10 Most Common Website Accessibility Issues

Website accessibility problems can exclude a significant portion of your visitors from fully engaging with your site. Many website owners may not realize the challenges their websites pose for users with various disabilities. This article aims to shed light on the most prevalent website accessibility issues, detailing whom they affect and emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues.

1. Color Contrast

Insufficient color contrast on websites poses a significant accessibility challenge, particularly for individuals with visual impairments or specific types of color blindness. When the contrast between text and background colors is lacking, it hinders content visibility and readability.

When developing websites, it is crucial to opt for color combinations that provide substantial contrast. This involves employing darker text on a lighter background, or vice versa. By ensuring an adequate contrast ratio, websites become more inclusive for individuals with visual impairments, the elderly, or those viewing content in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

2. Text Links

Inadequately described text links present another accessibility hurdle for websites, impeding users with disabilities from effectively utilizing assistive technologies to navigate and comprehend content.

Insufficiently labeled text links create challenges for users relying on screen readers or keyboard navigation. Generic terms like “click here” or “read more” offer little context or indication of the link’s destination or purpose. To enhance website accessibility, brands should prioritize creating descriptive text links. For instance, an article about the best protein powders should have a label like “best protein powders.”

3. Inaccessible Multimedia

Inaccessible multimedia affects two main user groups: those who are hard of hearing or deaf, and those with visual impairments or blindness. Video content often lacks written transcripts, captions, or subtitles, rendering it inaccessible to many individuals.

Visually impaired users depend on screen reader accessibility for the context provided by non-audio elements in videos, such as actions, settings, and visual details. Similarly, individuals with hearing impairments rely on written transcripts or subtitles to comprehend the content.

4. Keyboard Accessibility

Users facing mobility impairments or motor disabilities may find it challenging to use a mouse effectively. Achieving the same level of accuracy with clicks becomes difficult, highlighting the necessity of keyboard accessibility.

The concept is straightforward—every section of a website should be accessible without a mouse, utilizing only keyboard controls. Users should navigate seamlessly through the website without encountering errors or confusion. To assess a website’s accessibility in this regard, try navigating using only the tab or spacebar keys.

5. Text Alternatives for Images

Screen reader users heavily rely on their assistive technology to interpret visual content on websites. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of web page content, it is imperative that all images incorporate an alt text tag. This is particularly crucial for visually impaired individuals who cannot see the images.

For images that convey information or are vital for grasping the content of your webpage, a descriptive alt attribute is essential. This alt text provides a textual alternative, enabling screen readers to convey the image’s significance to users. On the other hand, purely decorative images intended solely for visual design purposes should include null alt text (alt=””), indicating that no descriptive information is necessary.

To prevent Website Accessibility Issues during the design phase, it is advisable to establish a strategy. A thoughtful approach involves determining which images demand meaningful alt text to enhance accessibility and comprehension and which ones, being purely decorative, require no textual description. By implementing this strategy, you contribute to a more inclusive web environment, ensuring that users of all abilities can fully engage with and understand your content.

6. Forms & Input Fields

Websites commonly feature form fields for user interaction, but these can inadvertently create accessibility challenges for individuals with visual impairments during the form-filling process.

One prevalent issue is the lack of appropriate labels and instructions for form fields, hindering screen readers from effectively conveying control information. This omission can lead to confusion for users relying on assistive technologies.

Additionally, when incorrectly filled forms return with highlighted fields in red, it can create Website Accessibility Issues for users unable to perceive the color red. A more inclusive approach involves providing explanations for errors, ensuring that screen readers can articulate the specific issue.

The key to addressing these challenges lies in incorporating clear and accessible labels for all contact forms and input fields on your website. Screen readers can then relay this information to users, guiding them through the form-filling process. It’s equally important to ensure that buttons have descriptive text, enabling users to understand their purpose upon completing the form.

In cases where CAPTCHA is used, consider including audio or other accessible text alternatives. This accommodates users with visual impairments, providing them with an inclusive means to complete the form.

By implementing these measures, you enhance the overall accessibility of your forms, making the online experience more seamless and inclusive for users with visual impairments.

7. Navigation Links

Navigation links, if poorly coded, can indeed present accessibility challenges, as screen readers may struggle to detect them. In such cases, users with visual impairments might be forced to listen to the entire navigation each time a new page loads, causing frustration and hindering efficient navigation.

The solution to this problem involves accurately assigning ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles to navigation menus. ARIA roles help indicate the purpose of the link while ensuring it remains navigable for screen readers. This enables users to comprehend the structure of the navigation and efficiently navigate through the links.

Additionally, incorporating a ‘Skip to main content’ link on web pages can significantly enhance accessibility. This feature allows users, particularly those with screen readers, to bypass repetitive navigation elements and directly access the main content of the page. It streamlines the user experience for individuals with visual impairments, saving them time and providing a more efficient way to interact with the website.

By implementing these measures, website developers contribute to a more accessible online environment, ensuring that users with visual impairments can navigate seamlessly and efficiently through the site’s content.

8. Heading Hierarchy

Website users with disabilities, particularly those relying on Assistive Technologies (AT), often navigate web pages using tools like screen readers. For individuals with vision impairments, screen readers play a crucial role in accessing online content. Notably, a significant majority of screen reader users rely on headings as a primary means of navigating websites.

Therefore, it is imperative to maintain a logical heading hierarchy (H1 to H6) to facilitate seamless navigation for users with disabilities. By structuring headings in a hierarchical order, from the most important (H1) to less significant (H6), you enhance the user experience for those relying on screen readers.

Maintaining a logical heading hierarchy not only benefits users with disabilities but also improves overall website usability. It ensures that all visitors, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and comprehend the content effectively. Incorporating this best practice is a key step towards creating a more inclusive and user-friendly online environment.

9. Inaccessible Documents

Accessibility considerations extend beyond web page content to include documents such as PDFs, Word documents, and PowerPoint presentations hosted on websites. Making these digital products accessible is crucial to ensure that users with disabilities can access and comprehend the information they contain.

Ensuring the accessibility of digital documents is essential for creating an inclusive online experience. By following best practices and utilizing built-in accessibility checkers, you can enhance the usability of your documents for individuals with disabilities, including those who rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies.

10. Video Subtitles and Captions

incorporating subtitles and captions for video content is crucial for addressing accessibility challenges. Over the past few decades, content creators have become increasingly aware of the importance of providing subtitles and captions to ensure a more inclusive online experience. Omitting these elements not only sets your website apart negatively but also excludes individuals who rely on them for comprehension. Deaf individuals, in particular, require some form of captioning to access and understand video content.

Content creators and website owners should prioritize the inclusion of subtitles and captions in their video content. Many platforms and video hosting services offer tools and features to easily add and customize captions. By embracing these practices, websites contribute to a more accessible online environment, fostering inclusivity and equal access to information for all users.