How to Make Your Law Firm’s Website More Accessible
This image highlights key ways to improve your law firm’s website accessibility and create a more user-friendly experience. With WCAG 2.2 introduced in October 2024, following the latest best practices can help ensure your site is accessible to all visitors.
Accessibility is crucial for law firm websites. A site that is easy to use ensures that all visitors, including those with disabilities, can access legal information. If your website is difficult to navigate, you could lose potential clients and harm your online reputation.
Beyond usability, accessibility impacts SEO for solicitors. Search engines prioritise well-structured, user-friendly sites. If your website does not meet accessibility standards, it could hurt your rankings and reduce your organic traffic. So, how can you make your website more accessible?
What Is Website Accessibility and Why Does It Matter?
Website accessibility refers to designing a site that all users, including those with disabilities, can navigate. This includes people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments.
For modern law firm websites, accessibility is a necessity. A well-optimised site can improve user engagement, boost Legal SEO, and even prevent legal issues.
What Challenges Do Users Face on Law Firm Websites?
Many law firm websites have issues that make them difficult for some users to access, such as:
Poor contrast between text and background colours.
No alternative text (alt text) for images.
Unclear navigation menus.
Missing captions for videos.
Forms that are not keyboard-friendly.
These barriers can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave your site, impacting both engagement and your organic traffic.
How Can Clear Navigation Improve Accessibility?
A confusing website structure makes it harder for users to find information. To improve accessibility:
Use descriptive headings to guide users.
Ensure menus are simple and well-organised.
Provide a search function for easy content discovery.
Use breadcrumbs so visitors can track where they are on your site. Breadcrumbs are a type of secondary navigation that displays a trail of links, usually at the top of a page, showing users the path they took to arrive at their current location.
Good navigation benefits both users and search engines, supporting your Legal SEO strategy.
Why Is Alt Text Important for Website Images?
Alt text describes images for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers. It also helps search engines understand images, improving SEO for solicitors.
When adding alt text, keep descriptions concise yet meaningful. Instead of generic labels like "Image of a solicitor," use specific descriptions such as "Solicitor reviewing legal documents." Apply alt text to all functional images to improve accessibility and user experience.
How Can You Make Text More Readable?
Unreadable text is a common issue in law firm websites. Improve readability by:
Using clear fonts like Arial, Verdana, or Open Sans.
Keeping font sizes large enough (16px is a good baseline).
Ensuring good contrast between text and background.
Avoiding long paragraphs—use short sentences and bullet points.
These simple adjustments make content easier for all users to digest.
Why Should Your Law Firm Use Captions and Transcripts?
Many users watch videos without sound, and some rely on captions due to hearing impairments. Providing captions and transcripts for multimedia content:
Ensures inclusivity for all users.
Helps search engines index your content, improving your legal SEO strategy.
Encourages more engagement, keeping visitors on your site longer.
How Can Keyboard Navigation Improve User Experience?
Some users rely on keyboards rather than a mouse to browse websites. To make your site accessible:
Ensure all menus, links, and forms can be accessed via the Tab key.
Use focus indicators (e.g., a visible outline around selected elements).
Avoid features that require a mouse to function.
Making your site keyboard-friendly improves usability and website accessibility features.
What Are the Benefits of Accessibility for Legal SEO and Client Engagement?
An accessible website is not just about compliance—it also boosts your digital presence. When your site is user-friendly:
Visitors stay longer, reducing bounce rates.
Search engines rank it higher, increasing your organic traffic.
More potential clients can find and engage with your firm.
Need Help Improving Your Website’s Accessibility?
Enhancing accessibility requires a strategic approach. At Legal Content Solutions, we help law firms optimise their websites for accessibility, SEO, and user engagement.
If you want to make your site more accessible for potential clients, get in touch today.
