Owning a website means thinking of every possible way to increase traffic. However, web content accessibility is an important consideration in making websites available to everyone.
Some users have disabilities and rely on assistive technology to help them navigate websites. For WordPress websites, an accessible WordPress theme allows you to make your site accessible to those with disabilities.
ADA and WCAG compliance is imperative for your website. Increasing WordPress accessibility will allow you to build a loyal following for your brand. Accessibly offers a prime solution for achieving and maintaining accessibility standards on WordPress or other platforms. Read on to discover what makes a website have high accessibility levels as well as the WordPress themes you can use to be ADA-compliant.
Criteria for Accessible WordPress Themes
Making your website accessible on WordPress entails meeting the standards that have been outlined in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0 AA) regarding web accessibility. You will need to have a logical reading order, sufficient contrast between the color of the text and the background, alt-text for images and videos, keyboard navigation support, and the appropriate elements to make the structure of the page easier to understand.
An easy way to make a website accessible is by using Accessibly’s widget to enhance accessibility features for any WordPress theme. Since it is completely integrated within WordPress, it allows you to be ADA and WCAG-compliant cost-effectively. In other words, you can improve your accessibility and comply with the regulations.
The importance of accessibility in website design allows for an inclusive experience for everyone, no matter their disabilities. Accessibly is a cost-effective solution that helps people with disabilities easily navigate your site.
Top 12 WordPress Themes for Accessibility
Many people think of improving the SEO of their website, but legal requirements should always be met on your website when it comes to having an accessible theme. Over 96% of the top web pages are not accessible, meaning you have a great chance to improve the growth and visibility of your page.
The best accessible WordPress themes help you easily remedy any compliance issues. Whether you use a free WordPress theme or a paid one, these are the top themes for accessibility that can help set up a screen reader, left and right sidebar, decorative images, dropdown menus, and more:
1. Period
As far as free WordPress themes go, Period is highly regarded for small businesses, blogs, and those in the educational space. The modern look of this responsive theme is timeless while also providing a fully keyboard accessible menu. Contrast levels for the text are high above the 4.5:1 ratio, and since it passes the WCAG 2.0 AA standards even in the free version, you only need to make sure the content on your site is accessible to meet the requirements.
You can customize different options with ease, though if you want more flexibility, you can upgrade from the free version to the Period Pro premium version.
2. Polyclinic
Polyclinic is an accessible WordPress theme that works best for medical and healthcare websites. Not only does it comply with WordPress accessibility requirements but it also surpasses the basics. Polyclinic applies the right heading structure and provides informative links, keyboard-accessible navigation on mobile sites, and skip links.
Since the default color schemes match the AA color contrast ratio, it is easy to use for everyone. It also integrates Beaver Builder to make it easy to have a beautiful and accessible website.
3. Monument Valley
Monument Valley is one of the accessibility-ready WordPress themes that give you different designs for your WooCommerce and e-commerce site. It’s a great theme that adheres to the accessibility guidelines while enhancing your SEO optimization.
It uses Beaver Builder, but there are options for other page builders like Elementor or WPBakery. The single-click installation-supported homepage variations make it easy to set up for your needs, plus, it is optimized for speed.
4. Icelander
Icelander is an accessibility-ready WordPress theme that is ideal for e-commerce as it is optimized, flexible, and reliable. It passes WCAG guidelines and requirements, making it simple to make your WordPress website accessibility-ready.
It looks good on all devices while having an easy drag and drop page building feature, helping you simplify the process. Everything is easy to edit while making it easier for those with disabilities to do business with you.
5. Cindy
Cindy is an accessibility-ready WordPress theme that is ideal for websites that serve the local community. It provides predefined page layouts and features to speed up your setup in minutes. Customization tools plus compatibility with WordPress plugins like Loco Translate can help you translate to any language when using this WordPress theme.
6. Salmon
If you own a restaurant, bar, or online shop, Salmon helps you adhere to the right standards for an accessibility ready website. It has essential customization options and is easy to optimize for mobile sites. This WordPress theme supports drag and drop without any experience required. You’ll find it fits the level AA contrast ratio making the contents accessible to everyone.
7. Talemy
If your WordPress site is for educational institutions, it must be accessibility ready. Talemy has pre-built demos that are easily installed in one click, allowing you to build a strong website to gain a wider reach. Talemy is also compatible with Elementor page builder, allowing you to create pages to match your preferences, even if you’ve never built a page before. It’s compatible with Events Calendar Pro and features over 20 custom widgets.
8. Crocal
Crocal is a multipurpose theme that lets you create a variety of websites from shops to agency portfolios, and just about everything in between. The demos make it easy to attract your targeted audience right from the start. You’ll find it’s compatible with mobile devices and features fast loading speeds, all while giving you an accessibility ready way to make your website compliant.
9. Draven
Accessible themes through Draven allow you to get the exact style you want for your website. It has the Elementor page builder that allows you to edit with ease. You can even use the samples and save yourself more time on the design. It features a fully responsive layout, ensuring that this WordPress accessible theme operates on any device.
10. Independent
Blogs or magazines can do more with Independent. You can find layouts with a clean and alluring look that allows for distraction-free reading experiences. You can edit the default look to match your own unique style using WPBakery and use header and footer styles, custom widgets, and even monetizable features to enhance your bottom line.
11. Salient
You can get accessibility ready with Salient, which provides multipurpose themes for any business. You can use it with WPBakery to make stunning pages and work with WooCommerce for effective sales. Additionally, Salient is integrated with social sharing functions that allow you to make the most of those marketing strategies. This allows you to grow your audience and increase your sales numbers.
12. X
Last but certainly not least, X is an accessibility-ready theme that is in constant demand. It features unique demos for a variety of businesses and provides premium plugins, widgets, and short codes to enhance performance. It is highly responsive and compatible with bbPress, allowing you to add a forum. Since it’s such a versatile theme builder and has no limits, it can work for a variety of website needs.
Accessibly’s Role in Enhancing Accessibility
Whether you choose free themes or purchase them, the most important factor should be making your website accessible to everyone. Accessibly’s widget seamlessly integrates with all themes, allowing you to improve the user experience for everyone regardless of their abilities.
Accessibly makes your site readable, enlarges content, adjusts colors, and assists users. It takes less than a minute to install, all while helping you avoid serious compatibility issues. When websites fail to comply with the ADA’s Section 508, it can result in the owners paying hefty fines. Failure to comply with accessibility standards is expensive, but getting Accessibly is affordable and simple. You can improve accessibility and make your website WCAG compliant, allowing you to include everyone, including the visually impaired and disabled.You can see how beneficial this widget is for your website by signing up for a free trial, no credit card required. Once you see how simple it is to implement and how accessibility opens up new doors for various customers, you won’t be able to live without it.
