Why Website Accessibility Matters for Australian Small Businesses
Around 4.4 million Australians live with some form of disability, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That is a significant portion of your potential customers — and if your website is difficult or impossible to use for people with disabilities, you are losing business and potentially exposing yourself to legal risk.
Under Australia's Disability Discrimination Act 1992, businesses can be required to make their websites accessible. The Australian Human Rights Commission has confirmed that inaccessible websites can constitute discrimination. For small business owners, this might feel overwhelming — but the good news is that most accessibility improvements are straightforward and affordable.
What Is Website Accessibility?
Website accessibility means designing and building your site so that everyone can use it, regardless of ability. This includes people who:
- Are blind or have low vision and use screen readers
- Are deaf or hard of hearing
- Have motor disabilities and rely on keyboard navigation rather than a mouse
- Have cognitive disabilities that affect how they process information
The international benchmark for accessible websites is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Australian government sites are required to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and it is best practice for private businesses to aim for the same standard.
Your Practical Accessibility Checklist
1. Use Descriptive Alt Text for Images
Every image on your website should have alt text — a short written description that screen readers can read aloud. Avoid using 'image1.jpg' or leaving the field blank. Instead, write something like 'A plumber fixing a leaking pipe under a kitchen sink in Brisbane.' Good alt text also supports your SEO.
2. Ensure Sufficient Colour Contrast
Text must be readable against its background. Light grey text on a white background might look modern, but it is nearly impossible to read for people with low vision. Use a free tool like WebAIM Contrast Checker to verify your colour combinations meet WCAG standards.
3. Make Your Site Keyboard Navigable
Some users cannot use a mouse. They navigate using their keyboard — pressing Tab to move between links and buttons. Test your own website by unplugging your mouse and trying to browse using only the keyboard. If you get stuck, so will your visitors.
4. Add Captions to Videos
If your website features video content — such as service explainers or testimonials — add closed captions. This helps deaf and hard-of-hearing users, but also benefits anyone watching in a noisy environment or with their sound off.
5. Use Clear, Descriptive Link Text
Avoid links that say 'click here' or 'read more.' Screen reader users often browse a list of links out of context, so your link text needs to make sense on its own. Instead of 'click here', try 'Download our free quote guide' or 'View our landscaping services.'
6. Structure Your Content with Proper Headings
Use heading tags in logical order — h2 for main sections, h3 for subsections. This helps screen readers understand the structure of your page and allows users to jump between sections quickly. It also helps Google understand your content hierarchy.
7. Design Forms That Are Easy to Complete
Every form field should have a visible label above or beside it — not just placeholder text inside the field, which disappears when someone starts typing. Add clear error messages that explain what went wrong, such as 'Please enter a valid Australian phone number.'
8. Avoid Auto-Playing Media
Videos or audio that play automatically can be disorienting for users with cognitive disabilities and distressing for those with sensory sensitivities. Always give users control over when media starts playing.
9. Ensure Your Font Size Is Readable
Body text should be at least 16px on desktop. Avoid small text for anything other than legal fine print. Users should also be able to increase text size in their browser without breaking your layout.
10. Test With a Free Accessibility Tool
Run your website through free tools like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) or Google's Lighthouse accessibility audit. These tools highlight specific issues and explain how to fix them — a great starting point for any small business owner.
Common Mistakes Australian Small Business Websites Make
- Using images of text instead of actual HTML text
- Missing skip navigation links for keyboard users
- Pop-ups or overlays that cannot be dismissed with a keyboard
- PDFs that are not tagged for screen reader compatibility
- Relying on colour alone to convey information (for example, red for errors with no text explanation)
The Business Case for Accessibility
Beyond compliance, accessible websites perform better across the board. They load faster, rank higher in Google, and convert more visitors into customers. Google uses many of the same signals that accessibility tools flag — clear structure, descriptive text, fast load times — as ranking factors. In short, making your site accessible is also good SEO and good business.
If you are unsure where your website stands, WebDevise offers professional web design for small business with accessibility built in from the ground up — so you can focus on running your business while we take care of the technical details.