If you’ve ever felt like web accessibility is a maze of technical jargon and legal threats, you’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Let me introduce you to a concept I call Practical Accessibility. It’s a simple and effective way to start making any website more inclusive today, without needing to have a degree in computer science.
Wait—What Is Accessibility?
Great question! Accessibility means making sure everyone can use your website, including people with disabilities.
That includes:
- Blind or low-vision users who rely on screen readers
- Deaf or hard-of-hearing folks who need captions
- People with limited mobility who use a keyboard instead of a mouse
- Users with cognitive conditions who need clear, predictable layouts
Know anybody who fits one or more of those descriptions? Me too. About 1 in 4 Americans has at least one disability, and 70% of disabilities are invisible.
That means accessibility isn’t just something that’s “nice to have.” For millions of people, it’s the difference between being able to access your products or services—or being locked out.
I don’t know a single business owner who would be okay with potentially excluding up to 20% of their target market. That just wouldn’t make good business sense.
Website accessibility means making sure your website is not excluding up to 1 in 4 people in your target market.
I can check your website for you: https://freewebsiteevaluation.com
So, What Makes Practical Accessibility Different?
Practical Accessibility is about meeting users where they are—and meeting you where you are. If you care enough about people to try to make your website more accessible, I’m going to support you doing that successfully.
Practical Accessibility means:
- Fixing the things that have the biggest impact, even if you can’t overhaul your entire site
- Using tools and checklists that don’t require a developer for most fixes
- Learning what to look for with just your eyes, keyboard, and browser
- Focusing on usability + inclusion, not just legal checkboxes
The truth is, most websites have accessibility issues—but most of those issues are fixable without writing (much) code.
And that’s where Practical Accessibility shines. In fact, I think it can be an awesome experience to make your website more accessible, because I’m a hands-on kind of learner. I’m also really good at making it easy to understand and follow along.
Why Does Practical Accessibility Matter for You?
Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, designer, or freelancer, Practical Accessibility can:
- Make you more money. Accessible sites reach more people, reduce bounce rates, and improve conversions.
- Boost your SEO. Many accessibility improvements also improve how Google sees your site.
- Reduce legal risk. ADA-related website lawsuits are growing—and you don’t need to be a big brand to be a target.
- Build trust. Accessibility shows that you care about all your users. That matters now more than ever.
Real Talk: You Don’t Need to Be a Tech Wizard
You don’t need to know how to code. You don’t need to memorize the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. You just need to know what to look for—and be willing to make your website better, one step at a time.
Some Practical Accessibility wins you can tackle today:
- Add alt text to images
- Use descriptive link text (no more “click here”)
- Check your color contrast with a free online tool
- Make sure your site works with just a keyboard
Each one of these changes helps someone access your site. That’s real world impact.
Want to Learn How to Do All This (Without Overwhelm)?
That’s exactly why I created the Practical ACCESSibility Training—a live, immersive course designed for non-developers who want to build a meaningful accessibility knowledge base and learn practical skills.
You’ll learn how to:
- Evaluate any website for accessibility issues
- Prioritize fixes based on real user impact
- Build your accessibility confidence (and portfolio, if that’s your jam)
Take the First Step Today
You don’t need to do everything. You just need to start.
? Download my free “Accessibility Quick Wins” checklist and get started with 5 high-impact improvements you can make in under 15 minutes.
Coming Up Next
Next in this series: How to Audit Your Website for Accessibility (Even If You’re Not a Developer) → This one’s all about DIY auditing, checklists, and simple tools.
Got questions or want to share your accessibility “aha” moment? Drop them in the comments, I promise I read every one.
Read more:
- https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2025/52887/website-accessibility-best-practices-improve-conversion-rates
- https://mailchimp.com/resources/seo-accessibility
- https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/31/ada-website-lawsuit-what-to-do-if-you-receive-one/
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
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