ADA & Accessibility Basics for SMB Sites: A Practical, Non-Lawyer Checklist

Accessibility isn’t just about avoiding demand letters. It’s about letting more people hire you—older visitors, folks on mobile with glare, people using keyboards or screen readers, and anyone with slow connections. Make your site easier for them, and conversions go up for everyone.

TL;DR

  • Prioritize contrast, readable text, and keyboard access.
  • Label forms clearly; write useful alt text.
  • Don’t rely on overlays; fix source issues first.

Why accessibility helps small businesses

  • More reach: People with low vision, color blindness, mobility challenges, and cognitive differences can actually use your site.
  • Better UX: Simple, clear interfaces convert.
  • Lower risk: You reduce legal exposure by addressing common barriers.

The practical checklist (owner-friendly)

  1. Color & contrast: Ensure text stands out from backgrounds. Avoid light gray on white; keep buttons obvious.
  2. Text size & spacing: Use comfortable font sizes and line spacing. Long blocks → break into short paragraphs with subheads and bullets.
  3. Headings that make sense: H1 for page title; H2 for sections; H3 for sub-sections. This helps screen readers and skimmers.
  4. Keyboard navigation: You should be able to tab through links, buttons, and form fields in a logical order. The focused element should be visibly outlined.
  5. Alt text for images: Describe the purpose, not the pixels. “Team photo at our Downey office” beats “IMG_2031.” For decorative images, skip alt text.
  6. Links & buttons: Link text should say what happens (“Book a call”), not “Click here.” Buttons should read like actions.
  7. Forms: Every input needs a clear label and helpful error messages (“Phone number must be 10 digits”). Group related fields (contact details, service details).
  8. Media: Provide captions for videos and transcripts for audio when practical. Keep autoplay off, especially with sound.
  9. Motion & flashing: Reduce motion that can trigger dizziness; avoid flashing content. Provide a way to pause/stop carousels.
  10. Consistent navigation: Keep menus, footers, and key CTAs in familiar places across pages.

What not to do

  • Rely on overlays alone: They often miss core issues and can create new problems. Treat them as guardrails, not a cure.
  • Hide content behind vague icons: Spell things out; icons + labels win.

How to spot check your site in 15 minutes

  • Load a page on your phone outdoors at midday. Can you read it easily?
  • Try tabbing through the page with your keyboard. Can you reach everything in order?
  • Turn off images (or imagine they don’t load). Do alt texts and headings convey the message?
  • Fill out your contact form with a mistake. Does the error message help you fix it?

Owner’s Corner: small wins this week

  • Increase contrast for buttons and links.
  • Add alt text to your top 10 images.
  • Make the “focus” state of links/buttons obvious.
  • Rewrite form error messages to be human and helpful.

FAQ