How to make your website accessible for the Deaf community and people with hearing loss

8th May 2025

Testing Accessibility

When we think about digital accessibility, the focus often lands on visual or mobility impairments. Yet one of the world’s largest communities - people who are deaf or have hearing loss - is often overlooked.

In the UK, over 18 million adults live with some form of hearing loss. Globally, that number rises to more than 430 million. If your website relies heavily on sound, limits communication to phone calls or lacks accessible video content, you may be unintentionally excluding a significant part of your audience.

Creating websites that are accessible for the Deaf community isn’t just a legal requirement – it’s about growing your reach, user experience and ultimately inclusion.

Here are five practical steps you can take to make your website more accessible to Deaf people or those with hearing loss (and many other users too):

Add captions to videos

Subtitles and closed captions provide text-based descriptions of audio content, including dialogue, sound effects, and music. Captions allow Deaf and hard-of-hearing users to access the same information as hearing users. They can support non-native speakers, people in noisy environments, and users with cognitive impairments who may find reading easier than processing audio alone.

Provide transcripts for audio content

Transcripts ensure that everyone can access audio-only content, regardless of how they engage with audio. They can also make your content more searchable and SEO-friendly, increasing the potential reach of your content.

Offer multiple contact methods

If your only method of contact is a telephone number, you’re creating an unnecessary barrier. Make it easy for users to get in touch by offering multiple options like contact forms, live chat and email addresses. Accessible communication ensures that everyone can reach you easily.

Don't rely solely on sound for important information

Sound-based notifications or instructions can leave users who are deaf or have hearing loss unaware of important updates or actions they need to take. Always pair audio cues with clear visual indicators - such as toast messages - to ensure everyone receives the information they need.

Consider using British Sign Language (BSL)

For key pages or critical information, consider providing translations in British Sign Language (BSL). Including BSL alongside captions ensures that BSL speakers can fully access and understand your content in their primary language.

Small steps, big impact

Every small step you take - from clearer writing to accessible video content - moves you closer to a more inclusive, user-friendly website. And the good news? You don’t have to do it alone.

Our digital accessibility services are designed to identify where your website, app, or wider digital estate can improve its inclusivity and accessibility.

At Zoonou, we believe accessibility is fundamental to good digital design. We can help you audit and test your website to ensure it meets the needs of Deaf users and those with hearing loss - while also ensuring compliance with broader accessibility standards.