Web accessibility is a critical component of any blog.

This concept has been around for quite a while, but the internet as a whole has only in recent years moved towards viewing accessibility as a standard for all digital content.

I created a guide and planner just for food bloggers that you can download below as a thank-you for subscribing to my email list.

Or, you can keep scrolling down for an overview of web accessibility guidelines and the five criteria I believe are most applicable to food bloggers.

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Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are generally considered the standard to meet, although different countries or regions may follow different guidelines.

These guidelines consist of four overall principles:

  • Perceivable
  • Operable
  • Understandable
  • Robust

Several criteria are listed within each principle. Overall, these principles work together to ensure that both the tech behind the website is working well, such as with adaptive technology such as screen readers, and also that the actual content is easily understandable and accessible to everyone.

Why it matters

In the United States it’s estimated that nearly 20% of people have a disability. But beyond that, most all of us will experience some type of disability over our lives, whether it is temporary or a result of aging.

The principles and criteria to make your blog more accessible also make it more user-friendly to all users. For instance, it’s one of the seven principles listed in the UX Honeycomb.

Having colors that are more seeable, closed captioning on videos or using heading tags appropriately are great examples of adjustments that will help everyone.

Top 5 criteria for food bloggers

These five criteria are the ones I think are the most applicable to food bloggers. If you want a thorough run-down, be sure to download my Web Accessibility Guide & Planner through the form above.

  • Alt text
    Make sure all of your images and infographics have alternative text. You can use the Alt Text Tools plugin if on WordPress to help you find what images/photos/graphics are missing alt text.
  • Text alternatives for video and audio
    You need a transcript for all audio, such as a podcast. Videos need closed captioning or for hands and pans videos a text-based shot list may be appropriate.
  • Text contrast
    Your text needs to have enough contrast against its background. You can use a color contrast tool to test the colors on your blog.
  • Clear link labels
    For instance, avoid links that say “click here.” The Neilsen Norman group has a great article on how to create better link labels.
  • Any automatically playing content needs to be able to be paused, stopped or hidden.


Looking for more in-depth help with your blog? Check out my site audits just for food bloggers!