Accessible Design Isn't Just 'Nice to Have’
Here's Why It Makes Business Sense
Making Your Brand Accessible: A Practical Guide for Female Founders
I'm sure you've heard people talk about accessible design - things like alternative text, contrast checkers, making sure your content is "accessible". But it has probably gone in one ear and out the other. Not because you don't care, but because it feels complicated and scary and you're already juggling a million things.
Here's the thing: as of February 2025, new UK law means accessibility isn't optional anymore. If you have a website, social media, basically any digital presence - and let's be honest, who doesn't! - this applies to you.
That may feel like a huge chore, you may say why should I bother, this is just another thing for your ever growing to-do list. But there is this really wonderful thing that happens when you start to think about accessibility - When you design for disability first, you often stumble upon solutions that are not only inclusive, but also better and more innovative for everyone else.
And don't forget it isn't just people with permanent disabilities, this also includes people with a temporary issue like a broken arm, or someone who has had eye surgery. They will have to access your content differently.
I will be honest - you won't be able to be 100% accessible for everyone - but if you are trying, people really appreciate it. There are approximately 16 million disabled people in the UK - that's 24% of the population. Excluding a group means that you are missing out on potential customers.
When you start to weave accessibility into your design it actually becomes part of your mindset and becomes second nature.
Here are some ways that you can make your website and social media more accessible:
Typography & Readability
Getting your text right is the foundation of accessible communication. When people can easily read your content, they're more likely to engage with your business and understand your message clearly.
Main text for posts is at least 16pt
Paragraph text on websites is a minimum of 16px
Use easy-to-read fonts like Poppins, Open Sans, or Inter for body text
Text has breathing room - lines aren't squashed together
Clear gaps between paragraphs
Text lines aren't too long - comfortable to read without losing your place
Text is lined up on the left (not centered or stretched across the full width)
Why This Helps Your Business: When your text is easy to read, people spend more time with your content. This means better engagement with your marketing materials and a more professional appearance that builds trust with potential clients.
Colour & Contrast
Colours do more than make your brand look good - they need to work for everyone who visits your website or reads your materials. Good contrast ensures your message gets through clearly.
Text clearly stands out from its background
Use a contrast checking tool and get a "pass" result
Important information isn't shown with colour alone
Links are underlined or have clear visual signs beyond just colour
Clickable buttons have clear borders when you navigate to them
Test your design to see how it looks to people with colour blindness
Why This Helps Your Business: Strong contrast makes your content readable in all situations - bright offices, dim lighting, or on mobile devices in sunlight. When people can easily see your calls-to-action and important information, you'll see better conversion rates and fewer frustrated visitors leaving your site.
Content & Communication
Clear communication benefits everyone and helps your business message reach the widest possible audience. When people understand you easily, they're more likely to become customers.
All important images have helpful descriptions
Use everyday language instead of industry jargon
Information is presented in a logical order
Sentences are reasonably short and clear
Abbreviations and technical terms are explained when first used
Important information is available in more than one way (text & images, or text & icons)
Avoid time limits on web forms - these create unnecessary stress
Why This Helps Your Business: Plain language and clear descriptions make your business accessible to more people, including those who aren't familiar with your industry. This expands your potential customer base and reduces confusion that can put potential clients off.
Layout & Structure
Well organised content helps people find what they need quickly and creates a professional impression that builds trust in your business.
Navigation is in the same place on every page
Use hierarchy of font size to break up text - Headings are bold and larger, sub-headings are bold and smaller than headings, paragraph text is smaller and not bold
Related information is grouped together
Content has plenty of white space - doesn't feel cramped
Buttons and clickable areas are large enough to tap easily on phones
Content still makes sense when text is made larger
Design works when navigating with keyboard keys instead of a mouse
Consider the expectation of website design, for example people expect menus to be at the top
Why This Helps Your Business: Consistent, organised layouts help people find information faster and feel confident navigating your site. This reduces bounce rates, increases time spent with your content, and creates a professional impression that encourages people to do business with you.
Motion & Animation
Movement in design should guide and help people, not distract or overwhelm them. Thoughtful animation can enhance your brand while staying accessible to everyone.
No flashing or rapidly blinking content
Moving content stops after 5 seconds or has pause controls
Animations are gentle - no spinning, bouncing, or jarring movements
Animation serves a purpose rather than just decoration
People can pause or turn off animations if needed
Why This Helps Your Business: Gentle, purposeful animation can guide attention to your calls-to-action and create engaging experiences without overwhelming visitors. This helps keep people on your site longer while ensuring no one feels excluded due to motion sensitivity.
Social Media
Social media is often your first point of contact with potential customers. Making your posts accessible means more people can engage with your content and understand your message clearly.
Text is large enough to read easily - avoid cramming too much onto your images
Leave a margin around your images to give the text room to breathe
Use simple, clean fonts without fancy decorative styling which makes it hard for screen readers to interpret
Limit emojis and place them at the end of posts, not as bullet points
Add Alt text for images - not only can this help with your SEO, it also helps give context to your post
When you create a carousel, add the text from the carousel to your post
Add descriptions for images in the post or first comment
Include video descriptions or captions for any video content
Use Camel Case for hashtags so they make sense e.g. #HashTags
Why This Helps Your Business: Accessible social media reaches more people and creates better engagement. When screen readers can properly read your content and people can easily see your images and videos, you'll get more meaningful interactions and reach a wider audience.
Just a little bit of time…
The beauty of all of this is there isn't a massive cost involved - it is just investing some time to improve.
That's a lot of information, I know. But remember - you don't have to do everything at once.
Here is how you can slowly start to implement accessibility into your design:
Weeks 1-4
Audit current materials for basic contrast and readability issues
Create yourself an accessibility checklist for new content
Months 2-3
Improve website accessibility
Months 4-6
Embed accessibility into everything you create - it becomes second nature before you know it
Accessibility isn't about perfection. It's about progress. Each small change makes your business more welcoming, professional, and future-proof.
And if you're stuck or just want someone to talk it through with? I'm only ever an email away.
