Sitemorse | Blog

Accessibility Bulletin Week 2 – accessibility news around the globe

14 Jan 2021, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Seven New Year’s resolutions for the website team

13 Jan 2021, 9 a.m.

The new year can be a good time to start doing those projects you’ve been putting off for a while, ticking off that item on your “to do” list that seems to have been there forever, or doing something differently through a new approach. Here are some ideas for New Year’s resolutions for the website team.

Developer Corner - Change or Reset your Password

11 Jan 2021, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Support Lead Helen Grimbly explains how to update your Sitemorse login password.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 1 – accessibility news around the globe

7 Jan 2021, 4:30 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Seven website trends for 2021

6 Jan 2021, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we’ve been looking into our crystal ball and thinking about some of the wider trends that will impact our activities and influence our plans in 2021.

Some our favourite Sitemorse articles of 2020

23 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

Throughout 202 we've try to bring you some useful articles on our blog that explore website and content management, accessibility and help you to get the best out of Sitemorse. Here’s a round-up of some our best and most popular articles from this year.

Developer Corner - the 10 most viewed support articles from 2020

21 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

In our last Developer Corner of 2020, we take a look back at 10 Support Articles from the last 12 months, which address the most commonly asked questions.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 50 – accessibility news around the globe

17 Dec 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Avoiding PDF nightmares: pragmatic management of your website PDFs

16 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

Managing the PDFs on your website so they are up to date, accessible and do not cause any issues is one of the most challenging aspects of managing digital channels. Recently we have been having numerous conversations with customers and contacts about the challenges they face; these have been on the back of a number of free, open online sessions relating to PDF accessibility that we are running.

Developer Corner - How colour contrast affects accessibility

14 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

This week in Developer Corner, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly discusses how colour contrast affects website accessibility

Accessibility Bulletin Week 49 – accessibility news around the globe

10 Dec 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

My public sector website is not accessible! 7 next steps

9 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

UK public sector websites had to be accessible by the 22nd September based on legislation that came into force in the UK in 2018. Our benchmarking suggests a huge swathe of web teams will need to play catch-up to achieve compliance. If this is the case, the time to act is now; this really needs to be part of your plans for 2021.

Developer Corner - What are Accessibility Failure techniques and Other techniques

7 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines what is meant by Failure techniques and Other techniques as listed on Sitemorse Accessibility pages.

Six reasons to spend your budget allocation

4 Dec 2020, 9 a.m.

While it may be tempting to not to spend your budget and save some pennies for your organisation, this is not always the best course of action. “Use it or lose it” has become a bit of a cliché, but there are a number of good reasons why you should consider spending most of your allocated budget. We explore six of the key reasons.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 48 – accessibility news around the globe

3 Dec 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Q4 2020 London Listed Companies INDEX Published

1 Dec 2020, 10 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q4 London Listed PLCs INDEX this week that ranks companies according to their digital compliance score, which is based on a combination of online performance measures including adherence to accessibility standards, privacy regulation and level of content failure.

Developer Corner - Edit who receives audit emails

30 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines how to audit email recipients.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 47 – accessibility news around the globe

26 Nov 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Why your procurement function needs to embrace accessibility

25 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

Procurement functions play a dominant role in sourcing suppliers and vendors, negotiating agreements and pricing, arranging contracts and then sometimes ongoing monitoring to ensure contractual arrangements are adhered to. From sourcing through to monitoring, digital accessibility is a potential factor, so it is critical that the procurement team not only have a thorough understanding of accessibility but also carry out the necessary actions.

Q4 2020 AIM Listed Companies INDEX Published

24 Nov 2020, 10 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q4 AIM Listed INDEX this week that ranks companies according to their digital compliance score, which is based on a combination of online performance measures including adherence to accessibility standards, privacy regulation and level of content failure.

Developer Corner - SEO / Accessibility issues in image files

23 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines why SEO and Accessibility issues can occur in Sitemorse Reports for image files.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 46 – accessibility news around the globe

19 Nov 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Seven priority approaches for your website during this pandemic

18 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

The pandemic has been a very challenging time for all of us, making 2020 a very difficult year; unfortunately, these challenges look set to continue well into 2021. Here’s our view of seven essential approaches that must still be a priority for digital communications teams not only during this pandemic, but also beyond it.

Q4 2020 UK Government and Public Bodies INDEX Published

17 Nov 2020, 10 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q4 UK Government and Public Bodies INDEX this week to see what progress these organisations are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner – the Document Report

16 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

In this week's Developer Corner, Mike Carter discusses the Sitemorse Document Report.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 45 – accessibility news around the globe

12 Nov 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Join one of our (free) PDF Accessibility Open Sessions

11 Nov 2020, noon

Join one of our free sessions to find out how Sitemorse can help with accessibility of PDFs on your website.

Can automation make website policing more effective and efficient?

11 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

One of the key challenges for authorities on both sides of the Atlantic is how to properly “police” websites so more of them are properly accessible for users with disabilities, reducing the discrimination that is currently evident in far too many sites. At the moment there is a strong disconnect between the number of organisations who believe their sites are compliant in terms of digital accessibility, and those that actually are.

Q4 2020 INDEX – UK Local Government ‘s progress with Accessibility

10 Nov 2020, 10 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q4 UK Local Government INDEX this week to see what progress UK local authorities are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner - Ordered Headings

9 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week Support Lead, Helen Grimbly will be outlines the Accessibility considerations for use of different levels of headings.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 44 – accessibility news around the globe

5 Nov 2020, 3:30 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Why HR Heads should focus on digital accessibility

4 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

With digital so central to both HR processes and employee experience, it’s important that CHROs and Heads of HR have digital and website accessilbity on their radar.

Q4 2020 INDEX – UK & IE Universities’ progress with Accessibility

3 Nov 2020, 10 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q4 UK & IE Universities INDEX this week to see what progress these organisations are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner - Unique Access keys

2 Nov 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly discusses that access keys should be unique

Accessibility Bulletin Week 43 – accessibility news around the globe

29 Oct 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Managing the PDFs on your website: what you need to do and why

28 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

In this article we’re going to explore the challenges associated with managing PDFs on your website, why it is important to actively do so and how innovative, new Sitemorse functionality based on client feedback can help you manage your website PDF documents.

It’s the time we’ve all been waiting for!

27 Oct 2020, 10 a.m.

We will shortly publish the INDEX results. These will be the first INDEXes since the deadline. The accessibility scores are focused on the WCAG Level A and AA as required by European standard EN 301 549 V1.1.2 (2015-04).

Developer Corner - Privacy Category in a Report

26 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly introduces the Privacy category of a Sitemorse assessment.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 42 – accessibility news around the globe

22 Oct 2020, 5:15 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

How can you improve the readability of your website?

21 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

Improving the readability of your website content is important but is not always straightforward. In this article we’re going to explore how you can improve readability, some of the issues involved and the role automation can play.

Developer Corner - Invalid attribute name

19 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Support Lead Helen Grimbly, explains what is meant by the Sitemorse Code Quality diagnostic file/html/badattr

Inventory - Keeping track of assets and what is linked where

16 Oct 2020, 11:30 a.m.

How can you keep track of assets and what is linked where

Accessibility Bulletin Week 41 – accessibility news around the globe

15 Oct 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

SOCIALQA: Ensuring consistent standards and keeping an archive of posts

15 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

Organisations need to apply consistency to standards and publishing across your social media posts. It is also important to have an independent record of what was sent when. Keep track of your social media content across your Twitter feed and Facebook posts, as well as an archive of your social media posts.

HEARTBEAT - Knowing your website is slow, unavailable or perhaps hacked

13 Oct 2020, 11:30 a.m.

HEARTBEAT provides 'at a glance' essential information in a traffic light colour coded interactive map format. This visually shows the status of all or any part of digital landscape on a continent-by-continent, country-by-country basis

Why colour contrast on a web page is important

13 Oct 2020, 11 a.m.

Have you ever had to strain to read the text on a website because it is indistinguishable or unclear from the background it is on? If you’re a digital manager, have you ever received feedback that this is a problem on your website? The contrast between different colours is a significant issue for many users and for digital teams; it is also addressed in the WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 accessibility guidelines so needs to be managed for compliance reasons.

SEARCH - When and where did that appear on your website?

12 Oct 2020, 11:30 a.m.

Sitemorse Search - it is important for an organisation to know what content is where in terms of what’s live right now, but also in terms of history, across your entire digital landscape

Developer Corner - Code Quality Diagnostic file/html/tagnotallowed

12 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly explains what is meant by the Sitemorse Code Quality diagnostic file/html/tagnotallowed.

Track and eliminate spelling mistakes on your website

9 Oct 2020, noon

The quality of spelling on a website reflects on you and your brand. It allows visitors to trust you. Bad spelling can put your visitors off you as a brand and an organisation.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 40 – accessibility news around the globe

8 Oct 2020, 5:15 p.m.

This week’s discussions on the topic of digital accessibility.

Why CIOs should have digital accessibility on their radar

7 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

CIOs and senior IT management already have a lot of responsibilities including user support, cybersecurity, network performance, software development, meeting user needs, issuing hardware, rolling out software releases and upgrades, IT and digital strategy, and more. Although they certainly do not need any more on their “to do” list, website accessibility and digital accessibility is definitely an issue that that CIOs need to have on their radar.

Developer Corner - Image file has incorrect type

5 Oct 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly explains what to do when an 'Image file has incorrect type' error has been raised.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 39 – accessibility news around the globe

1 Oct 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Four reasons why industry regulators are looking at accessibility

30 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

Industry regulators and related professional bodies are not necessarily there to police website accessibility and it may not appear to be high on their priority list, but it is increasingly part of either the rules they issue or may be referenced or advised within their guidelines

Developer Corner - Download Score Data over Time

28 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen outlines how to download the score information for the Reports on a site over time.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 38 – accessibility news around the globe

24 Sep 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Celebrating achievement, nervously balancing risk or time for despair?

24 Sep 2020, 3 p.m.

The 23rd September 2020 was the deadline for when all public sector organisations in the UK had to have an accessible website as a result of legislation based on the European Union Directive 2016/2102/EU.

Keeping on top of accessibility is the new priority

23 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

Why keeping on top of accessibility must now be the priority for compliant websites

Developer Corner - Inventory Linking details

21 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Helen outlines the 'Linking details' section of the Inventory of an assessment

Accessibility Bulletin Week 37 – accessibility news around the globe

17 Sep 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Seven challenges of managing digital channels in regulated industries

16 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

Being a website or digital marketing manager is a rewarding role, but it comes with its challenges, particularly around ensuring your channels comply with the regulatory environment in your country and industry sector. While this is true for all businesses, the challenges are heightened for regulated industries

Global Life Sciences - progress in making their websites accessible

15 Sep 2020, 7:31 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 Global Life Sciences INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2009 and ranks the websites of nearly 200 companies based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - Email Report to someone without a Sitemorse login

14 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly will outline how to email a Report to someone who does not have a Sitemorse login.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 36 – accessibility news around the globe

10 Sep 2020, 3:02 p.m.

We take a look at this week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

The importance of role-based targeting and prioritisation in website improvement

9 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

One of the secrets of a successful website improvement project, or even just day-to-day website management, is to make sure that the right people are given the right information to view and the right tasks to complete.

UK Consumer Finance - progress in making their websites accessible

8 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 UK Consumer Finance PLCs INDEX. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2009 and ranks the websites of over 230 UK Public Limited Companies, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - How to view Historic Reports from Digital Properties

7 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen outlines how to view Historic Reports from Digital Properties.

Six things we learned from improving accessibility at Chesterfield Borough Council

4 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

We love a good client success story. One of the most inspiring is the recent work carried out by the team at Chesterfield Borough Council to improve digital accessibility.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 35 – accessibility news around the globe

3 Sep 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at this week's discussions on the topic of accessibility.

Accessibility of Social Media content - who's liable?

2 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we are increasingly asked, where the responsibility for accessibility of social media content lies. Let's take a quick look at this issue.

Q3 2020 London Listed Companies INDEX Published

1 Sep 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 London Listed PLCs INDEX this week to see what progress London Listed PLCs are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities.

Developer Corner - Upload and Assess an Offline PDF

1 Sep 2020, 8:15 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly introduces a new feature that allows a user to upload and assess a PDF that is offline and not hosted on a website.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 34 – accessibility news around the globe

27 Aug 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at this week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Digital accessibility 101: an overview of the basics

26 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

In this article we provide a very quick overview of web and digital accessibility, why it is important and how to get started.

Q3 2020 UK Top 500 Retail INDEX Published

25 Aug 2020, 10:30 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 UK Top 500 Retail INDEX this week to see what progress UK Retailers are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities.

Q3 2020 AIM Listed Companies INDEX Published

25 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 AIM Listed INDEX this week to see what progress AIM listed companies are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner - On Demand assessments via Digital Properties

24 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines the On Demand assessment options on the Digital Properties page.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 33 – accessibility news around the globe

20 Aug 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at this week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Q3 2020 UK Government and Public Bodies INDEX Published

18 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 UK Government and Public Bodies INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2006 and ranks the websites of nearly 300 Government and Public Bodies for digital compliance, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - Purpose of postmaster email address

17 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines the purpose of a postmaster email address and why it should be set.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 31 – accessibility news around the globe

14 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

We take a look at this week's discussions on the topic of accessibility

Six tips for improving accessibility on Facebook

12 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

Accessibility is critical across all your digital channels, not just your website, or your apps, but also on your social media channels. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn are now an important place for organisations to interact with customers and disseminate information. In this article we take a look at Facebook, perhaps the most popular social media platform of them all.

Q3 2020 INDEX – UK Local Government ‘s progress with Accessibility

11 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q3 UK Local Government INDEX this week to see what progress UK local authorities are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities.

Developer Corner - Resolving file/html/unknowntag issues

10 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen outlines a few indicators for resolving file/html/unknowntag Code Quality issues.

Improving website accessibility: you need to get your reporting right

7 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

Measurement and reporting are critically important in being able to successfully improve accessibility, moving towards compliance with the WCAG 2.1 guidelines

Accessibility Bulletin Week 31 – accessibility news around the globe

6 Aug 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at this week's discussions on the topic of accessibility.

The extra benefits that flow from an accessibility improvement project

5 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

An accessibility improvement project can also result in some unexpected, positive outcomes that are not necessarily related to accessibility.

Q3 2020 INDEX – UK & IE Universities’ progress with Accessibility

4 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

With all public sector websites needing to be compliant with European standard EN 301 549 V1.1.2 (2015-04) by 22 September 2020; we look at the progress Universities are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities.

Developer Corner - Accessibility G142 - Don't prevent users zooming a page

3 Aug 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly introduces the newly-implemented Accessibility rule G142 for WCAG 2.1.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 30 – accessibility news around the globe

30 Jul 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at discussions on the topic of accessibility. With so many sites still failing to meet accessibility requirements we show where you can find a service guaranteed to improve accessibility and which includes litigation protection.

KPI Benchmarking - 3 points to address

28 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

As KPI reporting becomes ever more important, so does the need to understand the actions around it. We outline 3 points to address

Developer Corner - Global exclusion for 429 Errors

27 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Helen outlines the global exclusion for 429 errors "Too Many Requests"

Accessibility Bulletin Week 29 – accessibility news around the globe

23 Jul 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at discussions on the topic of accessibility. With so many sites still failing to meet accessibility requirements maybe you need a service guaranteed to improve accessibility and which includes litigation protection.

Developer Corner - Daily Update email

20 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

In this week's Developer Corner, Helen outlines the purpose and contents of the Daily Update email.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 28 – accessibility news around the globe

16 Jul 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at discussions on the topic of accessibility. With so many sites still failing to meet accessibility requirements we show where you can find a service guaranteed to improve accessibility and which includes litigation protection.

Six tips for improving accessibility on Twitter

15 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

Social media is one of the hardest channels to manage in terms of trying to maintain regulatory compliance, reduce reputational risk and improve accessibility. In particular, this latter aspect is not always considered even by digital teams who are active in improving the accessibility of their websites

Developer Corner - Difference between Manager, Content Editor, and Developer Priorities

13 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

In this weeks'd Developer Corner, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines the main differences in the Report Priorities for the three roles: Manager, Content Editor, and Developer.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 27 – accessibility news around the globe

9 Jul 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at discussions on the topic of accessibility. With so many sites still failing to meet accessibility requirements we show where you can obtain a free audit.

Why you should start improving digital accessibility this summer

8 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

The summer months are often when digital marketing teams are able to take stock and catch up on those projects or those items on the “to do list” that they just have not had time to complete. The day to day business of running a website can be very demanding and it can leave little time to work on longer-term priorities and projects. Improving website accessibility is one of those issues that teams intend to do something about but never quite get round to it.

Developer Corner - Public view of INDEX Results

6 Jul 2020, 9 a.m.

In this week's Developer Corner, Helen introduces the newly formatted public INDEX pages

Accessibility Bulletin Week 26 – accessibility news around the globe

2 Jul 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility.

Progress with Website Accessibility by London-listed PLCs

2 Jul 2020, 11 a.m.

At Sitemorse we’ve been publishing our London Listed PLCs INDEX for over 10 years. Ahead of the Q3 2020 results, thought we’d look back at the results from Q2.

Why my INDEX score has gone down: avoiding website decline

1 Jul 2020, 9:01 a.m.

A question we often get asked is: ‘Why has my quarterly INDEX score gone down this quarter and why have I fallen down the benchmarking table for my sector?’ In this post we’re going to explore why, and why actively managing the quality of your website on a consistent, ongoing basis is important.

Developer Corner - Website Assessment Summary

29 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

This week Helen introduces the new Website Assessment Summary page.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 25 – accessibility news around the globe

25 Jun 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility.

Make sure you cover accessibility in your Voice of the Customer programme

24 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

All too often VoC programmes do not consider or do not place enough emphasis on accessibility as an angle to either seek customer feedback or to gather data on. There can be reasons for this; types of disability are diverse, but there can also be an ignorance about digital accessibility that means it does not get the attention that it should do.

Public Sector Websites Accessibility progress - Local Gov marching ahead

22 Jun 2020, 1:30 p.m.

Local Government is clearly leading the way in making their websites accessible, accounting for 9 of the top 10 scoring public sector websites over the last 12 months.

Developer Corner - Sitemorse Support Page

22 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly introduces the new Sitemorse Support page.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 24 – accessibility news around the globe

18 Jun 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility.

10 tactics to raise awareness of digital accessibility

17 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

Despite the argument for improving accessibility being overwhelming, many organisations are still slow to act. Sometimes to pave the way for a successful and more formal business case process, you need to a tactical approach to drawing attention to the importance of the issue. Increasing awareness is key. In this article we are going to cover ten tactics to help drive more awareness of digital accessibility.

Global Life Sciences - progress in making their websites accessible

16 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

The Sitemorse 2020 Q2 Global Life Sciences INDEX has been published ranking the websites of nearly 200 companies in the sector based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - Dashboard lists different Reports to Digital Properties

15 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly explains why the list of Reports for a site on the Dashboard can be different to the list of Reports for the same site on Digital Properties.

Download our free guide to accessibility and the Equality Act

12 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

To help busy digital teams get up to speed we have created a free guide to accessibility and the Equality Act, featuring a detailed review and commentary. You can download this now, without having to complete any form or contact details.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 23 – accessibility news around the globe

11 Jun 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility.

Six reasons digital marketing teams need to understand accessibility and the Equality Act

9 Jun 2020, 10 a.m.

Digital marketing teams are busy and often get focused on the task in hand such as executing a campaign and improving site analytics. However, at the same time it is critical that they know about the ‘bigger picture’ issues that impact their site, their digital channels and their content.

UK Retail Websites - progress in making their websites accessible

9 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q2 UK Retail 500 INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2010 and ranks the websites of over 350 UK Retailers, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner: How to run an assessment from Digital Properties

8 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

Support Lead, Helen Grimbly discusses how to run an assessment from Digital Properties

How measurement motivates teams to improve digital accessibility

5 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

It can take weeks or months to fix accessibility issues with a website however, using measurement and reporting can keep teams motivated and prioritise their activities.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 22 – accessibility news around the globe

4 Jun 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the stories about accessibility that have appeared in the media this week

Q2 2020 London Listed Companies INDEX Published

4 Jun 2020, 1:30 p.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q2 London Listed PLCs INDEX this week to see what progress London Listed plcs are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner - Inconsistent alt text

1 Jun 2020, 9 a.m.

This week Helen Grimbly discusses how to resolve Inconsistent alt text

Ensuring the digital first agenda doesn't discriminate - the law

1 Jun 2020, 8:15 a.m.

Website non-compliance has become a reality as organisations struggle to meet their legal obligations under the UK Equality Act and European Union Directive 2016/2102/EU. We’ve produced a summary of the regulations, which you can download: [LINK - Accessibility and Equality Act – a review and commentary.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 21 – accessibility news around the globe

28 May 2020, 12:35 p.m.

We take a look at what has been discussed this week in the world press on the topic of accessibility

15 useful resources to help you improve web accessibility

22 May 2020, 9 a.m.

When teams tackle accessibility for the first time, they often lack confidence and knowledge in the topic. Thankfully, there are a huge number of useful resources that can really help you get started. Here are 15 useful resources, including a number of useful articles from this blog, that can help you consider your approaches and get you up and running.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 20 – Global Accessibility Awareness Day

21 May 2020, 3 p.m.

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day! We thought it deserves to feature prominently in this week’s bulletin, so we thought we’d do our version of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Q2 2020 AIM Listed Companies INDEX Published

19 May 2020, 10 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q2 AIM Listed INDEX this week to see what progress AIM listed companies are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Q2 2020 UK Local Government INDEX Published

19 May 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q2 UK Local Government INDEX this week to see what progress UK local authorities are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner - INDEX score different to Scheduled / On-demand

18 May 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines some reasons why INDEX scores can differ from Scheduled / On-demand site scores.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 19 – accessibility news around the globe.

14 May 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility.

The qualities digital rockstars show during a crisis

13 May 2020, 9 a.m.

We thought it would be interesting to revisit the characteristics of digital rockstars that we established last year to see if they were relevant during the current crisis, and if there are any other characteristics that teams need.

Q2 2020 UK Government and Public Bodies INDEX Published

12 May 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q2 UK Government and Public Bodies INDEX this week to see what progress UK Government and Public Bodies are making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities

Developer Corner - What to do if you receive slow monitor alerts

11 May 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines some checks to perform if you are receiving slow monitor alerts via SMS or email

Accessibility Bulletin Week 18 – accessibility news around the globe.

7 May 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility.

The results are in - Q2 INDEX publication dates announced

7 May 2020, 2 p.m.

We produce 13 public INDEXes publishing the results each quarter - the dates for publication of the Q2 results can be announced

Making the business case for accessibility

6 May 2020, 9 a.m.

The need to improve digital accessibility continues to be deprioritised within many organisations or is not fully understood. In some cases, it may be necessary to make a business case for the relatively modest investment in the tools you need to improve accessibility. On paper, it should not be a difficult business case to make; moreover, the cost of investing in a tool like Sitemorse with an automated approach to testing content for accessibility is relatively modest.

Q2-2020 INDEX – UK & IE Universities making progress with accessibility

5 May 2020, 9 a.m.

What progress are UK & IE Universities making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities?

Developer Corner - HTTP content on an HTTPS page

4 May 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly discusses why it is best not to have HTTP content in a secure HTTPS site.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 17 – accessibility news around the globe

30 Apr 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the world press on the topic of accessibility. Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is on 21st May so it’s time for the Sitemorse ONE MILLION Page Giveaway.

Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2020

30 Apr 2020, 2:10 p.m.

Our annual ONE MILLION Page Giveaway and our Pragmatic Accessibility webinars are back - this year with a twist! We want to say a huge “Thank you” to those organisations who are helping us and therefore, equally we want to help you!

Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Commit to improving website accessibility

29 Apr 2020, 10 a.m.

One of the most important days in the accessibility calendar is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Each year, on the third Thursday in May, GAAD helps to spread awareness of the importance of accessibility across the global digital, technology and usability community. This year’s GAAD is being held on the 21st May.

Developer Corner - Download a Sitemorse Report as a spreadsheet

27 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Helen discusses how users can download Sitemorse Reports as an Excel spreadsheet

Six takeaways from the SAHARA Las Vegas digital team

24 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

We caught up with Kat Carrera, the Director of Digital Marketing at the SAHARA Las Vegas to document how the team are moving forward with rebuilding the hotel’s digital presence. Here are seven interesting things we learnt.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 16 –accessibility news around the globe

23 Apr 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what has been discussed in the news on the topic of accessibility.

Developer Corner - How does Global Heartbeat monitoring work

20 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Developer Corner looks at how Sitemorse Global Heartbeat monitoring works.

Four tips to improve accessibility of online meetings during the coronavirus crisis

17 Apr 2020, 10 a.m.

With the coronavirus crisis forcing many of us to work from home and rely on digital channels, the need for good levels of accessibility for employees has never been more important. We’re going to focus on how you can specifically drive better accessibility for online meetings, usually which involve both audio and video.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 15 –accessibility news from the UK and US

16 Apr 2020, 3 p.m.

The latest instalment our weekly accessibility bulletin looks at what’s been happening in the UK and the US

UK Website Accessibility Scores Compared Across Sectors

16 Apr 2020, 2:45 p.m.

Looking at how website accessibility scores across public and private sectors in the UK.

Developer Corner - Sitemorse assessment and Global Heartbeat monitor IP addresses

14 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines the current Sitemorse IP addresses used for Sitemorse assessments and Global Heartbeat monitors.

Why spelling is important – adding your dictionary to Sitemorse

8 Apr 2020, 10:30 a.m.

When we publish content on our websites, we want it to be simple to read and understand; after all nobody sets out to confuse the reader. How to add your dictionary to Sitemorse.

Eight tips to improve digital accessibility for employees during the coronavirus crisis

8 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

The Coronavirus crisis has hugely impacted the way we work, with large proportions of office-based employees suddenly forced to work full time from home. For some people this has presented challenges, while others have found that there are unexpected benefits such as an increase in productivity. Here are eight tips to improve digital accessibility for employees during the coronavirus crisis.

Developer Corner - SEO and Metadata category updates

6 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly introduces the SEO and Metadata category changes.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 13 –accessibility news from the EU, UK and US

2 Apr 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at accessibility news from the EU, UK and the US.

Six tips for writing a good accessibility statement

1 Apr 2020, 9 a.m.

If you’re committed to accessibility on your website, then having an accessibility statement is important. This is a page on your website that sets out various details about the accessibility standards applied to your website, how you improve accessibility and other salient points.

UK Consumer Finance - progress in making their websites accessible

31 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 UK Consumer Finance PLCs INDEX. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2009 and ranks the websites of over 230 UK Public Limited Companies, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - How to view your assessment schedule

30 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

In Developer Corner this week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines how to view your Sitemorse assessment schedule.

Please remember to make your crisis communications accessible

27 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

A little plea from us is to make sure that all communications are fully accessible.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 12 –accessibility news from the EU, UK and US

26 Mar 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at what’s been happening in the news this week with website accessibility in the EU, UK and the US

American Airlines - progress in making their websites accessible

24 Mar 2020, noon

The 2020 Q1 American Airlines INDEX is out, ranking the websites of 25 airlines, based on User Experience, SEO and Governance, Risk & Compliance.

Global Top 250 Retailers Websites - progress in making their websites accessible

24 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

The progress the Global Top 250 Retailers are making with the accessibility of their websites

How to configure a Content-Security-Policy to allow SMARTVIEW

23 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Helen outlinies how to configure a Content-Security-Policy to allow SMARTVIEW bookmark to run an assessment.

How accessibility puts your brand in a good light

20 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

Too many digital teams view website accessibility through a lens of compliance; it is something that must be met to reduce the risk of legal or regulatory action. This is perfectly natural and critically important; indeed, we regularly stress the risks involved. However, this does mean that website accessibility can be regarded negatively and seen as an obligation rather than a benefit. Actually, improving website accessibility is a highly positive move

Accessibility Bulletin Week 11 –accessibility news from the EU, UK and US

19 Mar 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what’s been happening in the EU, UK and the US.

Global Life Sciences - progress in making their websites accessible

17 Mar 2020, 10:30 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 Global Life Sciences INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2009 and ranks the websites of nearly 200 companies based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

AIM Listed Companies - progress in making their websites accessible

17 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 AIM INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2015 and ranks the websites of nearly 800 companies based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - Help Videos

16 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly highlights available help videos.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 10 – accessibility news from the EU, UK and US

12 Mar 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what’s been happening with website accessibility in the EU, UK and the US.

Ten key statistics about web accessibility

11 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

To be blunt, ensuring your website meets the WCAG 2.1 guidelines on website accessibility is now an absolute no-brainer: in many cases not only it is now a legal requirement and a regulatory requirement, but it has solid commercial benefits and it improves usability for everybody. In short, it’s ‘the right thing to do’. Not being compliant could lead to a significant risk of legal action and brand damage. The cost of compliance is very low compared to general spending on digital channels. Why wouldn’t you want to make your website fully accessible?

Global Airlines with US Connection - progress in making their websites accessible

10 Mar 2020, noon

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 Global Airlines - US connection this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2018 and ranks the websites of over 39 Global Airlines that have a US connection, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

UK Retailer Websites - progress in making their websites accessible

10 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 UK Retail 500 INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2010 and ranks the websites of over 360 UK Retailers, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - How to label a Sitemorse assessment

9 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

Developer Corner - How to label a Sitemorse assessment. This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly will show how to label a Sitemorse scheduled or on-demand site.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 9 - EU, UK and US accessibility news

5 Mar 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what’s been happening in the EU, UK and the US.

UK London-listed PLCs - progress in making their websites accessible

4 Mar 2020, 1:30 p.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 UK London-listed PLCs INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2010 and ranks the websites of over 450 UK Public Limited Companies, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Hotels - scoring poorly for website accessibility

4 Mar 2020, 10:30 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 Hotels INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2015 and ranks the websites of 93 hotels based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner - How Sitemorse assesses a site

2 Mar 2020, 9 a.m.

This week, Support Lead, Helen Grimbly will be outlining how Sitemorse assesses a site

Does your website break your Diversity & Inclusion policy?

28 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

In recent years Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) has been a priority for many organisations, reflected in HR policies and initiatives, and strong leadership commitment. if you want to attract the best people from the widest possible pool of talent then a D&I policy is going to help.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 8 –accessibility news from the UK and US

27 Feb 2020, 3 p.m.

We take a look at the top stories on accessibility from the UK and US

Q1 2020 INDEX - UK Police Force Websites, what's happening with Accessibility?

25 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 UK Police Forces INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2006 and ranks the websites of 49 UK police forces, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner: SMARTVIEW diagnostic visibility

24 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

Support Lead, Helen Grimbly outlines why sometimes an issue is not highlighted in the page view of a SMARTVIEW.

Are you being given the full picture about accessibility?

21 Feb 2020, 9:45 a.m.

Is your software vendor or digital agency giving you the full picture about accessibility? All too often we come across customers who haven’t been given the full picture about accessibility and achieving legal compliance from their established digital agency or CMS provider. This is not because vendors or agencies are deliberately trying to mislead their customers; it’s more often to do with what is not said about accessibility. Some simply do not tell you what you need to do to achieve and then maintain compliance with web accessibility guidelines.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 7 –accessibility news from the UK and US

20 Feb 2020, 4 p.m.

We take a look at what’s been happening in news the UK and the US on website accessibility.

UK Local Government Websites, what's happening with Accessibility?

18 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 UK Local Government INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2006 and ranks the websites of over 400 UK local government authorities, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance

Developer Corner - Brand Module of a Sitemorse Report

17 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

How the Sitemorse Brand module works

What elements need to be in place to ensure accountability for website accessibility compliance?

14 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

Website accessibility is now a significant risk issue. If you don’t have a website that complies with WCAG 2.1 guidelines you may be breaking the law, and in an increasingly litigious climate, you are at risk of legal action. Accessibility is also very important from both a moral and commercial standpoint, although it is the risks associated with non-compliance that tends to galvanise organisations into taking action.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 6 –government accessibility news from the UK and US

13 Feb 2020, 3 p.m.

What’s been happening about accessibility in the news this week?

UK Central Government Websites, what's happening with Accessibility?

11 Feb 2020, 12:26 p.m.

At Sitemorse we published our 2020 Q1 UK Central Government INDEX this week. The INDEX has been published quarterly since 2006 and ranks the websites of nearly 200 UK Central Government organisations, based on User Experience, Search Engine Optimisation and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Developer Corner: Changes that affect Code Quality "unknownentity" and "badentity"

10 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

Support Lead, Helen Grimbly will be looking at changes to Sitemorse assessments that affect the Code Quality diagnostics "unknownentity" and "badentity".

Accessibility Bulletin Week 5 –government accessibility news from the UK and US

6 Feb 2020, 3 p.m.

What’s been happening about accessibility in the news this week?

Who is accountable for the accessibility of your website?

5 Feb 2020, 10 a.m.

Who is accountable for the accessibility of your website? In your organisation who is actually accountable for the accessibility of your website? If the answer is “not sure” or “it falls between four different people” or “something we’ve still to decide” or “nobody” then it possibly means your organisation hasn’t thought about digital accessibility properly.

UK & IE Universities - what's happening with Accessibility?

4 Feb 2020, 10 a.m.

What progress are Universities making in ensuring their websites are accessible to people with disabilities?

Technical Service Bulletin Week 5 - How to resolve duplicate values of type ID

3 Feb 2020, 9 a.m.

In this week’s technical service bulletin, Helen is helping to bring understanding to the WCAG Accessibility compliance check F77 on resolving duplicate values of type ID.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 4 –government accessibility news from the UK and US

30 Jan 2020, 3 p.m.

This week we take a look at what’s been happening in the UK and the US with website accessibility

Planning for 2020: Making it all happen

29 Jan 2020, 9 a.m.

It's time for our fourth and final instalment in our planning for 2020 series. In this final article, we’re looking at some of the approaches to take to help bring your plans to fruition.

Accessibility Bulletin Week 3 – meeting government accessibility requirements

23 Jan 2020, 4 p.m.

This week we take a look at advice from the UK Government around meeting website accessibility requirements and also some of the latest news from the US.

Planning for 2020: Making the business case

22 Jan 2020, 9 a.m.

It's our third instalment in our planning for 2020 series. In this weeks article, we’re looking at making the business case for your strategy.

Technical Service Bulletin Week 3 - How to resolve Access Denied function actions

20 Jan 2020, 6 p.m.

When Sitemorse carries out an assessment of a site, the URLs linked from pages are checked to see that they work. This week in our technical service bulletin, Helen will be looking at "Access Denied" actions