Your Partner for a Brighter Future
The simple navigation test your website should pass
Improve website accessibility with simple navigation checks, inclusive checkout forms, and alt text that boosts usability and conversions.
Improve website accessibility with simple navigation checks, inclusive checkout forms, and alt text that boosts usability and conversions.
Try navigating your website using only your keyboard. No mouse, no trackpad, just the Tab key and Enter.
Can you reach every menu? Complete a purchase? Access all the interactive elements your customers need?
This simple test reveals opportunities for improvement on most websites.
Users might find themselves navigating through dropdown menus that need refinement, or discovering areas where key links could be more accessible.
But here's what we've discovered working with businesses across retail, travel, and hospitality.
Fixing these accessibility barriers doesn't just help people with disabilities. It transforms the experience for everyone.
When we design digital experiences with inclusivity at the heart, we're not addressing a small subset of users. We're improving the journey for every customer.
A comprehensive digital inclusivity strategy recognises that accessible design benefits everyone.
Think about someone browsing on mobile in bright sunlight, struggling to see low-contrast text. Or a parent multitasking with limited time, needing clear navigation paths. Or a power user who prefers keyboard shortcuts for speed.
Accessibility and usability go hand in hand. The features that remove barriers for some create smoother experiences for all.
We've seen this play out repeatedly. Structured headings make content accessible for screen readers, but they also improve search visibility and help every visitor scan pages more effectively.
Website navigation accessibility supports people with mobility challenges while making browsing faster for anyone who prefers hands-free interaction.
The most common opportunity lies in checkout optimisation.
We consistently find two key areas where improvements deliver immediate results.
Ecommerce accessibility, particularly in checkout processes, directly impacts conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
Vague error messaging: Forms that provide specific feedback like "please enter your postcode in the correct format" create smoother customer journeys than generic "invalid entry" messages. This approach immediately removes barriers.
Poor focus order: Logical focus order helps keyboard users move smoothly through form fields. When the cursor follows a clear sequence, it creates a better experience for everyone.
These subtle design choices present valuable opportunities during development. But they have disproportionate impact on whether customers complete their purchase.
Getting accessible checkout forms right is essential for any ecommerce business.
Small adjustments can often resolve these barriers, creating smoother and more accessible experiences for all users.
The most effective alt text goes beyond literal image descriptions.
Instead of treating it like captions, there's a strategic approach that delivers better results.
Effective alt text communicates the purpose of the image in context. If the image is a button to complete a purchase, the alt text shouldn't say "blue shopping cart icon." It should say "complete purchase" because that's the action it represents.
Another opportunity for improvement involves avoiding keyword stuffing. Alt text isn't about SEO manipulation. It's about accessibility that happens to improve search performance as a bonus.
We see the same transformation in every development team we work with. Development teams often discover that accessibility integration becomes more natural once they understand its universal benefits.
The lightbulb moment comes when they see how a small accessibility fix improves the experience for everyone.
Adjusting keyboard focus so it moves logically through a checkout form doesn't just help people using assistive technology. It makes the process quicker and less frustrating for any customer.
When teams realise these adjustments remove barriers, lower abandonment rates, and make their code more robust across devices, accessibility becomes an integral part of their development process.
Teams often move from seeing accessibility as an additional task to recognising it as the natural way to build stronger digital experiences.
One simple test immediately reveals whether a business truly understands inclusive design. Try navigating the site using only a keyboard.
Sites built with inclusivity from the ground up pass this test easily. Users can move through menus, forms, and interactive elements without getting trapped or losing access to key functions.
We also examine heading structures. Logical, well-ordered headings allow screen readers to interpret content clearly while helping all users scan pages more effectively.
These quick checks show whether inclusivity was considered from the start or added as an afterthought.
As AI reshapes how people interact with digital platforms, from voice assistants to personalised shopping flows, inclusivity becomes even more critical. This evolution demands omnichannel accessibility that works seamlessly across all touchpoints.
These technologies promise convenience, but they work best when designed with diverse users in mind from the start.
Voice-enabled features need text alternatives. Personalisation systems need escape routes for users who want different paths.
Omnichannel accessibility ensures consistent, inclusive experiences whether customers shop online, via mobile apps, or through voice interfaces.
Embedding inclusive principles now helps businesses stay ahead of regulatory shifts, build customer trust, and create digital experiences that evolve smoothly as technology advances.
For business leaders convinced but unsure where to start, focus on one thing. Check how people navigate your site without a mouse. This forms the foundation of effective website navigation accessibility.
If customers can move smoothly through menus, forms, and key actions using only a keyboard, you've removed one of the biggest barriers to accessibility.
This forces teams to think about clarity, order, and usability across the whole experience. Once that foundation exists, other inclusive practices like better alt text and clearer error messaging follow naturally.
Starting with navigation demonstrates how inclusive design experiences makes sites easier for everyone, not just those with specific accessibility needs.
It's a small change that sparks a much bigger cultural shift toward building digital experiences that are both accessible and enjoyable.
This approach naturally evolves into a comprehensive digital inclusivity strategy that transforms your entire customer experience.
The key insight we've gained is that inclusive design extends far beyond serving a small subset of users. It's about designing for the full spectrum of human experience.
Everyone benefits at some point. When businesses approach inclusivity as a driver of creativity rather than a limitation, they create better products and stronger customer connections.
The real consideration is whether businesses treat inclusive design as optional, or embrace it as a source of competitive advantage and long-term value.
Here are the main lessons from this guide to accessible website design and inclusive digital strategy.
To explore these ideas in more depth, download our Rethinking Accessibility digital white paper, which provides practical steps for embedding inclusivity into every stage of your digital strategy.
Business leaders frequently raise similar questions when discussing digital inclusivity.
Here are clear answers to the most common queries about accessibility and inclusive design.
It ensures all users, including those without a mouse, can interact with menus, forms, and checkout. This improves usability and inclusivity for every visitor.
Alt text explains the function or purpose of an image, while captions describe it. Effective alt text makes content accessible and supports SEO.
The most common opportunities involve improving error messages and focus order. Clear, specific feedback and logical tabbing sequences create better experiences and improve conversions.
No. Inclusive design benefits everyone, from multitasking parents to mobile users in bright environments, by making sites easier to use.
Try navigating only with a keyboard. If you can move smoothly through key actions, your site is on the right track.
You may also like
