Accessibility isn’t an add-on — it’s a necessity.
Making your website accessible means making it usable for everyone — including people with disabilities. From vision impairment and limited mobility to cognitive challenges and hearing loss, millions of Australians navigate the internet differently. If your website doesn’t support them, you could be unintentionally excluding potential customers.
At Website Guy, we believe inclusivity is good business. That’s why we build accessibility into every website design and website development project. We know that providing equal access to all users isn’t just a feel-good initiative — it’s a proven way to increase engagement, improve SEO, and widen your customer base.
What is website accessibility?
Website accessibility refers to how easily users with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with your website. This includes using assistive technologies like screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, voice control, and colour contrast tools.
According to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an accessible website adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are recognised as the global standard.
When a website is accessible, it’s also more intuitive for all users — not just those with disabilities. Clean navigation, thoughtful layouts, and helpful content make for a smoother experience and greater user satisfaction.
Why website accessibility matters for business
Aside from the ethical and legal importance, accessible websites reach more people, perform better in search engines, and build a stronger brand reputation. An inclusive site can expand your audience reach by accommodating a wider variety of users. It reduces bounce rates because it creates a smoother, more intuitive user experience for everyone. Accessibility improvements also enhance SEO by strengthening your page structure, semantic markup, and overall readability. And perhaps most importantly, it builds trust by showing customers you care about inclusivity and social responsibility.
In fact, Accessibility.com outlines the direct link between accessibility improvements and search engine visibility. They explain that many best practices for accessibility — like semantic HTML, descriptive links, and mobile optimisation — directly influence your website’s performance in organic search.
Common website accessibility features to include
You don’t need to overhaul your site to make it accessible. For example, adding alt text to images allows screen readers to describe your visuals for users with vision impairments. Ensuring your site can be fully navigated via keyboard makes it usable for people who can’t use a mouse. Using strong colour contrast between text and background helps all users read your content more clearly. Structuring your links and headings clearly aids both assistive tech and search engines. And implementing ARIA labels gives additional context for screen readers to interpret interactive elements correctly.
Other website accessibility features that improve usability include captions or transcripts for videos, simplified language for readability, and avoiding flashing animations that could trigger seizures in some users. These updates don’t just help individuals with disabilities — they improve usability for everyone, especially older adults and those with temporary impairments.
These features are embedded into our SEO services to support performance and inclusivity at once. Accessibility is not a one-off task but part of a comprehensive, long-term digital strategy.
The legal side of website accessibility
Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) applies to websites, and failing to meet accessibility requirements can put you at legal risk. Compliance with WCAG 2.1 guidelines helps ensure your site meets these expectations and remains legally protected.
Organisations across all industries, including retail, education, finance, and healthcare, are being held to increasing standards around accessibility. Inaction could lead to discrimination complaints and reputational damage, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on public trust and engagement.
If you’re unsure whether your site meets accessibility standards, we can help evaluate it. You can also refer to this official WCAG reference page for detailed information. It outlines the structure, levels of compliance, and techniques to help your team or developer build a fully inclusive experience.
Build a website everyone can use
Website accessibility isn’t just a checklist — it’s a mindset. When your site is accessible, you’re not only supporting users with disabilities — you’re creating better experiences for everyone.
Businesses that take this step demonstrate leadership, empathy, and forward-thinking — traits that customers notice and appreciate. Inclusive design isn’t a barrier to creativity — it’s a challenge to design with more purpose.
Let’s build something inclusive together. Contact Website Guy and ensure your site is accessible, compliant, and future-ready.
