Accessibility for a contractor website in plain words

A landscaper in Delafield got a letter from a lawyer. It claimed his website wasn't accessible to blind visitors. It demanded a settlement. He'd never heard the word "accessibility" applied to a website before that letter showed up. Most contractors haven't. Then it's suddenly their problem.

What website accessibility actually means

Accessibility means your site works for people using it in different ways. Someone who's blind might use a screen reader that reads the page out loud. Someone with low vision needs bigger text. Someone who can't use a mouse navigates with a keyboard instead. It's not one feature. It's a handful of habits that make your site work for more people. Done right, they won't change how it looks for everyone else.

Who it actually helps

It's easy to think of accessibility as a rule for other businesses. But the people it helps are real customers you already want:

• An older homeowner in Oconomowoc with worsening eyesight who needs bigger, higher contrast text
• Someone using voice control on their phone because they're driving or their hands are full
• A visitor using a screen reader who needs your images and buttons labeled so the reader can describe them

None of these are edge cases. They're a normal slice of anyone searching for a contractor online.

What the law expects from a small business

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers websites now. Courts have applied it in a growing number of lawsuits over the past several years. Small businesses have been targeted, not just large corporations. The law doesn't list an exact checklist for websites. It does that for a physical ramp or a doorway width, but not this. Most courts and settlements point to one set of guidelines instead. It's called WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Treat it as the practical standard.

You don't need a law degree to make progress here. You need to fix the common, well known gaps. They cover a large share of the actual complaints.

Five fixes that cover most of it

1. 01Add alt text to images. Write a short description of what each photo shows, so a screen reader can describe it. Try "Finished deck with cedar railing in Hartland" instead of nothing at all.
2. 02Make sure text has enough contrast. Light gray text on a white background looks trendy. It's hard for a lot of people to read. Stick to solid, dark text on light backgrounds for anything important.
3. 03Label your form fields. Every input on your quote form should have a real label. Placeholder text doesn't count, since it disappears the moment someone starts typing.
4. 04Make buttons and links keyboard friendly. Someone should be able to tab through your site and reach every button and link without a mouse.
5. 05Use real headings, not just bold text. A screen reader relies on actual heading tags to understand your page's structure. Text that's just styled to look bold or bigger doesn't help.

This guide goes deeper into each of these with more specific detail, if you want to check your own site line by line.

Why this is worth doing beyond avoiding a lawsuit

Fixing these five things also makes your site clearer and faster for every visitor, disabled or not. Good contrast is easier to read in bright sunlight on a phone screen. Real headings help Google understand your page too. That can help your search rankings. Accessibility work and good basic web design overlap more than people expect.

What to do if you already got a demand letter

Say you got a legal letter claiming your site isn't accessible. Don't panic. Don't ignore it either. Talk to an attorney who's handled these before. The right response depends on the letter and your state. In the meantime, start fixing the basics above. A documented, good faith effort matters in how these things get resolved.