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Did you know that more than one in four adults (28.7%) in the U.S. have a disability, yet only 3% of the web is fully accessible?
That means millions of potential customers struggle to browse online stores, including WooCommerce sites. If your store isn’t accessible, you’re not only losing business but also violating ADA compliance rules.
With the right WooCommerce accessibility features, you can ensure that everyone, including those with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments, can easily shop on your online store.
Why Your WooCommerce Store Should Be Accessible
Ignoring WooCommerce accessibility means losing customers and risking lawsuits. Plus, an accessible store improves user experience, boosts SEO, and expands your customer base.
It’s a win-win for your brand and your customers. Here’s how:
Legal Compliance (ADA, WCAG)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) require all websites to be accessible.
Making your WooCommerce store accessible keeps you legally protected. Non-compliance, on the other hand, can lead to lawsuits and hefty fines.
From January to the end of June 2024 alone, 4,280 ADA Title III lawsuits were filed in federal courts.
Expanding Customer Reach
As mentioned, over 28% of U.S. adults have a disability. A more accessible WooCommerce store helps you tap into these potential customers.
Plus, accessibility features like clear navigation and readable fonts improve the experience for all users.
Better SEO
Search engines love accessible websites. WooCommerce accessibility features like alt text, proper headings, and fast-loading pages boost your SEO and help your store rank higher in search results.
This means more traffic and better visibility for your business.
The Key Elements of WooCommerce Accessibility
A truly inclusive online store means all users, including those with disabilities, can easily shop. Your store needs these essential elements of WooCommerce accessibility to make that happen.
Keyboard Navigation
Many users rely on keyboards instead of a mouse to browse websites. Your WooCommerce store should allow seamless navigation using the Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys.
Ensuring that menus, product pages, and checkout processes are fully keyboard-accessible makes shopping a breeze for everyone.
Screen Reader Compatibility
Screen readers help visually impaired users shop online by reading site content aloud. In a recent survey, over 91% of respondents said they used screen readers on mobile devices.
Ensuring your WooCommerce accessibility includes proper HTML structure, ARIA labels, and clear headings can help you tap into these users.
Color Contrast and Text Readability
Poor color contrast makes text hard to read, especially for users with visual impairments. Stick to high-contrast colors and legible fonts to improve readability.
A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 ensures the content is visible to everyone.
Alt Text for Images
Alternative (alt) text describes images for visually impaired users and improves SEO.
Every product image in your WooCommerce store should have descriptive alt text that explains its purpose, which helps those with disabilities to understand what’s being displayed.
Accessible Forms and Buttons
Forms and buttons should be easy to find, use, and understand. Use clear labels, provide error messages, and ensure buttons are large enough to click.
Be sure to optimize your checkout process as a part of your WooCommerce accessibility updates. It’ll help reduce frustration and boost your conversions in the long run.
Accessible Links
Ensure link text clearly conveys where it leads, even when read out of context. Avoid using vague text like “Click Here” and instead use descriptive phrases.
When necessary, use the ARIA-label attribute for additional clarity.
Accessible Videos
Make videos inclusive by adding captions for the hearing impaired, audio descriptions for the visually impaired, and transcripts for readability.
Choose video players that support these features and allow easy navigation via keyboard or screen readers.
Accessible Downloads
Digital downloads, such as PDFs, should be accessible by adding structured tags for screen readers. Consider principles like color contrast and font size to enhance usability for all users.
Make Your WooCommerce Store Accessible
Contrary to popular belief, making your online store accessible isn’t too complicated.
With the right WooCommerce accessibility tools, you can create a more inclusive shopping experience while complying with accessibility standards.
Use the Right WooCommerce Accessibility Plugins
Installing a WooCommerce accessibility plugin can help automate many fixes and make your store more user-friendly for people with disabilities.
Some of the recommended plugins are:
- Ally Web Accessibility: Offers features like skip links, font resizing, high contrast mode, and keyboard navigation improvements — all in one simple setup.
- WP Accessibility: Helps fix common accessibility issues by adding alt text support, removing redundant title attributes, and improving form labels without modifying your theme’s core code.
- Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker: This plugin scans your WooCommerce store for compliance issues, highlighting accessibility problems on your pages. It provides a detailed report and actionable fixes.
- Accessibility by UserWay: Offers an AI-powered widget that allows users to adjust contrast, enlarge text, highlight links, and enable screen reader-friendly navigation. It enhances accessibility while keeping your site visually appealing.
Not all WooCommerce accessibility plugins work well with every theme or setup.
Choosing the right ones and configuring them properly ensures better performance without slowing down your store.
It’s better to consult professional developers to ensure your website complies with the latest ADA and WDGA regulations without breaking your store.
An WooCommerce agency can help you find, integrate, test, and fine-tune the right accessibility plugins, so your site is both user-friendly and compliant.
Choose an Accessible WooCommerce Theme
Your WooCommerce store is only as accessible as the theme you use.
Instead of choosing free themes, pick the ones built for accessibility, which typically include:
- Storefront: The official WooCommerce theme, designed for compatibility and performance. It follows accessibility best practices, ensuring keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and proper heading structures.
- Astra: One of the fastest and most customizable WooCommerce themes and it’s built with accessibility in mind. It offers high-contrast design options, keyboard-friendly navigation, and flexible typography settings to improve readability.
- GeneratePress: An accessibility-ready theme known for its clean code and SEO-friendly structure. It ensures proper color contrast, ARIA landmarks, and responsive navigation menus that work smoothly with assistive technologies.
- Neve: A mobile-first theme optimized for speed, accessibility, and flexibility. It supports skip links, screen reader compatibility, and customizable layouts, making it easier for all users to navigate your store.
Even the best WooCommerce themes may need customization to meet accessibility standards.
Simple tweaks like increasing font size, improving color contrast, and adding ARIA labels can make a big difference.
Test Your WooCommerce Store for Accessibility
After adding accessible WooCommerce themes and plugins, you need to test your store for real-world usability.
Here are three tools that can help identify accessibility gaps:
- WAVE: Provides visual feedback for errors like low contrast, missing alt text, and improper heading structures, making it easy to spot and fix issues without deep technical knowledge.
- AXE Accessibility Checker: A powerful browser extension that detects accessibility violations in real time. It’s designed for developers and store owners to highlight keyboard navigation issues and screen reader incompatibility.
- Google Lighthouse: A free tool that audits WooCommerce accessibility, performance, and SEO. It provides a detailed report with recommendations on contrast ratios, mobile usability, and interactive elements.
Automated tools are great, but real user feedback is equally invaluable.
Conduct testing sessions with people who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or high-contrast settings. Their insights can reveal barriers that these tools might miss.
Best Practices for WooCommerce Accessibility
To make your store truly inclusive, you must go beyond plugins and themes.
Ensuring Proper HTML Structure
A well-structured HTML layout helps screen readers and assistive technologies interpret your site correctly.
Use proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, etc.), semantic HTML tags, and meaningful link text to create a clear and logical reading order. This improves both usability and SEO.
Using ARIA Landmarks & Labels
ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) landmarks and labels enhance navigation for users relying on screen readers.
Elements like buttons, forms, and dynamic content should include ARIA attributes to describe their function. This ensures visually impaired users can interact with your store without confusion.
Avoiding Autoplay and Pop-Ups
Autoplaying videos, background music, and intrusive pop-ups can be disruptive, especially for users with cognitive disabilities or screen readers.
Instead, provide manual play controls, dismissible pop-ups, and clear exit options to keep the shopping experience accessible and frustration-free.
Conducting Regular Accessibility Audits
Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix—it requires ongoing monitoring. Regular WooCommerce accessibility audits help catch new issues as you update products, themes, or plugins.
Use tools like WAVE, Google Lighthouse, or AXE to scan for errors, and lean on professional audits for a thorough review.
Make Your WooCommerce Store Accessible Today!
WooCommerce accessibility is about creating a seamless shopping experience for everyone. It boosts customer satisfaction, improves SEO, and increases conversions.
At CoSpark, we specialize in custom WooCommerce development services, optimizing WooCommerce stores for accessibility all while ensuring they meet ADA and WCAG standards.
Whether you need theme customization, plugin integration, or a full accessibility audit, we’re here to help. Ready to make your store accessible? Contact us today to get started!
