The Role of Accessibility in Mobile-First Web Design
As phones continue to be one of the most used ways of accessing the Internet, mobile-first web design has become essential for businesses looking to provide a seamless digital experience. However, focusing on mobile-friendly design alone isn't enough — mobile accessibility is key to ensuring that users with disabilities can interact with your website without barriers.
In today's blog, we'll explore the importance of accessibility in mobile-first web design, provide real-world examples of mobile accessibility, and share some of the best ways to ensure you provide an inclusive experience for anyone navigating via mobile phone.
Why Mobile Accessibility Matters
Mobile accessibility refers to designing websites and apps that are usable by people with disabilities on mobile devices. For many, mobile devices are the primary way to access the internet, but for users with disabilities, these devices can present unique challenges. Small screens, touch navigation, and dynamic content can create obstacles for individuals with visual, motor, or cognitive impairments.
Ensuring your site is accessible on smaller screens allows everyone to navigate your website and complete tasks with ease.
Key Accessibility Features for Mobile-First Web Design
Responsive Layouts
Responsive design ensures that your website automatically adjusts to fit the screen size and orientation of any device.
For accessibility, this is crucial because it prevents content from becoming too small or overlapping, which can be difficult for users with visual or motor impairments.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to ensure this. SquareSpace, for example, requires you to design the mobile layout and the desktop layout of a website separately.
One example of a website that has EXCELLENT responsive design for accessibility is the BBC News website. Their layout automatically adapts to mobile devices, and their font sizes adjust for readability. Additionally, they provide users with an option to increase text size further, ensuring that users with visual impairments can comfortably read articles.
Keyboard and Voice Navigation
Many users with disabilities rely on assistive technologies such as keyboards or voice commands to navigate websites. On mobile devices, users may use voice-controlled assistants like Apple’s Siri or Google Assistant to open apps, search the web, or interact with content hands-free. Ensuring that your mobile site supports keyboard and voice navigation is essential for inclusivity.
Apple’s Siri allows users to navigate their devices and perform tasks such as sending messages or opening apps entirely through voice commands. Many mobile websites, including Amazon, have integrated with Siri to provide a hands-free shopping experience. Users can ask Siri to find products on Amazon or track orders, making the platform more accessible to individuals with motor disabilities.
Clear, Readable Text
For users with visual impairments, clear and readable text is critical on mobile devices, where small screens make it difficult to read. Ensuring that your mobile site uses scalable text, high-contrast colours, and readable fonts is a key part of accessible design.
The NHS website exemplifies accessibility with its use of high-contrast colours and large, scalable text. Visitors can also change the text size and colour scheme to suit their needs. This level of flexibility ensures that users with visual impairments can comfortably access health information on their phones and on the go.
Why Accessibility Should Be a Priority
Reaching a Wider Audience
More than 1 billion people globally live with some form of disability. By ensuring your mobile site is accessible, you make your business available to a larger audience. Users with disabilities will be more likely to engage with your content if they find it easy to navigate and understand.
Legal Compliance
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires that businesses ensure their websites, including mobile sites, are accessible to all users. Failing to meet accessibility standards can result in legal action and damage your company’s reputation. Ensuring compliance with accessibility guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), is essential for avoiding legal risks.
Improved SEO
Google’s ranking algorithms prioritise websites that offer a positive user experience. Accessibility features, such as alt text for images, mobile responsiveness, and fast loading times, not only improve the user experience but also contribute to better SEO performance. Accessible mobile websites are easier for search engines to crawl and index, which can lead to higher search engine rankings.
In simpler terms, the easier your website is to navigate, the more likely it is to appear on search engines like Google. This leads to more people seeing your site when they make relevant searches online.
Best Practices for Mobile-First Accessible Design
Implement Responsive Design
Ensure that your website is responsive, meaning it can adjust to fit any screen size or orientation. Responsive design prevents users from needing to scroll horizontally or zoom in and out, making it easier for everyone to navigate.
Use Scalable Text and High-Contrast Colours
Provide options for users to adjust the text size on your website, and use high-contrast colours to ensure readability. For users with visual impairments, these small adjustments make a big difference in how they experience your site.
Enable Keyboard and Voice Navigation
Ensure that all interactive elements, such as forms, buttons, and menus, are navigable using a keyboard or voice commands. This allows users with motor disabilities to interact with your mobile site without relying on touch navigation.
Provide Alt Text and Descriptive Links
Include alternative text for all images and descriptive text for links. For users relying on screen readers, this provides important context, helping them navigate the site more easily.
Test with Assistive Technologies
Regularly test your mobile site using assistive technologies like screen readers, voice assistants, and keyboard navigation. This helps identify areas where your site may not be fully accessible and allows you to make improvements.
It is best to have an accessibility tester with actual accessibility needs testing your site. This is because they are much less likely to miss small inconsistencies when it comes to navigation. Similarly, they will also be able to give you a run-down of why certain things need to be implemented on your site and how they help people with disabilities use your website or platform.
Conclusion
Mobile-first design is essential for providing a great user experience, but accessibility must be at the forefront of this approach. By integrating accessible design principles, businesses can ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, can interact with their websites seamlessly.
