Millions of people in the United States have disabilities. As a business owner, it’s important to make sure your website is accessible to everyone. In this article, we will discuss some of the ways you can make your Squarespace website ADA compliant.
Table of Contents:
What is ADA compliance and why is it important?
ADA compliance refers to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is a set of regulations that ensure individuals with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of life. This includes access to websites. When a website is not ADA compliant, it can be difficult or impossible for individuals with disabilities to use. This can lead to lost business and potential legal action.
How can Squarespace websites be made ADA-compliant?
There are a few ways to make sure your Squarespace website is ADA-compliant.
1. Choose the right template
First, you need to choose a template that has high color contrast. This will ensure that individuals with vision impairments can see the text on your website.
There are a few ways to verify the color contrast on a Squarespace template, so you can pick one knowing the color palette is contrasted enough. One way is to use the Color Contrast Analyzer tool, which is available on the WebAIM website. This tool will ensure that the text on your website has enough contrast between the background and the text.
Another way to verify the color contrast on your website is to look at it yourself. A good rule of thumb is to make sure the text is dark enough that you can read it easily, even when the background is light. The best way to test this is to view your website in both light and dark mode.
2. Use alternative text
Adding alternative text (alt text) to images is important for individuals who are blind or have low vision. Alt text is a description of an image that can be read by screen readers. This allows individuals with vision impairments to understand what is on your website.
To add alt text to an image on Squarespace, open the image in the editor and click on the “alt text” tab. From here, you can add a description of the image. Many webmasters are neglecting this, so try to make it a habit by adding an extra step to your pre-publication routine.
3. Use headings and lists
Headings help individuals who are blind or have low vision to understand the structure of your website. They also help people who use screen readers to navigate your website.
Lists are also a helpful way to organize information on your website. They can be used to create an outline of your page, which can be helpful for individuals who are trying to find specific information.
To add headings and lists to your Squarespace website, you need to use the “Text” block. To add a heading, simply select the heading size from the drop-down menu. To create a list, click on the “Bulleted List” or “Numbered List” options.
4. Use easy-to-read fonts
Another method in making your Squarespace website ADA compliant is to use easy-to-read fonts. This means using fonts that are sans serif and have a high contrast ratio. Sans serif fonts are easier to read than serif fonts, and high contrast ratios make it easier for individuals with vision impairments to see the text.
Some of the best fonts for websites are Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, and Trebuchet MS. These fonts are all sans serif and have high contrast ratios.
5. Add captions and transcripts
If you have any videos on your Squarespace website, you need to make sure they are captioned. This is important for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. You also need to provide transcripts of your videos for people who are blind or have low vision.
To add captions to a video on Squarespace, open the video in the editor and click on the “Captions” tab. From here, you can upload a caption file or create captions manually.
To add a transcript to a video, you need to create a “Text” block. You can then copy and paste the transcript into the block.
How can you test your Squarespace website for ADA compliance?
There are a few tools that you can use to test your Squarespace website for ADA compliance. One tool is the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool, which is available for free on the WebAIM website. This tool will scan your website and provide a report of any accessibility issues.
Another tool that you can use is the Accessibility Insights for Web extension for Google Chrome. This extension will highlight any accessibility issues on your website as you browse.
Automate it all!
When it comes to website accessibility, automated testing is your best friend. Automated tests can help you identify and fix any accessibility issues on your website. They are also fast and reliable, which means you can run them as often as you need to.
Automated testing tools like UIlicious make it easy to find and fix accessibility issues on your Squarespace website. So if you want to make sure your website is ADA compliant, be sure to use one of these tools.
You can try UIlicious for free by signing up today.
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Making your Squarespace website ADA-compliant can seem like a daunting task, but it's important to ensure that all individuals have access to your content. In this article, we've provided five tips for making your website more accessible. We also suggest using some of the many tools available to help you test your website for compliance. By following these tips and using the right tools, you can make your Squarespace website ADA-compliant in no time.
