Accessibility doesn’t have to mean a full website rebuild or a long checklist of technical compliance steps. Sometimes, small, thoughtful changes can make a big impact, for your customers, your search rankings, and your team.
This guide is for anyone who wants to improve their website’s accessibility without needing to become a developer. Whether you’re a business owner, comms officer, arts organisation, or content manager, these practical tips will help you start building a more inclusive experience today.
Each of these six quick wins is based on real-world needs, from screen reader users and people with low vision, to people using mobile phones in bright sunlight or navigating with one hand on public transport.
The best part? Most of these changes take minutes, not days. And they don’t just help people with disability, they improve usability for everyone.
1. Structure your headings properly
Headings aren’t just about making text bigger.
They give structure and meaning to your page, helping everyone (especially screen reader users) navigate your content easily.
Good heading structure:
- Helps screen readers explain your page properly
- Makes your content easier to scan and read
Heading structure quick tips:
- Only use one H1 (main heading) per page
- Use H2 for major sections, H3 for sub-sections
- Don’t just “make text bigger”, assign the right heading level
👉 Learn more about heading structure and why it matters
2. Add good alt-text to images
Alt-text describes what an image shows, so screen reader users (and search engines!) can understand it.
Tips for writing good alt-text:
- Be specific (“Golden retriever puppy playing in park” not “dog”)
- Don’t say “image of” because screen readers already announce that
- Keep it short and useful
- Leave decorative images blank (they don’t need description)
Good alt-text improves SEO too, as images with useful alt-text can show up in Google Image Search.
👉 We’ve written a full guide on how to write great alt text.
3. Optimise your images properly
Accessible sites load faster, and lighter images are a big part of that.
In short:
- Resize images before you upload them
- Compress without losing too much quality
- Always use descriptive file names (like “group-workshop-photo.jpg” instead of “IMG0048.jpg”)
- Always ensure you have adequate alt-text (see point 2 above)
This helps your accessibility and improves your SEO and page speed.
👉 Check out our image optimisation guide
4. Check your colour contrast
Text needs to stand out clearly against its background. Poor colour contrast makes reading harder for everyone, especially people with low vision.
You can use free tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker to check.
Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background, and don’t rely on colour alone to show meaning (e.g., red text for an error).
5. Caption your videos
Captions aren’t just for people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing.
Captions also help:
- People watching on mute (on public transport, anyone?)
- People with different first languages
- People with cognitive differences
Most platforms like YouTube and Vimeo let you upload captions easily. If you’re posting short videos to social media, try to add open captions (burned-in text) whenever you can.
6. Keep your language clear and simple
Plain English helps everyone. Use short sentences, everyday words, and active voice.
Instead of:
Access to the facility will be unavailable pending maintenance completion.
Try:
The centre will be closed for maintenance.
Want to go deeper?
If you’re ready to take your accessibility skills further, we’ve built a practical, beginner-friendly course just for you:
👉 Website Accessibility: A Guide for Content Creators
It’s designed for non-technical business owners, arts organisations, and marketers, who want to make their websites more inclusive without getting lost in tech jargon.
Final thought
Accessibility isn’t a one-off project.
It’s a mindset and keeping it front of mind helps you build habits that open your work to more people, every day.
Small improvements matter. Start with these simple steps, and you’ll already be creating a better experience for everyone.
Your website, your audience, and even your search rankings will thank you.
Now a digital veteran, Sam Hemphill initially trained as a drummer and high school teacher and spent 10 years as a touring musician and tour manager.
During that time, he ...