As one of the world’s most popular website builders, Wix offers a variety of accessibility tools designed to improve the navigational experience of people with disabilities.
In the ever-going quest to meet WCAG 2.0 compliance standards and adhere to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, Wix offers accessibility features that support the visually impaired, those with mobility challenges, and the deaf/hard of hearing with hundreds of accessibility improvements—from alternative text for images to ARIA attributes for dynamic labeling of complex web elements.
Keep reading for a comprehensive overview of accessibility matters and how Wix supports users in achieving WCAG and ADA standards.
Introduction to Wix’s Built-in Accessibility Features
With the slogan “Make your website a place for everyone” adorned on its homepage, Wix offers plenty of tools and features to allow virtually anyone to develop a mobile-friendly website that complies with WCAG 2.0.
Several web accessibility features come into focus, including full keyboard navigation, automatic DOM order, HTML semantics, bright focus rings for visually impaired users, ARIA attributes, and much more.
Here’s a brief explanation of some of our favorite features.
Keyboard Navigation
Websites that support keyboard functionality navigation are most valuable for those with cognitive disabilities and limited mobility. They allow most functions to be performed with a keyboard button or a series of buttons instead of a mouse. Everything from buttons to drop-down menus should be operable using only the keyboard with a combination of keys such as Tab, Enter, Space, and Shift + Tab.
For example, a single button, e.g., Enter, should allow users to select an item, add it to a shopping cart, and proceed to checkout without touching a mouse.
Automatic DOM Order
DOM stands for Document Object Model (DOM). These elements are interpreted correctly by screen readers. Wix ensures that DOM elements are arranged according to users’ reading patterns. For example, elements should be placed from right to left or top to bottom, presenting easily digestible and understandable information.
One of the best ways to illustrate this is by using menu pages where arrow keys should be used to move from one section to another in a predictable way (instead of randomly), in the logical sequence it’s presented—e.g., menu items comprising appetizers and entrées with dishes listed underneath each.
Site Language Definition
One often-forgotten element of web accessibility is site language definition. The Wix platform allows for language attributes to be assigned (lang=”en,” lang=”es”), enabling screen readers to apply correct pronunciation.
For example, a multilingual blog could present content in English and German, with the screen reader using English pronunciation for English pages and German pronunciation for German pages.
Without site language definition, German words would be read using English pronunciations and vice versa, making content difficult to understand.
Semantic HTML
One of the most popular aspects of WCAG is semantic HTML, which allows assistive technologies like screen readers to interpret different elements and read them out loud correctly.
One of our favorite Wix features is its drag-and-drop editor, which automatically includes correct semantic tags. For example, an ordered number <button> helps assistive technologies label it correctly, whereas labeling it as <div> would not accurately represent its function.
Focus Rings
Focus rings help make a site accessible for the visually impaired, allowing keyboard users to rely on visual cues to highlight certain elements. For example, when placing a cursor over a link, a glowing blue or green ring can appear, with subsequent presses of the Tab button moving the focus ring to the next link.
This allows the visually impaired to better understand which element is selected at any given time.
ARIA Labeling
Another key highlight of the WCAG is ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications), a coding language that allows assistive technologies to correctly interpret more complex website elements like drop-down menus and modal pop-ups.
By assigning ARIA attributes, users are better able to navigate websites and mobile applications. For example, many frequently asked questions have expandable drop-down content, which collapses and expands after clicking on a question to reveal the answer. Without correct ARIA labeling, visually impaired users may never know if an accessible website element is extended or closed.
Headings and Tags
One of the most common themes of content accessibility guidelines is that properly structured heading tags allow content to be easily read. By applying heading tags like H1, H2, and H3, visually impaired users can jump between different sections without having the entire page’s content read aloud.
Alt Text/Skip to Content
One of the most popular advanced accessibility features is introducing alternative text to images. This makes it easy for the visually impaired to decipher images using third-party software like screen readers, which read the image description aloud. Inputting descriptive alternative text for virtually any image through the Wix platform is straightforward.
How Accessibly Supports Wix Users
Accessibly is an excellent complement to Wix. It incorporates a lightweight, easy-to-implement web accessibility widget overlay for instant ADA and WCAG compliance.
Features that can be applied to any website include text-to-speech functionality, color contrast adjustment, alternative text for images, and keyboard navigation. These are all key tenets of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Indirectly, Accessibly supports users by improving SEO and user engagement and introducing accessibility-friendly features like readable fonts and proper semantic HTML. Thanks to increased time on page and other KPIs, this results in improved visibility and higher rankings within search engines.
Plus, it’s never been easier to get started, as Accessibly now offers a free 7-day trial to test-drive all features before committing to a monthly subscription. Make your website accessible today!
Steps to Make Your Wix Site More Accessible
Here are our favorite steps for making your site accessible:
Consider Accessibility Overlay Widgets
Website accessibility overlay widgets like Accessibly do an excellent job of introducing key navigational features to increase ADA and WCAG compliance, such as alternative text for images and screen reader compatibility. All it takes is a simple, quick download of lightweight code, which can be hard-coded onto your website or integrated as part of a native integration, which Shopify and WordPress offer.
Understand WCAG
It all falls back to the WCAG, a set of international best practices that govern how individuals with disabilities interact with websites and mobile applications via four key operating principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
Use Both Manual and Automated Testing
Use Wix’s Accessibility Wizard or third-party tools like WAVE to identify common accessibility issues, such as low color contrast between text and background colors, improperly formatted semantic HTML, and hundreds of other accessibility issues. We always recommend combining automated and manual testing to check for “blind spots,” such as unclear link descriptions or poor focus order that humans are better able to interpret.
By introducing accessibility overlay widgets, understanding the web accessibility guidelines, and using a combination of manual and automated testing, you’ll be on your way to making your Wix site accessible.
Using Accessibly
One of the best ways to make your Wix website more accessible is by using accessibility overlay widgets like Accessibly.
Accessibly introduces key features to increase WCAG 2.1, ADA, Section 508, and EN 301549 compliance. There’s a lot of content for the visually impaired, including color adjustments, text-to-voice functionality, and readability improvements like additional reading lines and tooltips. Even its installation process is accessibility-friendly, taking seconds to install on Shopify and WordPress.
Plus, it supports dozens of popular shop and CMS platforms such as WordPress, Squarespace, and Magento. Let’s improve your site’s accessibility/website accessibility and be in compliance with accessibility laws in no time!
How Does AI Factor Into the Accessibility Mix?
One key role of artificial intelligence is to improve web accessibility even further by introducing innovative features like real-time adjustments, where website elements can be adjusted based on context. Wix’s website accessibility widget already has built-in artificial intelligence to automatically adjust settings without users having to adjust them manually.
Separately, Wix AI also factors into speech recognition and voice interactions—for example, AI-powered voice assistants like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. The national goal is to allow people with disabilities to conduct essential e-commerce functions using only voice commands, such as adding products to shopping carts or finalizing credit card transactions.
Apart from these two examples, these advanced website accessibility features will continue in real-time captioning and translation (hello, YouTube automatic subtitling) and improving screen reader support for ever-changing content such as live news updates, car auctions, weather reports, or other real-time information-heavy content.
There has never been a more exciting time for artificial intelligence to factor into the accessibility mix, allowing businesses and organizations to meet ADA and WCAG compliance.
