Educate yourself and your team
Understand the basics of web accessibility and get buy-in to why it matters. Familiarize yourself with the global standard for web accessibility, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Use Silktide’s free learning resources to help you. Watch our range of free accessibility training videos on YouTube.
Adopt inclusive design principles
Ensure your website’s design caters to a broad range of users, not just those with disabilities. Prioritize accessibility from the beginning stages of design and development. It’s far easier and more cost-effective than trying to retrofit accessibility later.
Test your existing accessibility
Assess your website’s current level of accessibility, using a mixture of manual and automated approaches. Your website should be compatible with technologies like screen readers, magnification software, and voice recognition tools. It’s highly beneficial to include accessibility experts and users with disabilities in your testing process.
Remediate your website
Unless a website was designed for accessibility from day one, it will almost certainly require changes to become accessible. These are typically a mixture of content changes (e.g. adding captions, and alternative text) and technical changes (e.g. changing the code for navigation and forms).
Create an accessibility statement
An accessibility statement shows your commitment to making your website usable by as many people as possible. It also communicates to your users what they can expect from your site in terms of accessibility.
Review and update regularly
The web is constantly evolving, and so are the ways in which people interact with it. Your website will change over time. Regular audits and updates ensure that your website stays accessible as new technologies and standards emerge.