Lead the Shift to a More Accessible and Inclusive Website with Extraordinary Women Ignite Speaker, Steph Sedgwick, Episode 354

Extraordinary Women Radio

In today’s episode of the Extraordinary Women Radio Ignite speaker series, we have the brilliant Steph Sedgwick. She shares her story and journey in the web design industry. Steph discusses what makes a great website that attracts ideal clients, the changes in the website industry over the past few years, and the common ways websites unintentionally become exclusionary. She also shares examples of businesses that successfully bridge the gap between their values and their online presence. In This Episode: Steph Sedgwick's journey from helping her husband with web design to launching her own business and becoming a web accessibility advocate. The need for websites to accommodate diverse abilities, from temporary impairments to permanent disabilities, and adhere to international standards to improve user experience. The importance of meeting user expectations for a successful website. The value of using a genuine voice and staying true to one's message online, avoiding outdated SEO tactics like keyword stuffing. The common pitfalls to avoid and how to move away from outdated practices that frustrate visitors. The importance of evaluating and improving website inclusivity and accessibility. Steph Sedgwick is the founder of Clarity Web Design Studio, a web design and management agency based in Nova Scotia. As a digital strategist and web accessibility advocate, she is dedicated to setting a new industry standard for findable and functional websites. With over 11 years in the industry, Clarity Web Design Studio has helped numerous businesses create impactful websites that enhance their online presence and drive growth, all while prioritizing accessibility. Steph holds multiple certifications, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts, W3Cx Introduction to Web Accessibility, and Digital Marketing Associate, and brings a holistic, customer-centered approach to digital marketing and online branding. “People are starting to recognize that if they're not meeting certain expectations for their user, then their website isn't really worth having.” ~Steph Sedgwick To learn more about Steph, you can visit her website, you can also connect with her on Linkedin. Steph Sedgwick's Show Notes At the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference on Oct 24-26 in Golden Colorado, Steph will be sharing her expertise on how to evaluate and improve the inclusivity and accessibility of your website to better serve a diverse range of visitors. With search engines and AI increasingly rewarding genuine, authentic content, it is crucial for small businesses to move away from merely chasing rankings and refocus on the most important aspect of their business: their customers. Remember, Ignite is all about raising up your vision, voice, and visibility while building a business with more time prosperity and wealth prosperity. You'll leave with a plan for 2025 to make your next uplevel happen. Early bird tickets are on sale now at kamiguildner.com/ignite.