When people talk about web accessibility standards, they are often using one phrase to describe a few different things at once. That can include laws such as the Equality Act 2010, regulations such as The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, and technical standards such as WCAG 2.2.

So, while these terms are closely linked, they are not all the same thing. Some set out the legal expectations around accessibility, while others provide the practical benchmark websites are measured against. In most cases, when people ask what standard a website should meet, they are really asking what set of criteria it should be built and reviewed against in practice.

So, What’s the UK Standard for Website Accessibility?

There is not one single document called the UK web accessibility standard. Instead, the picture is made up of a few connected parts:

• The Equality Act 2010, which forms part of the wider legal context around accessibility and discrimination in the UK
• The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, which set specific requirements for public sector websites and apps
• WCAG 2.2, which is the technical standard used to assess whether a website is accessible in practice

For public sector websites and mobile apps, those regulations require organisations to make their digital services accessible and publish an accessibility statement. In practice, that means working to WCAG 2.2 at Level AA, which is the benchmark widely used to assess whether a website is accessible.

Outside the public sector, there is not one separate set of UK website accessibility regulations in the same way. But that does not mean accessibility is optional. Under the Equality Act 2010, UK service providers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. In practice, WCAG 2.2 AA is still the clearest and most widely recognised benchmark to work towards when designing, building, and reviewing a website.

So, when people ask what standard a website should meet in the UK, the most practical answer is usually this: WCAG 2.2 AA is the benchmark your website should be aiming for.

But saying that is the easy part. The more useful question is what that actually means on a real website. That is where POUR comes in.

What WCAG 2.2 AA Actually Means in Practice

If you keep coming across the term WCAG 2.2 AA, it helps to know what it actually is. WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. It is the main set of standards used to judge whether a website is accessible. It is not new either. The first version, WCAG 1.0, was introduced back in 1999. WCAG 2.0 followed in 2008, WCAG 2.1 came in 2018, and WCAG 2.2 was released in 2023.

That matters because it shows web accessibility is not a passing trend or a new box-ticking exercise. These standards have been around for decades and have evolved as websites have changed. Modern websites now rely far more on mobile devices, interactive forms, pop-ups, menus, videos, and dynamic content, so the guidance has had to grow with them. But the core idea has stayed the same throughout: websites should work for everyone, including disabled people.

At the centre of WCAG are four principles known as POUR. That stands for Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. These are the foundations of web accessibility. Put simply, if a website is hard to see, hard to use, hard to follow, or badly built behind the scenes, there is a good chance some users will struggle or be blocked from using it altogether.

Perceivable means people need to be able to notice and take in the content on the page.

Take colour contrast as one example. If light grey text is placed on a white background, some people will struggle to read it. That could include people with low vision, colour blindness, or even someone trying to read the page outside in bright daylight. This matters because if text does not stand out clearly enough from the background, people may miss key information, strain their eyes, or give up reading altogether.

Another example is alt text. Alt text is a short written description added to an image so that someone using a screen reader can understand what that image is showing. For example, if a page includes a chart showing growth over time, a screen reader user needs some kind of description of what that chart is telling them. This matters because without it, some users may miss information that everyone else can see straight away.

Perceivable also covers things like captions on videos, transcripts for audio, and making sure text can be enlarged without the page becoming difficult to use. In simple terms, people need a fair chance to access the content, whatever way they are using the web.

Operable means people need to be able to use the website and move through it properly.

For example, some people do not use a mouse at all and move through a website using only their keyboard. They might use the tab key to jump from link to link, button to button, and form field to form field. If a menu only opens when someone hovers over it with a mouse, or a button cannot be reached by keyboard, that becomes a barrier. This matters because if someone cannot physically get to the parts of the site they need, the website is not really usable for them.

Another example is a visible focus state. When someone tabs through a page, there should be a clear sign showing where they are, such as an outline around a button or link. This matters because without that visible marker, keyboard users can quickly lose track of where they are on the page and struggle to move forward with confidence.

Operable also includes things like making buttons large enough to tap on mobile, avoiding interactions that rely on very precise movements, and making sure people can close pop-ups or complete actions without getting stuck. The aim is simple: people should be able to use the website, not fight with it.

Understandable means the website should be clear, predictable, and easy to follow.

Take a form as an example. If a field just says “Enter details” and then shows an error without explaining what has gone wrong, many users will get stuck. A better approach would be a clear label, a clear instruction, and an error message that explains exactly what needs fixing, such as “Please enter your email address in the correct format”. This matters because people should not have to guess what a website wants them to do.

It also applies to navigation and layout. If a button says “Click here” with no context, or the menu suddenly changes from one page to the next, the experience becomes harder to learn and trust. Users should be able to move through a website knowing what to expect. That is especially important on pages like checkouts, booking journeys, or contact forms, where confusion can quickly lead to abandonment.

Robust means the website should be built in a way that different browsers, devices, and assistive technologies can understand properly.

For example, if a heading is styled to look big and bold but is not actually marked up as a heading in the code, a screen reader user may miss the page structure completely. Or if a button is built badly behind the scenes, assistive technology may not announce it as a button at all. This matters because accessibility is not only about what looks right on screen. The code underneath needs to make sense too, so the site works reliably with the tools people depend on.

That is why WCAG is about much more than a few obvious fixes. It is not just asking whether a website looks modern or passes a quick test. It is asking a bigger question: can people perceive the content, operate the interface, understand what is happening, and rely on the website to work with the tools they use?

Once you understand that, WCAG starts to feel much less like a technical acronym and much more like a practical framework for building websites that work better for real people.

What the Public Sector Is Expected to Do

For public sector organisations, web accessibility is not just best practice. There is a clear legal expectation to make websites and mobile apps accessible and to be open about where any barriers still exist.

In practice, that means public sector bodies are expected to:

• work towards WCAG 2.2 AA as the technical standard
• publish an accessibility statement for each website or app
• explain any known accessibility issues clearly
• provide a way for users to report problems or request information in an accessible format
• review and update their accessibility statement regularly, especially when major changes are made

The accessibility statement is a big part of this. It is not meant to be a vague policy page or a box-ticking exercise. It should explain how accessible the website currently is, where users may run into difficulty, what is being done about those issues, and who to contact if they need support or want to report a problem.

That matters because public sector websites often provide essential information and services. If someone cannot complete a form, access a document, understand a process, or find the information they need, the impact can be much bigger than a bit of inconvenience. In some cases, it can stop people from accessing support, exercising their rights, or using a service independently.

It is also worth saying that publishing a statement does not replace the need to fix problems. The expectation is not just to acknowledge accessibility barriers, but to identify them, prioritise them, and improve the service over time. In other words, the statement should reflect real accessibility work, not stand in for it.

Once you look at what the public sector is expected to do, the bigger point becomes clearer: accessibility is being treated as part of delivering a usable digital service, not an optional extra. And that is exactly why private sector organisations should be paying attention too.

What This Means for Private Sector Organisations

It would be easy to read all of this and think web accessibility is mainly a public sector issue. It is not.

If you run a private sector business in the UK, accessibility is not something you can afford to ignore. The Equality Act 2010 means service providers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. So if your website makes it harder for someone to buy from you, enquire, book, or access important information, that is a serious issue.

For some businesses, there is another layer to think about too. If you sell certain products or services into the EU, the European Accessibility Act may also be relevant. That is especially worth being aware of for larger organisations, as the exemption for service providers is aimed at microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover below €2 million.

Even putting the legal side to one side for a moment, the business case is pretty clear. Your website is often the first impression people get of your business. If the text is hard to read, the buttons are awkward to use, the forms are confusing, or key journeys break when someone uses a keyboard or screen reader, that affects more than a small group of people. It affects trust. It affects conversions. And it affects how many people can actually use your website properly.

That is why accessibility is not just about compliance. It is about reach, usability, and making sure more people can engage with your business online.

And this is usually where a few common assumptions start to creep in. Things like “we use a modern theme, so we’re probably fine” or “we added a plugin, so accessibility is covered”. Unfortunately, it is rarely that simple.

Common Assumptions That Catch Businesses Out

This is usually where things start to go wrong.

Not because most businesses do not care. Usually, it is because they assume they are probably fine. They use a modern theme. They have added a plugin. They have run one automated check. Nothing looks obviously broken. So accessibility gets pushed down the list.

The problem is, those assumptions do not hold up particularly well.

One of the biggest is the plugin assumption. You have probably seen these before. They are often the little floating widgets sat in the corner of a website with an accessibility icon, or a toolbar that lets users change things like text size, contrast, spacing, or reading mode. On the surface, they can look reassuring. The trouble is, they do not fix the underlying website.

If a form field is missing a proper label, a button is coded badly, the keyboard journey is broken, or the page structure does not make sense to a screen reader, an overlay is not going to solve that. In some cases, it can actually make things worse. These tools can interfere with the assistive technology people are already using, which can make websites even harder to navigate. That is a big reason why they are viewed so poorly by many disabled users and accessibility practitioners. In WebAIM’s survey of accessibility practitioners, only 2.4% of respondents with disabilities rated overlays as very effective, while 72% rated them as not at all or not very effective.

Another weak assumption is that most websites are accessible by now. They are not. The latest WebAIM Million report found that 95.9% of the top one million home pages had detectable WCAG failures. So if your website has never been properly reviewed, it is far safer to assume there are issues than to assume everything is in good shape.

And the issues being picked up are not obscure edge cases either. The same report found that 83.9% of home pages had low contrast text, 53.1% had missing alt text on images, and 51% had missing form labels. These are basic things. Yet they are still everywhere.

Then there is the automated testing assumption. Automated tools absolutely have their place. They are useful. They are fast. They can help catch some issues early. But they do not give you the full picture. The DWP Accessibility Manual says a GDS audit found that, out of 142 known accessibility issues, the best automated tools only found around 30 to 40%. That is a big gap.

That matters because some of the most important accessibility issues need human judgement. An automated tool cannot fully tell you whether alt text is actually helpful, whether link text makes sense out of context, whether a keyboard journey feels logical, or whether a booking form becomes frustrating halfway through. A website can pass an automated scan and still be difficult to use in real life.

And finally, there is the audience assumption. Some businesses still think accessibility is only a priority if they know they have disabled customers. That does not really stack up. Around one in four people in the UK have a disability. On top of that, the Click-Away Pound survey found UK businesses were losing £17.1 billion a year because disabled customers were leaving inaccessible websites. So this is not a niche issue. It affects a huge number of people, and it carries real commercial weight too.

That is why accessibility is not something you can measure by whether a site looks modern, has a floating widget, or passes one scan. Those things might make a website look covered. They do not tell you whether it actually works for people.

So a much better question is this: how do you get a clearer picture of what is really going on?

How to Get a Clear Picture of Your Site

The best place to start is with an automated accessibility scan.

A good scan can quickly highlight obvious issues on the page, such as low contrast text, missing alt text, empty links, missing form labels, and other common accessibility problems. It is one of the quickest ways to get an initial picture of where barriers may exist and whether your site needs closer attention.

That is exactly why we built our automated accessibility checker. It gives you a quick way to review a page, spot common issues, and get a clearer sense of how accessible your site is at a glance. It is built on the WAVE API, helping surface the kinds of issues that are often missed when a site is only reviewed visually.

For some websites, that first scan alone will already flag enough to show that improvements are needed. But if you want a deeper view of usability, accessibility, SEO, and performance together, our website scorecard takes things further.

The important thing is not to rely on guesswork. Start with a scan, see what it reveals, and build from there.

A Simple Plan You Can Act On

So, where should you actually start?

Start with a scan. That will help highlight any obvious accessibility issues and give you a clearer picture of whether your website needs closer attention.

From there, the right next step depends on what the results show. In some cases, that may mean targeted remediation work. In others, it may call for a deeper WCAG 2.2 AA audit. And sometimes, it becomes clear that a new website built with accessibility considered from the start would be the better long-term option.

The important thing is not to guess. If you are unsure what your website needs, or you already know accessibility is likely to be an issue, get in touch with us. We can help you understand where your site stands, what the biggest issues are, and what the most sensible next step looks like.

That way, you are not left trying to piece it together on your own. You get a clearer picture, a practical way forward, and a website that works better for more people.

The post What are the UK web accessibility standards? appeared first on Squee.

Well, incredibly, for the vast majority of businesses accessibility isn’t something they’ve ever really considered. In fact, almost every website have multiple accessibility issues. That doesn’t mean businesses are doing this on purpose – at least not the ones we speak to. The truth is, most people simply don’t know what they don’t know, and it’s hard to fully understand an experience you’ve never had yourself. That’s exactly why we’ve written this article: to highlight the current state of website accessibility so you can make more informed decisions, support more people and, if it’s your aim, even bring in more business.

The Headline Accessibility Statistics

So what are the key bits of information you really need to know before you can do anything? Fortunately, there are brilliant organisations like WebAIM, who each year test the top million websites for accessibility issues, and the Purple Pound, which helps to show the real financial impact of getting this wrong.

• 75% of disabled people and their families have walked away from a UK business due to poor accessibility or customer service.
• 94.8% of home pages tested have at least one detectable accessibility issue. That’s only a small drop from 97.8% in 2019, showing how slow progress has been.
• On average, 51 accessibility errors per home page were detected – more than 50 million distinct errors across the million pages tested.
• Web page complexity is rising rapidly, with 1,257 elements per home page on average in 2025, a 61% jump over six years.
• A staggering 4.1% of all page elements contain errors, meaning someone with access needs will encounter an issue on one in every 24 elements.
• 23.4% of pages had five errors or fewer, and 33.6% had ten or fewer, showing that accessibility is achievable when it’s prioritised.
• Disabled households in the UK represent a collective spending power of £274 billion annually, known as the Purple Pound.

The Legal and Regulatory Landscape

So what’s being done about this? Over the years there have been a variety of different regulations introduced in different countries and regions to try and create a more equitable society. In the UK we have the Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disabilities and requires “reasonable adjustments.” This applies to digital services just as much as physical ones. In the US there is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has been used in countless lawsuits to argue that websites must be accessible to the public. There are also rules that apply specifically to the public sector in the UK, requiring government and council sites to meet recognised standards.

But 2025 saw the introduction of another key bit of legislation, one that already is making a real positive impact to accessibility in Europe and beyond. That is the European Accessibility Act (EAA). It came into force on 28 June 2025 and sets mandatory accessibility requirements across the EU for digital products and services. The act applies not only to EU businesses but also to UK companies that sell into the EU. Non-compliance is taken seriously. Penalties vary by country, but in some cases fines can reach €1 million and there are even provisions for prison sentences. The law generally applies to businesses above a certain size, often those with revenue over €2 million, but the trend is clear: accessibility is now a legal baseline. For more detail you can read my full article here: Preparing for the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

The Role of AI in Accessibility

AI is increasingly part of everyday technology, from apps to wearables. Some tools are designed to support people directly, while others focus on improving how information is understood or shared. Here are a few ways it is being used today:

1. Everyday AI Assistants for Vision

Apps like Be My AI (from Be My Eyes) and Seeing AI (by Microsoft) support blind and visually impaired people by reading labels and handwriting, describing photos, and even suggesting recipes based on ingredients.

2. Smarter Speech Recognition and Hearing Support

AI is making voice technology more reliable. Google’s Project Relate improves recognition for non-standard speech patterns, while tools like HeardThat filter background noise in busy spaces. Devices such as the Orka Two hearing aid use AI to adjust sound dynamically, giving users clearer conversations without constant manual changes.

3. Wearables and Smart Glasses

AI-powered glasses are becoming more practical for daily use. The Envision Glasses and Ally Solos Glasses can read text, recognise faces, and describe surroundings, giving people with low vision another way to access information.

4. AI Sign Language Avatars

AI avatars are being developed to translate text into sign language when human interpreters are not available. Tools like Silence Speaks (for British Sign Language) and GenASL (for American Sign Language) aim to make more content accessible to Deaf communities.

5. Inclusive Design and Ethical AI

Alongside these tools there is a growing focus on building accessibility into AI itself. Training systems on diverse datasets and following inclusive design practices helps make sure technology works well for as many people as possible.

What Can I Do in 2025?

At this point you might be wondering what all of this means for your own website. The reality is that accessibility can feel like a huge subject, but there are some very practical steps you can take right now that will make a real difference. You don’t need to know every detail of the guidelines to start making progress, you just need to look at the basics and approach your site from the point of view of someone who might experience it differently.

One of the easiest places to start is with images. Adding meaningful alt text gives people using screen readers a way to understand what’s being shown. Then there is colour contrast. If your text blends into the background, many people will struggle to read it — including those without any diagnosed condition – so making sure colours stand out is an instant improvement.

Headings and structure are another quick win. Using proper H1, H2 and H3 headings, instead of just bold text, not only makes it easier for search engines but also allows people using assistive technology to move around your content with confidence. The same goes for forms. Clear labels on each field help everyone, whether they are using a screen reader or just filling in details quickly on their phone.

It’s also worth testing how your site works without a mouse. Try pressing the Tab key and moving through your content to see if links, buttons and forms can be reached in a logical order. If you get stuck, so will your visitors. Another simple step is checking that any video or audio has captions or transcripts, which not only helps Deaf and hard-of-hearing users but also anyone who prefers to watch content silently.

None of these actions require a huge budget or deep technical knowledge, but together they add up to a website that is more welcoming and easier to use. And in a world where almost every site still has accessibility issues, even small improvements can help your business stand out.

Making a Start

Accessibility affects billions of people around the world and touches every business, whether they realise it or not. Making your website easier to use isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also one of the smartest business decisions you can make.

If you’d like to understand where your site currently stands, get in touch with us or try our accessibility scorecard to see the steps you can take next.

The post The Current State of Website Accessibility appeared first on Squee.

We’ve compiled a list of five web design companies based in Cheltenham that, in our opinion, stand out. This isn’t a ranking, just a mix of options we think are worth checking out, depending on what matters most to you.

1. Squee

Squee is a Cheltenham-based web design and development business known across the UK for its inclusive design principles and accessibility best practices. It’s one of the few in the UK that puts accessibility at the heart of every project, helping businesses create websites that are genuinely inclusive and easier for more people to use.

The approach is personal and tailored, shaped around each business and what they actually need. Every project starts with strategy sessions to understand the goals, audience, and where the current site might be falling short. From there, it moves through stages like sitemaps, low-fidelity wireframes, high-fidelity design, development, and testing.

What makes Squee different is how much attention goes into every part of the process. Accessibility is built in from the start and influences everything, from how content is structured to how people move through the site.

One in four people in the UK has a disability, and many rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or clear layouts to use the web. Yet most websites don’t take this into account. It’s a missed opportunity. Squee helps businesses reach more people, build trust, and create a better experience for everyone who visits.

Known for: Inclusive design principles, accessibility best practices, fully custom development, and a collaborative, personal approach.

Find out more at squee.design

2. Cotswold Web

A longstanding local business offering websites for small businesses, with a focus on providing training and support. Ideal if you want something straightforward and need help keeping it updated.

Cotswold Web provides practical, affordable solutions and takes the time to show clients how to manage and update their own sites, a great fit for anyone who wants to stay in control.

Known for: Reliable service, WordPress expertise, and approachable support.

3. Happy By Design

Happy by Design is run by Pandora, a Cheltenham-based web designer creating friendly, strategic WordPress websites for small businesses. Her approach is collaborative and clear, with a focus on easy-to-use layouts, strong messaging, and websites built with accessibility in mind.

Happy By Design focuses on clear messaging and simple, clean layouts that are easy to navigate.

Known for: Freelance approach, friendly service, and straightforward design.

4. SOZO

An established digital agency in Cheltenham, SOZO offers polished, high-end websites with a strong focus on performance and conversion. They work with a wide range of businesses and have a particular strength in e-commerce and integrated marketing.

If you’re a growing brand looking to invest in your digital presence across web, SEO, and paid advertising, SOZO has the in-house team and structure to deliver.

Known for: High-end design, full-service digital marketing, and e-commerce expertise.

5. inwebdesign Ltd

For businesses on a budget, inwebdesign offers one of the most affordable packages in Cheltenham, £10 per week with no upfront costs. The price includes hosting, updates, and domain management, making it an ideal option if you just need something up and running quickly.

It’s a no-fuss model that appeals to startups or small businesses wanting to keep things simple.

Known for: Affordability and simplicity.

Final Thoughts

Cheltenham has a broad mix of web design businesses, each with its own strengths, from high-end agencies to freelancers and budget-friendly packages. Whether you’re prioritising accessibility, speed, hands-on support, or marketing integration, there’s a solution out there that fits.

Squee is proud to be part of this local mix, especially for businesses looking for a more inclusive, strategic approach. We believe great websites are for everyone and that thoughtful, accessible design helps brands reach further and grow with confidence.

We hope this guide helps you find the right partner for your next website project.

Want to be featured in this list? We’ll be keeping it updated as new local businesses pop up. Feel free to get in touch.

The post The Best Web Design Businesses in Cheltenham appeared first on Squee.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a major piece of legislation rolling out across all EU member states. Its goal is to ensure digital products and services are accessible to everyone, including disabled people. While the act is focused on the EU, its reach will extend well beyond Europe. Any business with consumers in the EU may be affected. In the long run, it’s a step towards improving accessibility on a global scale.

What is covered in the EAA?

The EAA applies to a wide range of digital services and products, including:

• Websites and mobile apps
• E-commerce platforms
• Banking services
• ATMs and payment terminals
• E-books and e-readers
• Public transport ticketing and information
• Smartphones, computers, and smart TVs
• Customer service systems (like chatbots and phone lines)

What steps should I be taking?

The EAA applies to businesses operating within EU member states — and that includes businesses outside the EU, like those in the UK or US, if they have consumers in the EU. Importantly, it doesn’t just apply to public sector organisations; private companies are included too.

So what should you and your business be doing to prepare? Here are five practical steps to get started:

Assess your products & services
Start by reviewing what you offer and how people interact with it — especially anything digital. If you sell to or operate in the EU, this includes websites, apps, and customer support.
You should also check whether you fall within the scope of the EAA. Some microenterprises — typically those with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet under €2 million — may be excluded. But this doesn’t apply in every case, especially if your services are considered essential or widely used.

Accessibility audits
Run a detailed audit of your digital platforms to identify barriers for disabled users. The EAA doesn’t reference specific standards, but its requirements closely align with WCAG 2.1 — the most widely used international standard for web accessibility.
At Squee, we carry out clear, practical audits that highlight where things need improving and help you take the right next steps.

Prepare an accessibility strategy
Set out how you’ll meet accessibility standards over time. Include priorities, responsibilities, and how progress will be tracked.

Introduce accessibility training
Make sure your team knows what accessibility means in practice — from designers and developers to content creators and customer support.

Why is the EAA a good thing?

The EAA is a positive step forward, not just for disabled people, but for businesses too.

For businesses, it introduces a shared set of accessibility requirements across the EU and beyond. That means less time spent navigating different national laws and fewer barriers to trading in new markets. It also reduces the long-term cost of compliance by setting clear, consistent expectations from the outset.

There’s also a commercial upside. As more disabled consumers actively seek out accessible products and services, businesses that meet these needs can grow their customer base and strengthen their brand reputation.

For disabled people — and for older people who often face similar barriers — the EAA promises better access to everyday technology and essential services. It encourages inclusive design from the ground up, which can lead to more choice, lower prices, and even new job opportunities in accessibility-related sectors.

Will the EAA affect me?

If your business sells products or services to consumers in the EU — even if you’re based in the UK — the EAA may apply to you. It’s not just for public sector organisations or large corporations. Many private companies, including SMEs, fall within its scope.

The rules mainly apply to businesses offering digital services, such as websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, and customer support tools. If your digital offering is used by people in the EU, it’s worth reviewing where you stand.

There is an exemption for microenterprises (usually those with fewer than 10 employees and a turnover or balance sheet under €2 million), but even then, there are exceptions — especially if your services are considered essential or widely used.

Even if you’re not directly affected right now, aligning with accessibility best practices puts you in a stronger position for the future. It helps you stay ahead of upcoming legislation, improves user experience for everyone, and sends a clear message that your business values inclusivity.

When is the EAA coming into force?

The EAA is already live.

As of 28 June 2025, all new digital products and services covered by the legislation must meet the accessibility requirements. That includes websites, apps, e-commerce platforms, ticket machines, banking services, and more.

If you already offer these services and they were launched before this date, you’ve got until 28 June 2030 to make sure they’re accessible. But any updates or new features added from now on will need to comply straight away.

Are there standards I need to adopt or aim for?

The EAA is a directive, which means it doesn’t point to a single standard. Instead, each EU member state sets its own rules — but most are adopting EN 301 549, a European standard that builds on WCAG 2.1 AA.

WCAG 2.1 AA is the most widely used framework for web accessibility, and it’s a solid foundation to work from. It covers key areas like text contrast, keyboard access, screen reader compatibility, and more. Many countries are also referencing it directly in their national regulations.

That said, EN 301 549 goes a bit further. It includes accessibility requirements not just for websites and apps, but also for things like PDFs, chat systems, ticket machines, and payment terminals.

If you’re aiming for long-term compliance, it’s worth keeping an eye on WCAG 2.2 AA as well. It builds on 2.1 and adds extra guidance around mobile use, target sizes, and cognitive accessibility.

At Squee, we help businesses work towards these standards in a clear, manageable way, focusing on what matters most for the people using your site or service.

What will happen if I’m not compliant?

Penalties for failing to meet the EAA vary depending on where you operate, but they can be serious. Different EU member states are responsible for enforcement, and in some cases the consequences go beyond fines.

Here’s what non-compliance could mean for your business:

Fines and enforcement
EU regulators can issue financial penalties, and the level of enforcement depends on the country. In some cases, such as in Ireland, non-compliance could even result in prison sentences for serious breaches.

Loss of customers
If your products or services aren’t accessible, some people simply won’t be able to use them. That means missed sales, limited reach, and fewer returning customers.

Exclusion from procurement opportunities
Many public and private sector organisations are starting to require EAA compliance from their suppliers. Non-compliant businesses may be blocked from bidding for contracts or tenders.

Costly disruption
Retrofitting accessibility at the last minute can be expensive and time-consuming. Planning early gives you more control and avoids rushed fixes that interrupt your service.

Reputational damage
Inaccessible services can lead to negative publicity and a loss of trust, especially if customers or advocacy groups raise concerns publicly.

Legal action
Organisations may face legal complaints from individuals or disability rights groups. This can result in court orders or enforced changes to your digital services.

Can I just use an accessibility overlay?

In short, overlays aren’t a reliable solution.

Accessibility overlays are tools that sit on top of your website and claim to automatically fix issues. They usually offer things like screen reader modes, text resizing, or colour adjustments. While they might sound like a quick fix, they often don’t address the real problems.

Overlays do not improve the underlying code of your site, which is where most accessibility issues are found. That means many users, especially those relying on assistive technology, will still face barriers. In some cases, overlays can even cause new problems by interfering with screen readers or keyboard navigation.

There is growing criticism of overlays from disabled users and accessibility professionals. Relying on one could still leave your business non-compliant with the EAA and could harm your reputation with the people you are trying to support.

The better approach is to build accessibility into your website from the start. This involves reviewing your design, content, and code to make sure everything works for everyone.

How can Squee help me?

We can help in a few ways.

Squee is a web design and development company that champions accessibility and inclusive design. We follow WCAG guidelines to make sure the websites we work on are easier to use for everyone.

Here’s how we can support your business:

Ongoing accessibility support
Through our support packages, we can help you stay on top of accessibility over time, fixing new issues, answering questions, and keeping things up to date.

Run an accessibility review
We’ll look at your current website and highlight anything that might need fixing to meet the EAA.

Help with improvements
If your website needs changes, we can help you make the updates needed to improve accessibility.

Support new projects
If you’re starting fresh, we can design and build your website to meet accessibility standards from the start.

The post Preparing for the European Accessibility Act (EAA) appeared first on Squee.

So what exactly is Website accessibility?

Good question. Long story short, digital accessibility is the practice of making websites and online features like PDFs and emails usable by everyone, including those with disabilities. This includes people with auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, visual, and speech disabilities. But, and it’s a big but, it doesn’t just benefit people with disabilities. There are countless scenarios where accessibility is just as beneficial to people without disabilities. We’ll touch on that later in the guide, but for now, the important thing to know is that digital accessibility is about allowing more people to see, use and buy your stuff online. And in our book, that’s a good thing.

Why should I care about Website Accessibility?

As a business owner, you’ve probably got more on your plate than you know what to do with – promoting your services, chasing leads, answering emails, maybe even finding time to breathe (or at least drink that cold coffee from three hours ago). So why on earth should website accessibility be something you add to the mix?

Because, whether you realise it or not, not making it a priority is probably making everything else harder. Here’s the thing: 1 in 4 people in the UK are disabled. That’s not a small number. And if your website isn’t accessible, there’s a 70% chance that someone will bounce right off it and head to a competitor instead – even if that competitor charges more. Makes sense really. If your booking form doesn’t work with a screen reader, it’s not just frustrating, it’s impossible to use. And if someone can’t use your site, they can’t give you their money. Bit of a dealbreaker.

Who’s impacted by Website Accessibility?

Short answer? More people than you probably think.

Yes, accessibility is essential for people with permanent disabilities – like someone who’s blind and relies on a screen reader, Deaf and needs subtitles or closed captions, or someone with limited mobility who uses tabbed navigation, but it also helps people with temporary or situational barriers. Think about someone with a broken arm, or trying to use your site one-handed while holding a baby (been there). Or someone on a slow internet connection, or browsing in bright sunlight, or just having a rough day and struggling to concentrate.

Not sure what a screen reader is, or how tabbed navigation works? Don’t worry, we’ll cover that off later in the guide.

What’s my Return on Investment?

While you might agree accessibility sounds like a great idea, if you’re in marketing, operations, or running the show yourself, you might not be able to justify the investment without something solid to back it up. That’s fair. It needs to make sense for the business too.

And spoiler, it does.

Disabled people and their households have a combined spending power of £274 billion. That’s not a typo. That’s billion with a b. So when your website isn’t accessible, you’re not just making life harder for someone, you’re turning away serious money.

And we’re not talking about the odd missed sale. UK businesses lose around £17.1 billion every year because people abandon websites they can’t use. Not because they didn’t want what you’re offering, but because your site was too awkward or broken to get through.

On the flip side, when your site is accessible, where people can actually understand what you do and place an order without wrestling with a form, 86% of disabled users say they’d spend more with you. And 7 in 10 say they’ll leave a site that isn’t accessible, no matter the price.

There are bonus wins too. Better SEO (because Google rewards accessible sites), smoother user experience (which helps everyone), and fewer legal headaches down the line.

So yeah, when you look at it like that, it’s kind of wild that all websites aren’t accessible already.

So what are the things on websites that prioritise accessibility do differently?

Well yes, one thing is for certain. They don’t just add an accessibility widget on their website and think that everything is ok. We’ll touch on this later. But long story short, there are lots of things websites can do to make their site more accessible. The important thing to remember is that this isn’t a one-time fix.

You’re not going to be able to hire a company (like Squee) to fix all the issues once and expect everything to continue working. It’s an ongoing experience, with feedback, iterations, testing, and embedding accessibility into the way your whole team thinks about your website.

That said, there are certainly some things that websites that have thought about accessibility do differently. These include, but aren’t limited to:

Checking colour contrast.

This is the number one accessibility issue on the web (and one of the simplest to resolve). Nearly 80% of websites have this problem. It’s all about how visible text is against the background. If someone can’t read your content clearly because of a colour choice, they’re gone.

Adding alternative text to images.

You’ve probably seen this option on social media or in your CMS when uploading an image. More often than not, it gets ignored. But if someone using your site is blind or has low vision, they’re relying on that alt text to fill in the context they can’t see. Writing good alt text isn’t complicated, but it makes a big difference.

Structuring the code properly.

Also known as semantic HTML. This means using proper headings in order, wrapping navigation in a <nav> tag, and making sure buttons are actually buttons. It helps assistive tech like screen readers make sense of the page, so users can quickly find what they need.

Supporting keyboard navigation.

This one gets missed a lot. For some people, using a mouse just isn’t possible. Menus, forms, buttons — they all need to work using the keyboard alone. That includes things like making sure dropdowns open when using the keyboard (dodgy JavaScript stops this a lot), and showing a clear visual highlight as you tab through the page. If you can’t see where you are, you’re stuck.

Making forms usable.

Forms should have proper labels that stick around, not placeholders that disappear when you start typing. And if someone makes a mistake, your form should clearly explain what went wrong and how to fix it. No one should be left guessing.

Using clear link and button text.

“Click here” or “More info” doesn’t tell anyone anything — especially if you’re using a screen reader and hearing it out of context. Your links and buttons should be clear about what they do. Something like “Download our pricing brochure (PDF)” or “See delivery options for this product” gives people a much better idea of what to expect. If something needs extra context for screen reader users, things like ARIA labels can help too.

Adding captions or subtitles to videos.

If you’ve got videos on your site, they need captions. That could be closed captions, subtitles, or even a transcript. It helps Deaf users, but also anyone watching in a noisy place or with the sound off. If there’s spoken content, it should be available in text too.

Are there standards my site should aim for?

Yes, there are. And in some cases, it’s not just best practice, it’s the law. If your site isn’t accessible, you could be at risk of legal action. That could mean anything from fines to, in extreme cases, even prison time.

You might have heard of things like the Equality Act 2010 in the UK, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US. All of them point to the same thing: making sure your website doesn’t exclude disabled people.

The EAA is especially important right now. It comes into effect across the EU in 2025 (and is a huge step forward for accessibility) and applies to many businesses selling digital products or services to EU customers, even if you’re not based there. There are some exclusions, but if you serve or operate in any European market, it’s worth learning more sooner rather than later.

Most of these laws use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, known as WCAG (2.1 – the base standard you’ll hear a lot). That stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (not the snappiest name, we know). It’s the standard most organisations are expected to follow.

Now you don’t need to know all of the guidelines and laws, but everything we mentioned in the last section, like colour contrast, alt tags and keyboard navigation, falls under this. You need to make sure your website is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. That’s the core of what WCAG is built on (and of course, we can always help you with compliance)

Obviously, the goal isn’t just to follow standards and laws for the sake of it. It’s to make your website as accessible to as many people as possible. But these are good to know.

And if you’re interested in understanding how to meet these standards, get ready for the EAA, or want support with accessible development and design, you can contact us at Squee to find out how we can help.

Why worry about all this when I can install a website accessibility widget?

Unfortunately, website accessibility widgets aren’t the answer (and like many in the inclusion space, we’re not fans). While they have some useful features like screen magnification and colour modification, more often than not they do more harm than good.

For one, they very often get in the way and cause new issues for people using assistive technologies. But they also can’t fix the way a website has been built. Even when they say they do, they can’t provide true compliance with WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

If a website is incorrectly coded, an overlay can’t suddenly make it understandable to a screen reader. It won’t fix broken JavaScript that stops someone from using keyboard navigation to open a submenu. And it certainly can’t add missing alt tags or descriptive labels to your forms and links.

Long story short, there is no replacement for building a properly accessible website. Even if these companies claim you can, it’s simply not true. You need your website to be properly designed, coded and tested to ensure it works for everyone — and you can’t get around that.

What should I do next?

First off, well done for getting through all of this. We know it takes time and headspace to sit down and properly read something like this, so we really appreciate it.

Hopefully by now you’ve realised that accessibility and inclusive design principles aren’t just important — they’re genuinely brilliant. And if you’re a business owner or part of a team, the case for making your website accessible is pretty hard to ignore.

If you’d like to find out how inclusive your website currently is, our Inclusivity Website Scorecard is a great place to start. If you’re already sold and know this is something you want to sort properly, feel free to reach out and we’ll arrange a call.

And again, thank you for taking the time to learn about accessibility. Even if nothing comes of this, we hope you’ll keep spreading the message and helping make the web a more inclusive place.

The post Website Accessibility: Our Guide to Grow Your Audience & Brand Perception appeared first on Squee.

1. Core Concepts

Accessibility – Making websites work for everyone, no matter how they use the web.

Alt Text – A short written description of an image for people using screen readers.

Keyboard Navigation – Getting around a site using keys like Tab and Enter instead of a mouse.

Contrast – How much text stands out from the background, which helps people see it clearly.

Magnification – Zooming in on a screen to make things easier to see.

Captions – Show what’s being said in a video, plus extra sounds like music or clapping.

Subtitles – Show only the spoken words, usually to help people who speak a different language.

Images of Text – Pictures with words in them, which can be hard to read or scale.

Sensory Characteristics – Making sure things like colours or sounds aren’t the only way to understand something.

Decorative Images – Images just for design that don’t need a description.

2. Code + Design Terms

WCAG – A list of rules that help designers and developers make better, more inclusive websites.

Semantic HTML – Using the correct tags like headings and buttons so screen readers know what’s what.

ARIA – Special code that gives screen readers extra information about what things do.

H1–H6 – These are heading levels that show the structure of a page, from most important to least.

CSS – The code that controls how a website looks, like colours, sizes, and spacing.

Accessibility Statement – A short page that explains how accessible a website is, and who to contact if it’s not.

3. Assistive Tools + Technology

Screen Reader – A tool that reads text and content out loud for people who can’t see the screen.

VoiceOver – A screen reader built into Apple devices.

JAWS – A popular screen reader for Windows computers.

Mouth Stick – A tool used to press keys or touch the screen using your mouth.

Eye Tracking Software – A way to move the cursor or click by just moving your eyes.

Assistive Technology – Any tool that helps someone use a computer or the internet.

4. Testing Tools

WAVE – A tool that checks a website for accessibility problems and shows where they are.

axe – A tool for developers that helps spot problems with accessibility in code.

Contrast Checker – A tool that tells you if your text colours are easy to read.

5. Laws + Organisations

UK Equality Act – A law that protects people from discrimination, including when using websites and digital services.

EAA (European Accessibility Act) – A law that says websites and digital products in Europe must be accessible.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) – A US law that helps make sure disabled people can access websites and services.

W3C – The group that writes the rules for how websites should be built.

IAAP – An organisation that helps people learn about accessibility and become certified experts.

6. Other Terms

Skip Link – A hidden link that lets keyboard users jump straight to the main part of the page.

Focus Indicator – A visible outline showing where you are on a webpage when using the keyboard.

Want to talk about Digital Accessibility?

This glossary is a starting point, not an end. Accessibility is always evolving, and the more we learn, the better we can design and build for everyone.

If you’re building a website or reviewing an existing one and want help making it more inclusive, feel free to get in touch.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Website Accessibility Terms appeared first on Squee.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, but it’s a question we do hear often about the web design process. Some business owners think all you need is a half-decent developer, and voilà, your site will be ready in a month, bringing in tons of sales and leads. While some take this approach, more often than not, it leads to a subpar website that needs constant revisions, ongoing maintenance, and a developer who has to handle every update – leaving everyone with a sour taste in their mouth. At Squee, we believe web design should be done properly. Here, we’ll walk you through each step of our web design process, showing why skipping any part can hurt the project, and how following it leads to outstanding results for your business.

An Overview of the Web Design Process

Building a high-quality website follows a structured series of steps:

1. Kick-Off Meeting
2. Discovery
3. Sitemap
4. Low-Fidelity Designs
5. High-Fidelity Designs
6. Refinements & Feedback
7. Development
8. Test Deployment and Content Updates
9. Testing
10. Go Live
11. Maintenance

Our team collaborates with clients at every stage of the process. Effective communication is essential to ensuring the project stays on track and meets the agreed goals. Each step involves a cycle of presenting ideas, gathering feedback, and making necessary adjustments, preventing the need for time-consuming changes later.

Now, let’s dive into each of these steps and what you can expect along the way.

Kick-Off Meeting

The kick-off meeting is the first face-to-face interaction between our team and the client. It’s designed to ensure everyone is aligned on the project’s goals and sets a clear communication standard for the rest of the process. This meeting helps establish a strong foundation and ensures smooth collaboration moving forward.

During this session, we take the time to learn more about the client’s business, uncovering key requirements and gaining a deeper understanding of what’s currently working on the website and what needs improvement. It’s also a great opportunity to discuss any key features or functionality required, helping to shape the project to meet the client’s needs effectively.

Discovery

The discovery phase is all about gathering more specific details about the project. At this stage, we provide the client with a detailed questionnaire to help uncover essential information. This includes identifying key competitors, understanding the unique selling points (USPs) of the business, and learning about any preferred websites for design inspiration.

Additionally, the discovery phase explores assets that need to be included on the website and clarifies the business’s overall goals. This critical information forms the foundation for the ideation and design phase, ensuring the final result is both effective and tailored to the client’s needs.

Sitemap

The sitemap is a crucial step in planning the structure of a website. It provides a clear diagram of the site’s hierarchy, showing how each page fits within the overall framework. This helps to organise content effectively and ensures the website is easy to navigate for visitors. Creating this visual outline also helps lay the groundwork for the low-fidelity design phase.

There are also technical sitemaps, which are used primarily for SEO purposes. These ensure search engines can properly crawl and index the website, but the focus at this stage is on creating a clear and logical structure that will shape the user experience.

Low-Fidelity Designs

Low-fidelity designs, often called wireframes, are simple visual guides that outline the basic structure and layout of a website. These designs are intentionally stripped-down, focusing on functionality and content placement rather than visual style or branding. The goal at this stage is to determine how different elements – such as text, images, buttons, and forms – will be organised on each page to create a logical and user-friendly flow.

Creating low-fidelity designs allows us to quickly iterate and make adjustments based on client feedback. It’s a collaborative process where we present the initial layout ideas and work with the client to ensure the structure aligns with their vision and business objectives. By focusing on the core layout first, we can identify potential issues early, saving time and effort before moving on to more detailed design work.

These low-fidelity designs are crucial for setting the foundation of the website, providing a clear direction for the next step: high-fidelity designs, where we add branding elements, visual style, and polish.

High-Fidelity Designs

High-fidelity designs are where the website truly comes to life. In this phase, we use Figma to create detailed, visually rich representations of each page. These designs incorporate the branding elements, colour schemes, typography, and imagery that reflect the client’s brand identity. The high-fidelity designs allow both our team and the client to see exactly how the final product will look and feel.

This stage is all about refining the visual details to ensure the website not only functions well but also looks stunning and resonates with the target audience. We carefully consider the user experience, ensuring that the design is accessible, engaging, and consistent across all devices. By working closely with the client, we make sure every element aligns with their brand vision and meets their business objectives.

Refinements & Feedback

Now, we’re on to refinements and feedback. At Squee, we offer three design iterations to ensure that the client is completely satisfied with the direction of the website. We aim to get things right early on by actively listening to our clients’ requirements, which often means fewer changes are needed. During each iteration, we gather feedback from the client and make the necessary adjustments to the designs. This collaborative approach ensures that the final product meets expectations and delivers the best possible results.

If, after the third iteration, the client still isn’t happy with the designs, we offer a full refund. This is extremely rare, as we strive to get everything right from the beginning by fully understanding the client’s needs and expectations. We are committed to delivering high-quality work, ensuring our clients feel comfortable and confident in their investment.

Development

Once the designs are finalised, we move on to the development phase. This is where the approved designs are transformed into a fully functional website. Our development team takes the high-fidelity designs and uses them to create a responsive, accessible, and high-performing site. We build custom themes to ensure every website we create is tailored to the client’s needs, avoiding generic templates that can limit functionality and uniqueness.

During development, we use best practices to optimise the website for speed, search engines, and accessibility. The website is coded to ensure it works seamlessly across all devices, providing a consistent experience whether users are on a desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.

We also integrate any requested functionality, such as contact forms, eCommerce systems, or booking tools. Our development process is thorough and meticulous, aiming to bring the vision to life in a way that’s intuitive and user-friendly.

Test Deployment and Content Updates

After development, we set up a staging environment where clients can review the website before it goes live. This allows us to test features and make adjustments. We also work with the client to finalise content, ensuring everything is consistent and ready for launch.

Go Live

Once testing is complete and we have final client approval, it’s time to go live. We make the website publicly accessible and monitor it during launch to address any issues. This ensures everything works smoothly, marking the culmination of all the hard work put in by both our team and the client.

Maintenance

After the website goes live, we continue to offer support through our maintenance services. This includes regular updates, security checks, and performance monitoring to keep the website running smoothly. Our goal is to ensure that the website remains secure, functional, and optimised over time, adapting to any evolving needs or changes in the client’s business.

Building a high-quality website is a collaborative process that requires careful planning, design, development, and testing. At Squee, we guide our clients through each step, from initial meetings to ongoing maintenance, ensuring that every aspect is tailored to their needs. Our structured web design process ensures that we deliver a website that not only meets but exceeds expectations, providing a strong foundation for business growth.

The post Our Web Design Process appeared first on Squee.

So, what data should we be paying attention to when it comes to your website? With so much information available, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. To make it easier, we’ve narrowed it down to the top six metrics that every business should be checking regularly. These key performance indicators (KPIs) will give you a clear picture of how your website is performing and where there’s room for improvement. Let’s dive into the metrics that matter most.

1) Traffic Source

Understanding where your website traffic is coming from is essential to improving your online presence. Traffic sources tell you how visitors are finding your site—whether it’s through search engines, social media, direct visits, or referral links from other websites. By tracking this metric, you can see which channels are driving the most visitors and which ones need more attention. For example, if most of your traffic is coming from search engines, you know your SEO efforts are working. On the other hand, if social media isn’t bringing in much traffic, it might be time to rethink your strategy there.

2) Page Views

Page views give you an idea of how much interest there is in your website’s content. This metric shows how many times individual pages on your site have been viewed by visitors. High page views can indicate that your content is engaging and that users are exploring your site. However, it’s important to look deeper—if users are visiting many pages but not taking action (like making a purchase or filling out a contact form), it might be a sign that your site needs better calls to action or more streamlined navigation. Tracking page views helps you understand which parts of your site are performing well and which areas might need improvement.

3) Bounce Rate

Bounce rate is a crucial metric that tells you how many visitors leave your website after viewing just one page. A high bounce rate could indicate that users aren’t finding what they’re looking for or that your site isn’t engaging enough to encourage further exploration. It might also point to issues with your website’s design, content, or load time. On the other hand, a low bounce rate suggests that visitors are sticking around and exploring more of your site, which is typically a good sign. Monitoring your bounce rate helps you understand user behaviour and identify areas where your website might need improvement to keep visitors engaged.

4) Conversions

Conversions are one of the most important metrics for measuring your website’s success. A conversion occurs when a visitor completes a desired action on your site, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. Tracking conversions allows you to see how effectively your website is driving these key actions. It’s not just about attracting visitors; it’s about turning those visitors into customers or leads. By monitoring your conversion rate, you can identify which pages or elements of your site are working well and which might need optimisation to improve results.

5) Page Speed

Page speed is a critical metric that affects both user experience and search engine rankings. It measures how quickly your website loads and is ready for visitors to use. Slow-loading pages can frustrate users, leading to higher bounce rates and lower conversions. Additionally, search engines like Google consider page speed when ranking websites, so a slow site can hurt your visibility online. Monitoring and optimizing page speed ensures that your website provides a smooth, efficient experience for users, keeping them engaged and improving your chances of achieving higher rankings in search results.

6) Device Type

Knowing what devices people use to visit your website is really important. This metric tells you whether visitors are on desktops, tablets, or mobile phones. Since more people are browsing on mobile devices, it’s crucial that your website works well on all screens. If most of your visitors are on mobile, but your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you could be losing out on potential customers. By tracking device type, you can make sure your website looks and works great no matter how people access it, improving their experience and keeping them engaged.

How to Track These Metrics

Tracking these key metrics doesn’t have to be complicated. Tools like Google Analytics are great for keeping an eye on traffic sources, bounce rates, and conversions. It’s free and provides a wealth of information about how people interact with your website. For understanding how users navigate your site, tools like Hotjar offer heatmaps and session recordings, showing you where visitors click and how they move through your pages. This insight can help you make your site more user-friendly.

When it comes to page speed, Google Speed Insights is a handy tool that analyses your site’s loading times and gives suggestions on how to make it faster. By using these tools, you can get a clear picture of how your website is performing and where there’s room for improvement.

If you work with Squee, we’ll help get all of this set up, making it easier for you to track and improve your website’s performance.

Ready to Improve Your Website?

If you want to ensure your website is performing at its best, get in touch with Squee today. We’ll work with you to set up these crucial metrics and help you make informed decisions that drive real results for your business. Let’s make your website work harder for you!

The post The Key Website Metrics You Need to Know appeared first on Squee.

At Squee, we offer completely custom web design services. We never work with templates because we believe every business is unique and deserves a website tailored specifically to its goals. Our web design service is all about creating a site that fits your brand and helps you achieve your business objectives. Because of this bespoke approach, it’s impossible to give an accurate idea of project costs until we have a detailed brief from you.

So, project briefs you ask…

What’s a Project Brief?

A project brief is a document that outlines the key information about your website project. It helps us understand your needs and goals so we can provide you with the most accurate estimate possible. While we understand that you might not have every detail figured out upfront, the more information you can share, the better. We gather this information through your initial enquiry and a follow-up call where we’ll ask questions like:

• What is your business about?
• Who are your main competitors?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of your current website?
• What are your business goals?
• What key features or functionality do you need on your new site?
• Are there any websites you admire or want to take inspiration from?
• What are your project timelines?
• What is your budget?

The sooner we receive this information, the easier it will be to determine if we’re a good fit for each other and to start planning a website that perfectly meets your needs.

The Benefits of Being Upfront

When discussing your budget, it’s natural to worry that revealing a higher budget might lead to being overcharged. However, established web design businesses with a strong portfolio, like Squee, are transparent about costs. If your budget exceeds the basic requirements, we might suggest additional services such as SEO or videography, all of which are clearly costed and entirely optional.

At Squee, we’re upfront about our pricing: a basic website, usually a landing page with contact functionality, starts at £3,000, with costs increasing based on the complexity of the project. Being transparent about your budget early on allows us to quickly determine whether it’s feasible for the project you have in mind. This honesty benefits both parties by saving time – if the budget isn’t sufficient, we avoid unnecessary calls and questionnaires. If it works, we can provide a detailed proposal that breaks down the project costs, ensuring there are no surprises down the line.

Ok, What’s Next?

If you’re ready to start a new project and like what you’ve read, along with our portfolio and the digital services we offer, the next step is simple. Head over to our Contact Us page, where you can share all the details we’ve discussed. From there, we’ll be able to provide you with more information and get started on bringing your vision to life. We’re excited to collaborate with you and create something exceptional together!

The post Website Budgets and Why They Matter appeared first on Squee.

So how do they work? Well these search engines use algorithms to crawl and index the vast amount of content available on the internet. They evaluate various factors such as keywords, relevance, and website quality to determine how pages are ranked in search results. When someone types a query, the search engine scans its index to find the most relevant and high-quality results to display. This process happens in milliseconds and aims to provide users with the best possible answers to their questions. They’re pretty powerful and intelligent to say the least. O and there’s over 8 billion search queries per day just on Google.

Why SEO is Crucial for Your Business

So, why is SEO so important for your business? In simple terms, effective SEO delivers measurable results, making your website more visible, attracting more visitors, and ultimately boosting your customer base and brand reputation.

Improving your SEO is a process that involves several key areas:

• Creating valuable content with relevant keywords that helps search engines understand your site and match it with user searches.
• Improving your technical SEO by optimising your site’s structure, speed, and mobile-friendliness ensures search engines can easily crawl and index your pages.
• Prioritising User Experience Design. A user-friendly website keeps visitors engaged, encouraging them to stay longer and improving your rankings.
• Getting backlinks from reputable websites signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative.

Understanding Keywords and Intent

So, where do you begin with SEO? Simple answer is research. Understanding the right keywords and the intent behind them is crucial. Keywords are the key ideas that describe what your content is all about and are ultimately the phrases used in Google to find a business like yours.

For example, if someone searches “web design in Cheltenham,” they’re likely looking to hire a web designer (and they’ll find Squee right at the top!).

To find these valuable keywords, you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz. These tools help you discover search volumes (how often terms are searched), the difficulty of ranking for those terms, and the competitiveness of the keywords. By analysing this data, you can create content that not only matches what people are searching for but also helps you stand out in search results.

Technical SEO and User Experience

Now that we’ve discussed keywords, let’s move on to laying the foundations with technical SEO and user experience. This is where choosing the right web design agency, like Squee, can be hugely beneficial. Many people without technical experience using DIY website builders often miss crucial factors that impact SEO and usability.

Here are some things a professional web agency will consider that might be overlooked:

• Ensuring the proper semantic markup of a web page, this includes the proper use of heading tags and meta descriptions helps search engines (and screen readers) understand your content.
• Using descriptive alt text for images makes your site accessible to everyone, including those with visual impairments. Testing colour contrast to ensure WCAG 2.1 compliance is also essential, as Google factors in website accessibility into their rankings.
• Creating an intuitive, user-friendly design that keeps visitors engaged and reducing bounce rates.
• Optimising load times to improve user experience and search rankings.

The Importance of Backlinks

In simple terms, link building is the process of getting other websites to link back to yours. These links, known as backlinks or inbound links, are crucial for your SEO performance. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the better your chances of ranking higher in search results.

Backlinks from reputable websites act as trust signals for search engines. When a credible site links to yours, it tells search engines that your content is valuable and relevant. This not only helps improve your search rankings but also increases your domain authority. Plus, the extra referral traffic from these links is a bonus, further boosting your SEO efforts.

Building a strong backlink profile takes time and strategy. It’s about earning links from high-authority domains within relevant industries. By focusing on quality over quantity, you can create a robust SEO strategy that drives long-term success.

Conclusion on SEO

To sum it up, SEO is essential for boosting your website’s visibility and driving more traffic to your business. Starting with thorough keyword research and understanding user intent sets a solid foundation. Technical SEO and user experience ensure your site is easy to navigate and meets search engine criteria. Building a strong backlink profile enhances your site’s authority and trustworthiness.

Working with a good web design business, like Squee, really does lay the foundation for online success. If you’re ready to improve your website’s SEO and drive more traffic, get in touch with us today!

The post What is SEO and How It Can Help Your Business? appeared first on Squee.