Digital accessibility: quick guide for websites

Digital accessibility means making your site usable by people with disabilities, slow connections, or older phones. For a news site like Explore Africa Daily, accessibility isn’t just fair — it grows readership, helps SEO, and avoids legal trouble. This short guide gives practical steps you can use today, whether you’re an editor, a designer, or a developer.

What to fix first (fast wins)

Start with things that give the biggest impact quickly. Add descriptive alt text to images so screen reader users know what the image shows. Ensure all interactive content works with a keyboard alone — no mouse required. Use clear headings (H1, H2, H3) so people and search engines can scan articles fast. Provide captions for videos and transcripts for audio. These fixes help readers with assistive tech and people on low-data connections.

Also check colour contrast. Text should stand out against its background so older readers or those with low vision can read without strain. If you publish forms (subscriptions, comments), label inputs clearly and supply helpful error messages that explain how to fix mistakes.

Standards and tools that actually help

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the standard to follow — focus first on Level AA basics. Don’t get lost in jargon: semantic HTML (use correct tags), logical heading order, and real link text go a long way. ARIA attributes can help, but only after the HTML is correct.

Use automated tools to find obvious problems: Lighthouse (built into Chrome), WAVE, and axe catch many issues fast. Then test manually: turn off your mouse and try to navigate with Tab, try a screen reader like NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac/iPhone), and test on a slow mobile connection. These checks reveal real user problems automated scans miss.

Performance ties into accessibility. Compress images, serve scaled images, and keep pages light so readers on mobile or limited networks can access stories without long waits. Faster pages also rank better in search engines, so accessibility and SEO benefit together.

Need examples? For an article image, write alt="President addresses youth employment program in Lagos," not "image001.jpg." For links, prefer "Read full election report" over "Click here." Small edits like that help readers and search bots instantly.

Want a simple plan? Run an automated scan, fix all high-severity items (missing alt text, broken labels, keyboard traps), then run basic manual tests. Track issues in a shared sheet so editors and developers can work together.

If you need help, prioritize training for content creators on writing good alt text and clear links. Developers can follow a short checklist during deploys. Accessibility improves reach and trust — and makes your news better for everyone. Start with the fast wins and expand from there.