Knowing what tools to use can be a major step forward in making sure your site is accessible. These tools aren't going to pick up everything, and nothing can replace a human reviewing your site, but catching some of the quick wins and easier fixes now will help you catch some repeating accessibility issues and keep from making the same mistakes. (This is the audio from a YouTube video series.)

Not every external link needs to be opened in a new tab. Forcing a link to open in a new tab takes the choice away from your visitor. I can open a link in a new tab a few different ways if I want to — I can’t force a link to open in the same tab if you’ve told the link to do the opposite. Forcing links to open in a new tab goes against expectations, and it takes away my choice.

Disabled people create content for the web. They have jobs that require them to use certain programs or work in a department that has a specific set of tools or workflows. Disabled people are even developers. When you include accessibility in your web content tools, you're enabling everyone to create their own websites, to do their jobs, to share their knowledge, and to participate in online communities.

Accordions are a great way to organize certain types of content so that your visitors can find what they need quickly. But how do you make them accessible? And how do you make it easy to update in the block editor? Let's put together a solid starting point for creating an accessible accordion that you can use anywhere. This is the audio from a video recorded, which means there are a few references to what I'm showing on the screen, which is described as it's being shown. Video link is in the show notes.

When you add images to your site, you should also add some text for screen readers which then reads out that text. But does every image really need alt text or can it be left empty? What about decorative images? How can you tell when an image is actually decorative?

After spending time building a large site with Elementor, I started to notice the issues I was having seemed to fall into similar categories of complaints that people have about the block editor and the new WordPress site editor. So I outlined the categories that these major issues fall into, so it’s easier to figure out what parts are important to you and what parts you can compromise on. And hopefully contribute to a more productive discussion around WordPress core and the various site building options.

There are so many options out there for building a website. All of the platforms have pros and cons, they all have situations that they're best suited for. But how do you choose? What are the biggest things to consider, and what will cause the biggest issues in the future?

A new auto scrolling method revealed itself not even 2 days after I did the first video on avoiding marquee animation, and I felt compelled to make it clear that all the situations require the same thought process. This is the audio from a video recorded, which means there are a few references to what I'm showing on the screen, which is described as it's being shown. The video does include animations that may be triggering to some. Video link is in the show notes.

The spacer block's existence brings up some big feelings and strong opinions. I was one of those people criticizing the spacer block. Empty divs? Really? I was not a fan. Learn about this little troublemaker, if and when to use it, and how to make it better. This is the audio from a video recorded, which means there are a few references to what I'm showing on the screen, which is described as it's being shown. Video link is in the show notes.

If you're thinking of adding scrolling text or images to your website, listen to this this first. There are some concerns here for usability, accessibility — and do people even like it? See some examples, learn about the pitfalls, and find out why this resurrected retro trend falls into the "avoid" category. This is the audio from a video recorded, which means there are a few references to what I'm showing on the screen, which is described as it's being shown. Video link is in the show notes.

There are plenty of things you should do to keep your website running smoothly. Quarterly tasks, monthly tasks, there are even weekly things you could be doing to help your website be an incredible asset for you. But what about yearly? If you’re already keeping an eye on your site, is there anything that happens yearly, or is it another one of those “new year, new you” remixes that get thrown around every year? Actually, yes! There are a few things that an annual milestone could be useful for. Learn about the things you can do annually to make your website the best it can be.

You absolutely should have a website, and you absolutely shouldn't let worries about it not being "done" get in the way of launching it. But the absolute first thing you need before creating your website is a plan. When do you need a plan and when should you just jump in and get something out there?

Every single person with a website should be checking to make sure everyone who visits it can use it. Everyone who comes to the site should be able to get the same information, meaning, and as similar experience as possible from it. So how do you go about figuring out if your website is accessible? How are you supposed to know if everyone can use your site?

It all comes down to reputation and trust, and when your website is lacking, so is the faith people have in your business. You absolutely cannot overlook your website, and here are 4 reasons why.

If you want to avoid a rousing game of website whack-a-mole, you need a website audit. You need a professional who can assess every area of your website, together, all at once, and do a deep dive into everything from overall analysis of things like messaging, to more detailed things like alt tags and heading order.

Ok, you’ve rebranded. You’ve done the research, gone through the process of getting super clear on who you’re talking to, of refining your message, of putting it into a nice visual package. Now what? How do you bring that new message and vision to your most important digital asset?

There are so many things you need to keep in mind when making your own website or handling your own website updates. So let’s take the website as a whole, and instead of creating a never-ending list of every mistake I’ve ever seen websites make, let’s start with the 5 most common website issues that you can fix quickly and easily.

My advice when it comes to making a website is often “just get started.” If you’ve decided to do it yourself, know that you can get halfway through and change your mind. There are a few basic steps to every website that if you follow them, the only thing that will stand in your way is yourself.

Most people don’t think to ask themselves if they should redo it let alone knowing when it’s time. A website that’s been built and completely forgotten is actually the hugest hurdle. Here are a few guidelines to help you decide if a website redo is something you need to do.

Welcome to the Overnight Website Podcast, where we discuss and demystify websites. From the stuff you see, like design and content, to the stuff you don't, like accessibility and security, we talk about everything you need to know to keep your website running smoothly and make it work for you.