What is Strikingly exactly?
Strikingly is a website builder tool you can use to create a website with single responsive pages. This website builder stands out by the offered design and the effortless experience of creating a website, even for people with no previous experience in such projects. You don’t need to know any coding knowledge, all you need is an idea, content, and a mouse to drag and drop! Strikingly is ideal for those looking to create a website for their small business or small e-commerce website. It has fully built-in features that enable users to create coupons, monitor shipping, digital goods, etc. Also, you can use Strikingly to create presentations, online business cards, some business services, and online blogs. But how do you make your Strikingly website accessible to all? Let’s find out with these steps!
Is it Mandatory to Make Your Strikingly Website Accessible?
Strikingly doesn’t oblige its users to make websites accessible. However, they disclaim that they are not guaranteeing or ensuring websites’ accessibility and compliance with relevant regulations. On that note, Strikingly suggests making every website accessible to all users, as this part of the project is the website owner’s responsibility.
According to Section 508, all entities funded by the federal government need to comply with the accessibility regulations. While private businesses are not conformed by the law, they are subject to possible lawsuits if their website is not accessible to users with disabilities.
Keeping your Strikingly Website WCAG-compliant: 4 Updates to Web Accessibility
To maintain the compliance status of your Strikingly website, check out the updated requirements within WCAG 2.0. The latest update is based on four main improvements, known as POUR. But what does POUR stand for? Each of them has a set of new requirements that must be taken into account to have a WCAG 2.0 compliant website.
P – Perceivable
- All visual content must have alt text. Time-based media has to be supplied with alternatives
- Content has to be available in an adjusted way without losing its structure or any information
- All content should be hearable and visible to users
O – Operable
- Every function on the website has to be keyboard accessible
- A sufficient amount of reading time needs to be given
- The design of the site’s content shouldn’t trigger seizures
- It should be easy-to-navigate with a simplified way to access and locate the content
U – Understandable
- Readable and easy-to-understand content
- Continuous, without interruptions, the functionality of the web pages
- Users should be able to fix errors
R – Robust
- Content must be robust so different users can interpret the content and integrate it with assistive technology
- Maximize integration, together with assistive devices for all users
3 Solutions Plugins to Making Your Strikingly Website Accessible
UserWay
UserWay is a tool used to remediate websites’ accessibility issues. To make your website compliant in a couple of minutes, all you need to do is copy and paste the line of code in the footer of your website.
UserWay will automatically activate the interface end-users can utilize to adjust their experience on your website with many different features available. The interface itself has many features, almost everything you could think a person with any form of disability might need for a smooth online experience.
The best part is the compliance you achieve when using UserWay. The tool was created around WCAG, Section 508, and ADA requirements. After the installation, you will receive a certificate of compliance with a $1 million guarantee. Making UserWay part of your Strikingly site has never been easier!
How to install UserWay on your Strikingly website?
Equally.AI
Equally.AI Accessibility Solution is in many ways similar to UserWay. Its solution is based on the insertion of one line of code onto the website. With this move, codes are modified, and the website becomes accessible.
Interestingly, Equally.AI’s AI learns from users’ behavior patterns, especially from users with physical disabilities. Data from these patterns enables them to modify and continuously improve the functionality of the tool. By doing so, they are providing an ever-evolving experience for all users.
Implementation of Equally.AI onto the Strinkingly website is straightforward, just like with the UserWay. It is essential to mention that Equally.AI is the only tool with 24/7 available customer support to ensure their users have a smooth experience.
AccessiBe
AccessiBe is an easy integrable tool for your website accessibility efforts. The installation process is straightforward, and it works on the same principle as UserWay and Equally.AI. With only one line of code, your website will start adjusting until it achieves compliance with WCAG and other regulations.
Their solution consists of two main parts – AI and Interface, just like with the other two plugins we covered above. Features are very similar since, to comply with regulations, websites need to satisfy identical requirements. Because of that, there’s little to no difference between these tools, other than personal preference. Functionality-wise, they are almost the same. Adding AccessiBe to your Strikingly website should be nothing but a smooth ride.
Conclusion
Strikingly is a website builder ideal for anyone who wants to create a website that looks modern and elegant. The builder’s functionality is on the higher end and easy to use for everyone, even for those without any coding experience.
Although Strikingly doesn’t require websites to be accessible to make them live, it is your responsibility to ensure that all users have the same access to them. You are not directly obligated to conform to the regulations and requirements of WCAG, Section 508, ADA, etc. However, if you don’t, you are facing the possibility of a lawsuit coming your way.
Avoid this inconvenience and do what’s right. It is a smart move to install one of the plugins we suggested so you don’t have to think further. You might even get some new customers/users because you are opening up to a new market share.
