An inclusive website tells a visitor that the brand behind it values more than just a narrow band of audience members. Knowing that accessibility and inclusion are’t mere buzzwords demonstrates a respect for your audience that reflects well on your brand and creates a sense of trust and reliability.
These qualities should be genuinely nurtured if you want to grow a successful, inclusive brand that strives to make the world a better place. Continue reading to find out how web design can refine your brand by being more inclusive and respectful.
1. Familiarize Yourself with Exclusionary Barriers
You will first need to educate yourself about the barriers people face when using the internet. Economic, geographical, and political barriers can prevent people from safely or consistently accessing the web.
These problems must be addressed, but web design alone isn’t up to the job. What inclusive web design can do, however, is help people who may have a physical or cognitive disability. People can also feel excluded from online spaces based on their age and identity.
2. Adopt Web Design Practices to Enhance Accessibility
More than just aesthetics, web design can be used to create a pleasant experience for users. Being able to access content easily is the key to accessibility. There are services that offer advanced software to help web designers improve their site accessibility without in-depth rearranging.
These Userway widget reviews are just an example of the type of technology that can significantly improve your website’s functionality and accessibility.
You can also change your color scheme and typefaces for better contrast, include alt text for your images, and make sure that your site is compatible with accessibility devices like screen readers.
3. Use Inclusive Language
The language you use on your site can be unintentionally exclusionary. Know how to phrase sentences and choose vocabulary that doesn’t alienate a particular group or characteristic.
Users can feel unwelcome when encountering this kind of language online and will look for more respectful alternatives elsewhere.
4. Constantly Seek User Feedback for Future Improvements
You can’t expect to achieve a perfectly inclusive brand and website overnight. It takes time to educate yourself and keep up with the changing times.
What’s important is that you listen to your users’ feedback and make adjustments based on what they have to say. Not only does this create a more welcoming space online for your visitors, but it also strengthens your brand.
An inclusive website shouldn’t be considered unobtainable or unachievable. While striving for a truly inclusive website may require some trial and error, risk-taking, and learning from mistakes, that doesn’t excuse unwillingness to try in the first place.
Get to know what barriers people face when using the internet so you can target these issues on your own website. Use tools to regularly update your website’s accessibility and implement inclusive language that makes every visitor to your site feel welcome.
Thoughtful visual design and responding to user feedback will make your website much more accessible and inclusive, affirming that your brand has genuine intentions for improving people’s lives.
