When it comes to web accessibility, one often overlooked yet crucial aspect is colour contrast. This fundamental design element can significantly impact how users experience and navigate your website. For individuals with visual impairments, including colour blindness or low vision, poor colour contrast can make it challenging to read content or interact with key website elements. Adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) on colour contrast ensures compliance and improves the user experience for everyone.

In this blog, we’ll explore why colour contrast matters, how it affects accessibility, and what steps you can take to strike the right balance in your web design.

Colour contrast refers to the difference in brightness and hue between the text or graphics on your website and its background. We’ve all been to sites where the text blurs into the background image, making it hard to read, but this can make your site unusable for users with visual impairments. If the contrast is too low, users with visual impairments may struggle to differentiate between elements, making it harder to read text or click buttons to navigate the site. WCAG provides specific guidelines for ensuring sufficient contrast, helping to make your site readable and navigable for all users.

1. 1. Reduced Readability
      There needs to be more contrast to make it easier for users to distinguish text from the background. This is particularly problematic for individuals with visual disabilities like colour blindness or those with ageing eyes who need stronger contrast to read comfortably. Depending on your target audience, this group of ageing users could make up a significant percentage, and low readability will deter them from using your site.
   2. Barrier to Interaction
      Low-contrast elements such as buttons, links, or form fields can become nearly invisible to some users. If they can’t see or interact with crucial elements, they may become frustrated, leading to higher bounce rates and lost opportunities for engagement. In today’s world, there are many choices for which sites to use, and users aren’t going to stick with a site that is hard for them to use when there are choices.
   3. Non-Compliance with WCAG
      WCAG 2.1 mandates minimum contrast ratios for text and interactive elements to ensure legibility. For standard text, the recommended ratio is 4.5:1, and for larger text, 3:1. Failing to meet these standards not only harms usability but could also put you at risk of legal repercussions, especially in jurisdictions like Ontario, where compliance with accessibility standards is mandatory under the AODA.

Achieving the perfect balance between aesthetic design and accessibility doesn’t mean sacrificing creativity. There are ways to ensure your website remains visually appealing while meeting accessibility standards.

Opt for colour pairs that have enough contrast to meet WCAG guidelines. For example, dark text on a light background or vice versa typically offers enough contrast. Tools like the WebAIM contrast checker can help you test your colour combinations before implementing them on your site. As with all accessibility features, checking before implementing is easier than changing a whole site because your chosen colours are inaccessible.

For clickable elements like buttons or links, WCAG best practices are to avoid using colour alone to convey action. For instance, hyperlinks shouldn’t rely solely on colour changes to indicate they’re clickable. Instead, use underlines or bold text to provide additional visual cues.

Focus on high-contrast colours for buttons, forms, and interactive elements. A call-to-action button with a colour that stands out sharply against its background ensures that all users can easily interact with your content, regardless of their visual abilities.

Although automated tools are essential for checking compliance, nothing beats testing your design with real users. At cHaus, we often conduct user testing to ensure that our websites are compliant and offer the best possible experience for everyone.

1. Avoid Relying Solely on Colour
   Make sure that no important information is conveyed by colour alone. Use additional indicators like icons or text labels to clarify the meaning behind coloured elements.
2. Test Multiple Devices and Environments
   The colour contrast on a mobile device may differ from that on a desktop monitor. Always test your design across various devices and lighting environments to ensure accessibility.
3. Utilize Accessible Design Tools
   There are numerous free tools available that can help you test your website for colour contrast issues. For example, tools like the WCAG Contrast Checker and WebAIM’s Colour Contrast Analyser can help ensure your design meets accessibility standards.

Colour contrast is a vital part of creating an accessible and user-friendly website. By following WCAG guidelines, choosing accessible colour combinations, and ensuring that all users can easily engage with your site’s interactive elements, you can create a digital experience that works for everyone. At cHaus, accessible design is at the core of our philosophy, and we’re here to help you ensure your website strikes the perfect balance between aesthetics and accessibility.

If your website needs some help with accessibility, contact us to learn more about how we can help boost user engagement through better design!