Website Accessibility Excellence: Best Practices for Sitecore Websites

In today's digital landscape, ensuring complete website accessibility for a wide range of users and audiences is not just a legal requirement but also a moral imperative. As a leading content management system (CMS), Sitecore DXP offers a range of powerful tools to help improve website accessibility standards to ultimately cater to the diverse and vast requirements of varying audiences and consumers.

However, to truly improve website accessibility standards and ensure inclusivity, it is essential to implement some key best practices that are adequately tailored for improved accessibility. In this blog, we will outline these key strategies and techniques that can make your Sitecore website easily accessible and truly inclusive.

How to Improve Your Sitecore Website Accessibility

Semantic HTML: Semantic HTML lays the foundation for website accessibility. By using proper HTML elements like headings, lists, and landmarks, you provide structure and context to your content, making it easier for users of assistive technologies to navigate and understand.

Keyboard Accessibility: Many users rely on keyboard navigation to browse the web. Ensure that all interactive elements on your Sitecore website, including menus, forms, and buttons, can be easily accessed, and operated using keyboard shortcuts. Proper focus management is crucial to ensure a seamless keyboard navigation experience.

Alt Text for Images: Images play a significant role in web content, but they must be accessible to users who rely on screen readers. When adding images to your Sitecore website, always include descriptive alternative text (alt text) that conveys the content and purpose of the image. Sitecore's media library provides a convenient interface for adding alt text to images.

Accessible Forms: Forms are a common feature of websites, but they can pose accessibility challenges if not implemented correctly. Ensure that all form fields have descriptive labels and are properly associated with their corresponding input elements. Use semantic HTML elements like <label> and <input> to create accessible form controls in Sitecore.

Color Contrast: Color plays a crucial role in web design. However, it is essential to ensure sufficient color contrast for readability, especially for users with visual impairments. Use tools like Siteimprove or WebAIM's Contrast Checker to evaluate color contrast ratios and ensure that text is legible against its background on your Sitecore website.

Accessible Rich Media: Rich media such as videos and audio content can enhance the user experience, but they must be accessible to all users. Provide captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions for multimedia content to ensure that it is accessible to users with disabilities. Sitecore's media management capabilities make it easy to manage and publish accessible rich media content.

ARIA Roles and Attributes: ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes can enhance the accessibility of dynamic content and interactive widgets on your Sitecore website. Use ARIA roles like role="alert" or role="dialog" to provide additional context and semantics for assistive technologies.

Testing and Auditing: Regular testing and auditing are essential to ensure the accessibility of your Sitecore website. Utilize accessibility testing tools like Axe or Siteimprove Accessibility Checker to identify and address accessibility issues proactively. Conduct manual testing with assistive technologies to ensure a seamless user experience for all users.

Conclusion

Creating a website that meets global website accessibility standards requires a combination of technical expertise, design considerations, and a commitment to inclusivity. By following the best practices and incorporating accessibility into your Sitecore development process, you can ensure that your website is usable and accessible to everyone. Embracing accessibility is not simply compliance—it is about indulging in creating a better website experience for users of different kinds.

If you wish to implement a website accessibility check for your business or want to incorporate into your existing digital presence more accessible and inclusive elements that can help you cater to a diverse set of audiences, then reach out to us.