How accessible is your website really?
If the honest answer is “I’m not sure,” you are far from alone.
In Episode 58 of 3Spoonies, we were joined by digital accessibility specialist Chris Naylor for a fascinating conversation about website design, user experience, inclusion and why accessibility should never be an afterthought.
You can find out more about Chris here.
Whether you run a business, manage a charity site or sell products online, this episode was packed with practical insights.
Accessibility Should Be Built In From the Start
One of the clearest messages from Chris was simple:
Accessible design works best when it is considered from day one.
Trying to “fix” accessibility after a website has been built can be more expensive, more complicated and less effective.
That includes things like:
- clear page structure
- readable font sizes
- strong colour contrast
- logical navigation
- descriptive buttons
- mobile usability
- compatibility with screen readers
Accessibility is not a final layer you add at the end. It is part of good design.
Good Accessibility Often Means Better UX for Everyone
Many accessibility improvements help all users, not only disabled users.
Examples include:
- easier navigation
- less cluttered pages
- faster understanding
- cleaner layouts
- clearer calls to action
- less visual overwhelm
Chris highlighted that flashy, noisy websites packed with moving parts can actually drive people away.
Sometimes the most effective websites are the simplest ones.
Why Some Websites Feel Overwhelming
The episode explored how websites with autoplay video, excessive animations, cluttered layouts or constant movement can create barriers.
For some people this means:
- distraction
- sensory overload
- difficulty reading
- nausea
- frustration
- immediate bounce-off
A website should guide people, not exhaust them.
Accessibility Is Also Good Business
Chris discussed the “Purple Pound” — the spending power of disabled households and families.
That means accessibility is not just ethical. It also makes commercial sense.
If someone can use your competitor’s site more easily than yours, where do you think their money goes?
Accessible design can support:
- more conversions
- stronger trust
- wider audience reach
- repeat customers
- better reputation
Colour, Contrast and Real User Needs
The conversation also covered how common design choices can unintentionally exclude people.
For example:
- low contrast buttons
- unreadable text over images
- confusing icons
- poor dark mode behaviour
- tiny tap targets on mobile
- hidden menus with no labels
What looks stylish to one person may be unusable to another.
Do Accessibility Plugins Solve Everything?
The short answer: no.
Chris explained that tools and plugins can help, especially when budgets are limited, but they are not a replacement for proper design, thoughtful coding and human testing.
Technology can support accessibility — it cannot magically fix a poor foundation.
Test Your Website Like a User
One of the best takeaways from the episode was to stop looking at your website only as the owner.
Try it like a visitor:
- Can I find what I need quickly?
- Can I read this easily?
- Does it work on mobile?
- Is the buy button obvious?
- Is there too much going on?
- Would a first-time visitor feel confident here?
That shift in perspective can be powerful.
Final Thoughts
Accessible website design is not niche.
It is not optional polish.
It is good communication, good customer service and good business.
The easier your website is to use, the more people you welcome in.
And that is something every brand should want.
You can find out more about our guest Chris here.
Watch / Listen to Episode 58
Search 3Spoonies Episode 58 – Accessible Website Design on your prefered podcast platform. Or find all the ways to watch and listen here.
About 3Spoonies
3Spoonies is a podcast about disability, business, life and real-world problem solving — with honest conversations from three hosts navigating the world with not enough spoons.
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