04 Jan Creating Accessible Websites for ESPA: Best tactics
ESPA Accessibility Challenge Solved
After working on several ESPA projects for E-commerce projects in Greece, and after facing all the challenges of making a website WCAG 2.0 compatible we are here to share the tips and tricks that made our work a lot easier and efficient!
ESPA websites should pass through three essential accessibility checkers: Wave, Achecker and W3 Validator.
Making a WordPress or WooCommerce website accessible can be challenging, especially when working with fancy, pre-made themes.
Which theme to use?
When custom website building is not an option, the theme that we use for our customers is the Astra theme.
Astra is accessibility-ready, compatible with Elementor page builder and comes with a wide variety of pre-made demos.
This means that we start working with a website that passes through all tools without errors and already has a great design.
Imagine how easier our work has become!
But even when working with an accessibility – ready theme like Astra, we have to follow some rules to keep the structure and content clean, and preventing errors from occuring on the development or during the design process.
- Apply alternative text to all images: Missing alt text is one of the most common errors. Remember to add a descriptive alt caption when uploading new media files.
- Use SVG icons instead of fonts: Icon i is often confused by tools for italic i. To avoid this confusion always upload icons on SVG format.
- Follow contrast rules: Choose colors wisely. When building websites for accessibility is better to use the traditional black text on a white background to make sure that the contrast is always on acceptable levels.
- Train your customers: When we deliver an accessibility-ready website to a customer, we always train him on how to upload new content in order to avoid future errors on the above mentioned validators.
When do I need Astra Pro?
Astra free or Astra Pro?
Astra free is perfect for small projects, but Astra pro comes with a list of benefits, useful when working with big customers or complex E-commerce shops:
- Mega Menu: You can only use mega menu in the pro version of the theme, a feature useful for big e-commerce shops that require full functionality
- More Demos: Pro version comes with a huge variety of pre-built, ready-to-use websites. If you do not have an in-house graphic designer, the pro version will let you easily develop more sleek, professional websites with only a few changes on design.
What if I use another Theme?
If you are using another theme, the chances are that multiple errors will show up and you will need a developer to optimize the theme code in order to pass through all three validators.
We can make your website compliant, regardless of the theme!
Contact us on info@the-website-agency.com with your website details and request an offer.
The process usually takes 1 to 3 workdays for an average business website!
Let’s make your website WCAG 2.0 compatible
Fill-in the form and we will get back to you with a custom quote to make your website WCAG 2.0 compatible!