Creating an accessible website ensures that all visitors, including those with disabilities, can navigate and use your site effectively. An inclusive website not only provides a better experience for your visitors but can also improve your search engine ranking and help you reach a wider audience. As a Jimdo user, you can make your website more accessible by following these key accessibility guidelines.
1. Use Clear and Readable Text
Why is this important?
Text clarity is essential for all users, especially those with visual impairments or reading difficulties. Visitors who use screen readers or have dyslexia, low vision, or cognitive disabilities rely on clear, structured text to understand your content.
Best Practices:
- Choose a readable font from Jimdo’s available options to enhance legibility. Avoid overly decorative fonts that can be difficult to read.
- Avoid using images of text whenever possible. Screen readers cannot interpret text embedded in images, making it inaccessible to visually impaired users. Instead, use actual text so that assistive technologies can read it aloud.
- Use Jimdo’s heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to improve readability and help screen readers navigate your content more easily. A well-structured page allows users to skim content and quickly find relevant information.
Related Help Topic: How do I optimize texts on my Jimdo website?
2. Set the Language for Your Website
Why is this important?
The correct language setting for your website is essential for accessibility. Screen readers detect the selected language and read the content accordingly, improving accessibility for users with visual impairments.
Please note: Jimdo offers only a limited selection of languages for websites. When you select a language in the settings, all default texts, such as system messages and texts in the online store, will only be displayed in the chosen language. Screen readers can therefore only recognize and process these languages.
Best Practices:
- Select the correct language in Jimdo’s Settings section to ensure that default texts, such as system messages and online store labels, appear in the right language.
- Using the correct language setting helps screen readers recognize and read your content accurately for users with visual impairments.
- Write in clear, simple language to improve readability for all users, including those with cognitive disabilities or those who speak your language as a second language.
Related Help Topic: How do I change the language of my Jimdo website?
3. Provide Alternative Text for Images
Why is this important?
Alternative text (alt text) is essential for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers to describe images. It also improves SEO by helping search engines understand image content.
Best Practices:
- Add descriptive alternative text for all images using Jimdo’s image settings. Describe the image’s content and function concisely.
- If an image is purely decorative, leave the alt attribute empty (e.g., alt=""). This tells screen readers to ignore it, reducing unnecessary distractions.
Related Help Topic: How do I add alternative text to my images on my Jimdo website?
4. Use Descriptive Links
Why is this important?
Visitors using screen readers often scan links to navigate a website. Generic link text like "Click here" provides no context and makes navigation difficult.
Best Practices:
- Avoid generic link text like "Click here" or "Read more."
- Use meaningful text that describes the link destination. Instead of "Click here", use "Check out my portfolio" so visitors immediately know they will see examples of your work.
Instead of "Read more", use "Find out more about my coaching services" to make it clear that the link leads to detailed information about your offerings. - Ensure that links are visually distinguishable using Jimdo’s styling options.
Related Help Topic: How do I create links on my Jimdo website?
5. Ensure Multimedia Accessibility
Why is this important?
Users with hearing impairments may not be able to access audio content, and visually impaired users may need audio descriptions for videos.
Best Practices:
- Provide captions or transcriptions for videos so users with hearing impairments can access the content.
- Avoid autoplaying media or provide controls to pause or stop it. Autoplay can be disorienting for some users.
- Consider providing sign language interpretation or audio descriptions for key video content, especially if it conveys essential information.
Related Help Topic: How do I add videos to my Jimdo website?
6. Design for Color Accessibility
Why is this important?
Some users have color vision deficiencies, making it difficult to distinguish between certain colors. Ensuring sufficient contrast and using other visual indicators improves accessibility.
Best Practices:
- Do not rely solely on color to convey information. Use symbols or text in addition to color to ensure clarity.
- Use Jimdo’s color settings to maintain sufficient contrast between text and background. Low contrast can make text difficult to read.
- Test your site with colorblind simulation tools to ensure clarity for all users.
Related Help Topic: How do I adjust the colors of my Jimdo website’s design?
7. Ensure Responsive and Mobile-Friendly Design
Why is this important?
A mobile-friendly design ensures that all users, including those who rely on assistive technologies, can navigate your site on different devices.
Best Practices:
- Preview your site on different devices to check for responsiveness. Jimdo’s templates are mobile-friendly by default, but verifying the layout ensures usability.
- Ensure that buttons and links have large enough touch targets to be easily tapped on mobile devices. Small buttons can be difficult to use, especially for those with motor impairments.
8. Test and Validate Accessibility
Why is this important?
Regular accessibility testing helps identify potential issues that could hinder users with disabilities from accessing your site effectively.
Best Practices:
- Conduct user testing with people who have disabilities to gather feedback on usability. Real-world testing can highlight barriers that automated tools may miss.
- Use online accessibility checkers to review your site for potential accessibility issues and areas for improvement.
Creating a More Inclusive Web Experience
By following these accessibility guidelines, you can create a website that enhances usability for all visitors, improves the overall user experience, and aligns with accessibility standards. Making your website inclusive benefits everyone, including users with disabilities, older adults, and those browsing under different conditions, such as in bright sunlight or with slow internet connections.