Having an inclusive and accessible website is largely about ensuring that all users can use the web regardless of their circumstances. It is incredibly important that all individuals can access the same information and contribute on equal terms. Sometimes, for example, we need to use a public website to perform a task or receive certain information. In such cases, good accessibility is crucial for us all to succeed. In this article, our accessibility experts at Milou share more about accessibility, inclusive design, and what needs to be considered to be accessible to everyone.

A report from WebAIM, examining the accessibility of one million homepages, shows that a staggering 95.9% have accessibility flaws. This article will discuss how we address some of the most common deficiencies we see.

Sufficient Contrasts

Low contrast between text, graphical elements, and background makes it difficult for people with impaired vision to perceive the page’s content, but it obviously affects all individuals if the text and others become difficult to read. Haven’t we all squinted and zoomed in on our phones to see what it says at some point?

Use tools to measure the contrast ratio and ensure that the text has a sufficiently high contrast. A good free tool for checking this is the Colour Contrast Analyzer. Guidelines are that text in normal size should have a contrast value of at least 4.5:1 against the background color, and colors on buttons and other graphical elements should have a contrast value of at least 3:1 against the surrounding color.

Design Forms Properly

There is a lot to consider when it comes to forms, both from a purely technical perspective and in how they are visually designed.

Here we list some of the most important parts to consider:

• Labels at the input field: The user must be able to understand what is expected to be written in the input field. However, do not place the instruction in the input field, instead place it above the input field. Add help text where needed and don’t forget to mention what formats are allowed when special input is required.
• Mandatory fields: Mark mandatory fields so that it is clear to the user what needs to be filled in. Just writing an asterisk (*) is not enough, we need to explain what the asterisk means.
• Validation and error messages: Inform the user what is happening, if anything (and if so, what) has gone wrong and how it should be fixed.

Buttons and Links

A common problem we see is that a link or button writes “Read more” or “link” with an arrow. This becomes problematic both from a user experience perspective and for individuals using screen readers as it does not describe what happens when the user clicks on the link/button. Instead, describe what the link/button leads to, for example, “Read the article about the Accessibility Directive 2025”.

How should one think about this with button or link, when should which be used really? A good rule of thumb is that links send the user to a new page, and buttons trigger another type of interaction – for example, a search being performed or a form being opened. Button and link thus have different purposes.

Responsiveness

The website must be able to adapt to different devices and screen sizes. From an accessibility perspective, users should also be able to zoom up to 200% without negatively affecting functionality and readability. Also, make sure that click areas are sufficient, but not too large. If the click area on a mobile covers a linked image across the entire screen, it is easy for the user to accidentally click instead of scrolling past.

Typography and Moving Elements

We can make websites as stylish as possible, but if the content isn’t good, it doesn’t matter how nice it looks.

• Remember to write logical and clear texts. Offer language adaptation if required and try to avoid mixing different languages on the same page. In a Swedish article, a screen reader reads Swedish words and if there are English words, the screen reader will read the English word in Swedish which can lead to confusion for the person having the article read to them.
• Use the right heading levels from the start. Ensure there is only one (and only one) H1 at the top of the page, and that other headings follow a clear hierarchical structure and that heading levels are not skipped. This is also important from an SEO perspective for your website to have a clear structure so that Google can index and understand how your website is put together.
• Moving elements can enhance the experience and create a more vibrant website. However, it is important to consider that blinking, movements, and other visual distractions should be able to be paused or closed off so that people can maintain concentration and focus.

Summary

Working with accessibility is not just about meeting the accessibility requirements; it’s about creating a more inclusive digital existence where all individuals can access the same information and contribute on equal terms.

If you feel that you need to get a better grasp on accessibility and need to analyze your website or digital service, our consultants at Milou are available to help you. Visit their website here.