Here’s How To Achieve Client Inclusivity With Web Accessibility

From researching activities and booking flights to meeting with an advisor, nearly every aspect of planning a trip is done online. With the digitization of the industry, it’s important to explore a technical element often overlooked by creators, marketers and companies alike: web accessibility. The best part about travel is it’s for everyone. Here are some of the ways advisors can implement accessibility into their websites and achieve client inclusivity.

Digital Content Is for Everyone

To put it simply, web accessibility is designing content and technology that can be accessed by all people regardless of ability. This includes the website itself, apps, videos, external links, documents and any other form of digital content. To better explain why accessibility is a necessity, The Compass caught up with Erin Perkins, deafblind business owner of Mabely Q, for the inside scoop.

“Web accessibility is important in the travel industry because it ensures that all individuals of all abilities have the opportunity to access and utilize travel-related information and services. With the majority of trip planning occurring online, any obstacles such as inadequate color contrast or issues with screen readers interpreting content, can prompt users to abandon a website,” Perkins said. “By prioritizing website accessibility, you demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and foster a welcoming space for all prospective travelers.”

It might seem like a given that accessibility is factored in when websites are designed, but a 2024 WebAIM report found that this is rarely the case. The nonprofit organization analyzed the top one million websites this year, finding 95.9% failed to meet one or more of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) criteria. Websites had an average of 57 errors per page with elements like missing labels, empty links or buttons and missing alt text amongst the violations.

Admittedly, web accessibility does encompass a variety of technical elements, and for those who are still learning about what it entails, it can be overwhelming to think about how to start applying these changes. Perkins reminds advisors to have patience with the process: “Remember, this is a journey, so be patient with yourself and your team as you learn and implement accessibility measures.”

Here are a few key areas advisors can focus on to help break down the process of making their website accessible.

Areas of Accessibility

Visual Impairment Considerations

For individuals with visual impairments, screen readers are necessary to verbalize the content on a website, including images and videos. This is important to note because often, images on a website don’t include alt text — in non-technical words, this is a behind-the-scenes detailed description of the picture. A screen reader will find the alt text embedded in the site and read it aloud to the user or present it as a braille display, but if no description is provided, then users are unable to interpret the image. To ensure every user can interact with the content on a website, alt text should be available for any images or graphics. When generating the text, check that the descriptions are detailed, accurate and grammatically correct so the user experience is as seamless as possible.

This same idea can be applied to videos. Accurate and on-pace captions are a must, but they should also incorporate consistent formatting and non-speech elements. Sounds like laughing, clapping or even eerie background music should be noted so everyone is privy to the tone of the video.

The last element to consider is descriptive link text. Many websites will offer a vague call-to-action such as “click here for more information,” with the word “here” linked to an external tab. Screen readers will pull the links out of context and if they’re not labeled clearly, differentiating between them can be difficult. Instead, try to be more descriptive about where users are being directed by saying something like: “Learn more by visiting The Compass,” with “The Compass” acting as the external link. This way, anyone utilizing a screen reader will be able to tell more specifically where the links lead to.

Mobility Impairment Considerations

Users with mobility impairments aren’t always able to use a mouse to navigate a website and instead rely on their keyboard. Interactive elements like a video should be able to play with the click of a key. Other components, such as forms or links, need to be accessible this way too. This might be a recommended area for advisors to enlist the help of a web expert because this process relies heavily on computer coding, and let’s be honest, we can’t all be tech geniuses.

Color Vision Deficiency Considerations

Color vision deficiency, or color blindness, can affect a user’s ability to read text on a website. Poor color contrast makes it difficult to distinguish text from certain background colors. For instance, pairings like blue on black, green on orange, red on green and gray on purple can appear especially harsh to the eyes. Test your website’s palette with Color Buddy, a free Chrome extension, or Accessible Brand Colors.

Resources

Advisors looking to make their websites accessible have the option to do it themselves or enlist the help of an expert, but either way, Perkins warned against the use of accessibility overlays. This automated software aims to detect and fix accessibility issues, but instead only scratches the surface without addressing the root of the problem, ultimately creating more errors than it’s worth.

To help advisors identify potential changes that could be made to their websites, Perkins recommends checking out the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) for tutorials and more detailed WCAG compliance information.

These web accessibility practices are a fantastic place to start in achieving client inclusivity, but it’s only the beginning. The same principles can be applied to other online platforms and communication channels too, and it’s important to consider those as well.

“For a truly inclusive approach, extend your focus to every aspect of your business. This includes social media, email marketing, podcasts, events (whether online or in-person), branding and the overall business strategy,” Perkins added. “Let’s work together to ensure that everyone can embark on their dream journeys without any barriers or limitations. Together, we can create a travel industry that truly embraces accessibility for all.”