What is Useability and How Does It Relate to Web Accessibility?

Understanding Website Usability: Why It Matters and How to Improve It

Website usability is one of the most crucial parts of creating an effective website. Usability shows how easy a site is to use and how well it helps users achieve their goals. If a site is simple to navigate, easy to read, and accessible, people are more likely to stay and complete their tasks.

According to a study by Forrester (2020), better usability can boost a website’s conversion rate by up to 400%. Good usability creates happier visitors and helps websites succeed.

What Is Website Usability?

Website usability means how simple and effective a website is for visitors. It has three key questions:

• Can users easily find what they need?
• Is it clear what the website offers?
• Are users able to do what they came for?

If a site gets a “yes” for each question, it has strong usability. Good usability helps users get results with less effort or confusion.

Key Factors That Impact Usability

Several important elements shape a website’s usability. Focusing on each factor can make the difference between frustrated visitors and happy ones.

Ease of Navigation

Simple, clear navigation is the heart of website usability. If visitors don’t understand how to move around your site, they will leave.

• Menus should use straightforward labels.
• Navigation should be consistent on all pages.
• Include a clear search function.
• Make navigation easy for both desktop and mobile users.

A survey by Clutch (2023) found that 94% of users said easy navigation was the most important website feature.

Legibility

If your website’s text is tough to read, visitors won’t stick around. Make sure:

• The font size is at least 16px for body text.
• Use sans serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica for easier reading.
• High contrast between text and background for visibility.
• Line spacing is comfortable and not too squeezed.

Responsiveness

With more than 58% of website traffic coming from mobile devices (Statista, 2023), responsive design is critical. Make sure your site:

• Looks and works well on all device sizes, from phones to laptops.
• Loads quickly on mobile connections.
• Menus and buttons are big enough to tap with a finger.

Tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can help check your site’s mobile responsiveness.

Clear Content and Messaging

Content should be simple, direct, and helpful. Guide visitors through the site using clear words and active language. Good website content will:

• Explain products or services in everyday language.
• Lead users step by step toward completing tasks.
• Use headings, lists, and short paragraphs for easy scanning.

Confusing, wordy, or cluttered content leads to high bounce rates (Google Analytics, 2023).

SEO and Website Structure

A website’s architecture is key for both usability and search engine optimization (SEO). Simple structure helps:

• Visitors find what they need faster.
• Search engines crawl and rank your content.

Best practices include:

• Linking all important pages logically.
• Using descriptive titles and short, clear URLs.
• Inserting keywords naturally within content.

Site Speed and Error-Free Functioning

Slow sites and broken links chase users away. In fact, 53% of visitors leave a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load (Google, 2022).

• Compress images and reduce large files.
• Use a reliable hosting provider and a content delivery network (CDN).
• Test links and fix errors often.
• Proofread content to avoid spelling and grammar mistakes.

What Is Accessibility in Web Design?

Website accessibility means everyone can use your site, including people with disabilities. Accessible sites let all users:

• See or hear the content (with or without assistive tools).
• Understand and interact with all pages.
• Complete tasks independently.

Legal Requirements and Best Practices

Several U.S. laws, such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), require accessible digital content. Public, government, and federally funded websites must follow these rules.

Common best practices for improving accessibility:

• Use alt text for images.
• Ensure buttons are labeled for screen readers.
• Offer closed captions for videos.
• Use headings and lists for easy navigation.

Following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) ensures your site meets global standards for accessibility.

How Usability and Accessibility Intersect

Usability and accessibility are closely linked. A usable website should also be accessible, so every visitor has a positive experience.

• Adding captions and subtitles on videos helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Readable fonts and clear layouts help people with low vision or reading difficulties.
• Clear navigation benefits everyone, including those using assistive devices.

Improving Usability and Accessibility for Everyone

Many websites still struggle with these issues. Common problems include:

• Poor mobile design and tiny buttons.
• Complicated navigation menus.
• No alt text on images, making content hard for screen readers.
• Videos without captions.
• Missing translation options for non-English speakers.

Fixing these challenges helps users, improves SEO, and lowers bounce rates.

How GoTranscript Can Help

GoTranscript offers a range of services to improve both usability and accessibility:

• Transcription services to convert audio to text.
• Automated transcription for quick turnaround.
• AI transcription subscription for regular needs.
• Closed captioning services for accessibility.
• Subtitling services for multilingual audiences.
• Transcription proofreading services for accuracy.
• Text Translation services for global reach.
• Audio translation service for recorded content.

With clear transcription pricing and captioning services pricing, GoTranscript makes it simple to order transcription or order captions online.

Whether you need help making your website easy for all users or want to meet accessibility laws, GoTranscript delivers fast, accurate, and affordable solutions for every business.