Why Accessibility Should Be at the Heart of Your Website Design

Introduction

If you’ve ever landed on a website that was hard to read, impossible to navigate without a mouse, or just downright frustrating to use—you already know how important good design is. Now imagine trying to browse that same site with a visual, auditory, or motor impairment.

That’s where accessibility comes in. And in 2025, it’s no longer just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a must. Making your website accessible ensures that everyone can use it, regardless of ability. It also boosts your SEO, enhances the user experience, and helps you stay compliant with legal standards.

Let’s explore why accessibility matters—and how you can start making your website more inclusive.

1. What Does “Accessible” Really Mean?
Website accessibility means designing and developing your site so people with disabilities can use it without barriers. That includes everything from screen reader compatibility for blind users to keyboard navigation for those who can’t use a mouse.

The gold standard for accessible web design is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines are built around four main principles: your site should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

2. Why Accessibility Matters More Than Ever
There are several reasons to take accessibility seriously—and they all add up to a better website for everyone:

• It expands your reach. Over 1 billion people globally live with some form of disability. Making your site accessible helps you serve this audience better.
• It’s good for SEO. Search engines love accessible websites. Using proper heading structures, alt text, and semantic HTML can help your content rank higher.
• It keeps you compliant. More websites are being held legally accountable for accessibility issues. In the U.S., accessibility falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

3. Easy Wins for Better Accessibility
The good news? Improving accessibility doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with a few small steps:

• Use descriptive alt text for every image so screen readers can describe them to visually impaired users.
• Check your color contrast. You want enough contrast between text and background for easy readability. Test your palette using the WebAIM Contrast Checker.
• Structure your content with headings. Using proper H1, H2, and H3 tags helps both users and search engines understand your site’s layout.
• Make sure everything works with a keyboard. If someone can’t navigate your site without a mouse, that’s a problem.
• Use meaningful link text. “Click here” doesn’t tell users much—try something more helpful, like “View our pricing.”

For a more in-depth look at the basics, Deque Systems offers a great breakdown of why digital accessibility matters and where to begin.

4. Tools to Help You Spot Accessibility Issues
Not sure how your site stacks up? These tools can help you evaluate and improve accessibility:

• WAVE by WebAIM: A browser-based tool that scans for common accessibility problems.
• axe DevTools: A browser extension for developers that identifies accessibility errors on the fly.
• Google Lighthouse: An audit tool built into Chrome DevTools that scores your site on performance, SEO, and accessibility.

These are great starting points, whether you’re auditing your site yourself or working with a developer.

Conclusion

An accessible website is more than just a thoughtful gesture—it’s a smart business decision. It ensures everyone can engage with your brand, improves your SEO, and helps you avoid legal headaches. Most importantly, it shows that you value all of your users.

Not sure how accessible your current site is? At Mixture Web, we help businesses build and maintain websites that are not only beautiful—but usable by everyone. Let’s make your site better for all.