Put clear headings in the right order so that screen reader navigation becomes accessible. This step is particularly helpful to assess the user experience. You might not get great help from a free tool here so either you do it on your own or get professional help.
Hire audit experts for WCAG accessibility
Not unsure where to start or do not have the time to make all these changes yourself? Hire audit experts who can manual test your small business website and make it WCAG-compliant. These tests done by audit experts can make your website accessible for a low cost. The investment is well worth it as it may protect you from the risk of serial litigants. The key is to have a proactive approach and get routine audits after every update. This way you will not need extensive remediation and stay within your budget to ensure WCAG compliance.
Conclusion
Even small businesses can ensure WCAG-compliance for their websites. The trick is to be proactive and aim for compliance right from the beginning. Extensive audits and remediations can be costly but not when you use free tools and get the help of accessibility specialists right from the beginning. Improve your website with the help of ADACP. They even provide free scans and can help you make your website compliant with the European Accessibility Act and WCAG guidelines.