When you think about your business website, you probably focus on branding, layout, and visuals. But there’s one design factor many business owners overlook that can make or break the user experience: colour contrast.
If your text doesn’t stand out clearly from the background, visitors may find your website difficult, or even impossible, to read. That means potential customers could be leaving your site before ever learning about your services.
And here’s the bigger issue: in the UK, EU, and US, failing to provide an accessible website isn’t just bad design, it could put your business at risk of breaking the law.
What Is Colour Contrast and Why Does It Matter?
Text on a very dark blue is easy to read, while white text on a pale orange is much harder to see.
Poor colour contrast can affect:
- People with visual impairments (including colour blindness and low vision).
- Older customers, as eyesight naturally weakens with age.
- Mobile users in bright light, where screen glare reduces visibility.
If your content isn’t legible, you’re unintentionally excluding a part of your audience.
Accessibility Is a Legal Requirement
Across the world, digital accessibility is increasingly backed by legislation:
- United Kingdom: The Equality Act 2010 requires businesses to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled people. The Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018 specifically require public websites to meet accessibility standards.
- European Union: The EU Web Accessibility Directive applies to public sector websites, while the European Accessibility Act (2025) extends obligations to private businesses in many industries.
- United States: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been interpreted by courts to cover websites. In addition, Section 508 requires accessible digital services for government contractors.
Failing to meet these requirements can result in fines, lawsuits, or loss of contracts. Beyond compliance, accessible websites create a better experience for all customers.
The Business Benefits of Accessible Colours
Investing in accessible colour choices is not just about avoiding legal trouble, it’s about growing your business.
- Reach a wider audience: Around 1 in 5 people in the UK live with a disability. Globally, that’s over 1 billion people. Making your site more accessible opens your doors to more customers.
- Improve user experience: Clear, easy-to-read text keeps people on your website longer, helping you convert more visitors into paying clients.
- Boost your brand reputation: Accessibility shows you care about inclusion and professionalism—values that today’s customers increasingly look for.
- Future-proof your business: Accessibility standards are only getting stricter. Getting it right now saves costly redesigns later.
How to Check If Your Website Passes
The good news is, you don’t need to be a designer to find out if your website’s colours are accessible.
There are free tools available, such as:
Simply enter your brand colours and see whether your text has enough contrast against its background.
Making Accessibility Part of Your Brand
Think of colour contrast as the difference between being heard clearly in a quiet room versus trying to shout across a noisy bar. If your website text blends into its background, visitors will struggle to read it, no matter how good your content is.
Here are a few real-world examples:
White text on pale orange: Stylish, but extremely hard to read—especially for anyone with low vision or colour blindness. It’s like printing a brochure in yellow ink on cream paper.
White text on deep teal: Crisp, clear, and professional. It works for everyone, whether they’re on a desktop in the office or scrolling on a phone outdoors in bright sunlight.
Black text on bright red: High-energy branding, but the vibrating effect of red on black can cause eye strain and make content unreadable for many people.
Dark olive green with white text: Strong, earthy, and readable—showing how accessibility can also reinforce a brand’s personality.
When your colours work, your brand feels confident and professional. When they don’t, your site looks unfinished and can even drive customers away. By making accessibility part of your colour choices, you’re ensuring that every visitor can engage with your business without barriers.
Final Thoughts
Your website is often the first impression a potential customer has of your business. If they can’t read your content, they won’t stick around, and you may even expose your business to legal risk.
By making sure your colours work for everyone, you’re not just complying with accessibility laws. You’re making your business more welcoming, more professional, and more competitive.
Accessible design is good business.
