EPISODE SUMMARY

Making Your Squarespace Website Accessible to Everyone

In this episode of Think Inside the Square, we're diving into the world of website accessibility! Ever wonder how to make your site user-friendly for everyone, no matter how they browse the web? That's what accessibility is all about, and the good news is, Squarespace has built-in features to help you achieve it!

What is Website Accessibility?

Think of accessibility as making your website a welcoming space for everyone. This means ensuring your content is easy to understand and navigate, whether someone's visiting on a desktop, phone, or using a screen reader. Accessible websites are frustration-free zones, and that's good for everyone!

Simple Squarespace Accessibility Hacks

Squarespace offers several tools to create an accessible website. Here are a few easy wins to get you started:

• Master Your Headings: Headings aren't just for fancy titles! Squarespace uses them behind the scenes to structure your content. Use Heading 1 for your main title, Heading 2 for subheadings, and so on. This helps screen readers understand the flow of your information.

• Image Alt Text is Your Friend: Ever seen those little boxes appear when images don't load? That's alt text in action! Add a clear description to each image so screen readers can understand what it shows, and for those with slow connections.

• Thumbnail Power! Those big video blocks can take a while to load. Use Squarespace's featured image option to add a smaller thumbnail image first. This lets visitors know there's a video and gives them something to interact with while the main file loads. Faster loading = happy visitors!

• Formidable Forms: Squarespace forms have built-in labels, but you can take it a step further. Add descriptive text to each field explaining what information is needed. You can also customize the message people see after submitting a form.

Accessibility Beyond Squarespace

These are just a few Squarespace-specific features, but there's more to accessibility! In the show notes for this episode (check them out at insidethesquare.co/podcast), you'll find links to:

• Color contrast checkers: Make sure your website's colors are easy on the eyes.

• Font size recommendations: Ensure your text is big enough to read comfortably on any device.

Accessibility: One Step at a Time

Making your website accessible doesn't have to be overwhelming. Start small! This week, you can focus on adding alt text to your images and using featured images for videos. Next week, you can explore using keyboard navigation to test your site's functionality & readability. Every little step counts towards creating a more inclusive online space.

Remember, websites are living things! You can always make changes to improve accessibility. So, take a small step today and check out the resources in the show notes to make your Squarespace website a place where everyone feels welcome.