Making websites accessible is essential to all aspects of web browsing. People with auditory or visual disabilities, tired people, and devices with different screen sizes and resolutions all benefit. Here are four ways to improve website accessibility.

1. Follow Accessibility Guidelines

There are many sets of guidelines and compliance rules available to base an accessible website on. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted in 1990, focuses on public spaces but includes guidelines for accessible public technology, such as ATMs. Two more recent guidelines, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, account for new technologies, such as smartphones and websites. These two guidelines specify how to make websites and software functional and accessible across devices and platforms.

2. Utilize Accessibility Tools and Design

Make sure you include accessibility tools and design in your accessible website. Put all critical information in plain text format and include alt text for images and videos. If video or audio components are important for your site, include subtitles or transcripts for the hearing impaired. Ensure the site design has adequate contrast and color usage and avoid any flashing or flickering elements that could induce seizures. Make sure you use responsive design, too, so your site can be used on all devices and screen sizes. An accessibility style sheet can be a helpful offline tool for site updates, so you stay in compliance with accessibility guidelines.

3. Employ Usability Testing

An accessible website relies on usability testing to ensure its compliance with guidelines and success at being accessible. You can leverage various testing tools to make sure color and image design won’t be confusing to those who are colorblind and ensure alt text is available for screen readers. It’s also a good idea to get people to test your site’s usability because people may have more nuanced opinions on your design and tools than machines.

4. Remember Accessibility Needs Can Change

When the ADA was signed into law in 1990, accessibility wasn’t yet a commonly understood concept. As computing technology and awareness of disabilities have become more mainstream, so have attempts to ensure technology is accessible to everyone. It’s likely accessibility guidelines will continue changing over time. Not only that, but you need to ensure any changes to your site are as accessible as your current content.

Making sure your website is accessible not only helps ensure people can use it more easily but also helps improve traffic to and use of your website, thus helping you as well.