If you’re in the web design business, you know that having an accessible website is now more important than ever. And web design clients expect their agency (you) to be in charge of it. But digital accessibility isn’t a piece of cake. You have to take multiple things into consideration. And that’s what we’ll delve into in this post. Buckle up, and let’s learn about website accessibility. WHAT IS WEB ACCESSIBILITY? The first thing to clear up: what does accessibility mean? Simply put, website accessibility is making sure everyone can access and use a website, no matter their disabilities. An accessible website can be used by people with all types of disabilities: Those with visual impairments or color blindness Those with auditory disabilities Those who must navigate by voice Those with cognitive disabilities, Those with temporary disabilities Those who need to use screen readers or other assistive technologies. According to the World Wide Web Consortium (WCG) an accessible website must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust for these users. In the US, accessibility requirements are listed in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the activities of places of public accommodations.” In a nutshell: Web accessibility is equal access and usability of a website, no matter the user’s disabilities. WHY IS WEB ACCESSIBILITY IMPORTANT Of course, the first reason why one should create an accessible website is to ensure their website isn’t discriminatory towards people with disabilities. But it also comes with a number of other perks. If everyone can access and use your clients’ web pages, that means: More traffic: a larger audience can access the websites. (26% of adults in the United States have some type of disability.) More sales and conversions: Since the site gets more traffic, it gets more conversions too. Better search engine optimization (SEO): More traffic, a better bounce rate, all sends positive feedback to search engines. Better user experience: Accessible content and accessible design is user-friendly, so it’s easier to navigate and understand for everyone. No legal accessibility issues: Needless to say, you don’t want to be sued for owning a website that doesn’t comply with accessibility regulations. HOW CAN I MAKE A WEBSITE ACCESSIBLE? To make a website accessible, the widely accepted standard is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium developed WCAG with the goal of creating a shared accessibility standard for the web. There are two versions of WCAG applied currently: WCAG 2.0 and 2.1. WCAG 2.0 was published in 2008 and became an ISO standard in 2012. WCAG 2.1 was published in 2018. There are a few accessibility solutions to keep in mind so that your website may be compliant. Here are some easy web accessibility tips that should help you get started: Correctly structuring your page using different headings (H1, H2, H3). Adding alternative text (alt text) to your images so that the visually impaired can know what’s portrayed. Providing text transcripts and closed captions for audio and video content: podcasts, videos, webinars. Having a keyboard navigation so that all functionality is available from a keyboard and the use of a mouse or trackpad isn’t required. Using Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA); a set of HTML attributes that define ways to make Web content and Web applications more accessible to people with disabilities. Providing good color contrast so that users that have a hard time perceiving text can see your website content better. You can use tools such as TPGi’s free color contrast checker tool or ColorZilla to determine if the color contrast is sufficient. There are also numerous resources you can consult to help make compliant websites, such as: US DOJ Guidance on Accessibility and the ADA WCAG 2.0 W3C WAI: Introduction to Web Accessibility

Our customer KG Truck and Auto recently had an amazing commercial filmed for their shop! It showcases their personalities and proudly shows off their services as well! You can watch the commercial HERE. Be sure to check it out and consider a commercial for your automotive shop. 

The Payroll Protection Program was a wonderful program created with funding provided by the CARES Act to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program provided small businesses with a forgivable loan to help them keep workers employed and pay their payroll for an eight week time period during the pandemic. The SBA recently released the application that borrowers can fill out to file for loan forgiveness.

Here at JASPER Websites, you are not just a client. I've been in many of your shops across the nation. My team has built relationships with you as well over the years, and we want you to know that we stand READY to help you. Our “Disaster Plan” is in play and we can access our files from anywhere, so our team is ready and standing by! We have several ideas and solutions for your issues!

We are heartbroken to hear about the tornados that have affected Nashville and the surrounding areas. This hits close to home for several on our team here as we have family and friends in the area as well as a love for this beautiful city. Our team purchased these shirts from Shop Local KY to show our support. 100% of proceeds went to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund. Our thoughts and prayers are still with this beautiful city and those affected by the tragedy.

Our team at Jasper Websites wants to take this time to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas! We hope that you have an enjoyable holiday and safe travels to and from all your holiday parties. We will be out of office on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but we'll be back on Thursday, December 26th. Thank you to our customers for another great year, you all are awesome!

Marion Miller, our CEO and owner here at Complete Marketing Resources, Inc. and JASPER Websites by CMR had the privilege to sit down with Tim Thomas for the Hopkins County Regional Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight. During the brief interview, you can hear Marion reflect on why she started this company and how it got to where it is today. Of course, there was a lot of talk about our new building as well and the plans for it going forward. Exciting things are happening around here, be sure to listen to the interview so you can hear all about it!

We have officially moved into Waddill School! The Morton House treated us well but we are so excited to start our new journey at Waddill. The move was a bit early as we wanted to commemorate the August 14th purchase date of the facility two years ago.