Hubspot-Inspired Steps to Build an Inclusive Ecommerce Website

Inclusive ecommerce is no longer optional, and the original Hubspot article on inclusive websites highlights how accessibility and representation directly influence conversions, trust, and loyalty. This guide distills those lessons into clear, practical steps you can apply to your own store today.

Why Inclusive Ecommerce Matters in the Hubspot Framework

Shoppers expect brands to recognize diverse identities, abilities, and contexts. When your store feels exclusive or hard to use, people simply leave. Inclusive design, as showcased in the Hubspot examples, helps you:

Open your funnel to more users, including people with disabilities.
Reduce friction that causes cart abandonment.
Reflect real customers instead of narrow stereotypes.
Build long-term trust and advocacy.

The source article at Hubspot's marketing blog shows how leading brands use inclusive visuals, language, and UX. Below is a step-by-step method you can follow.

Step 1: Audit Your Current UX With a Hubspot-Style Lens

Begin by reviewing your existing ecommerce experience, guided by the kind of criteria featured in the Hubspot resource.

Key questions for your audit

Is your site navigable with a keyboard only?
Do images have descriptive alt text, not just keyword labels?
Are contrast ratios high enough for low-vision users?
Can people easily find sizing, shipping, and return information?
Do you rely on color alone to explain states, errors, or options?

Document friction points and map them to specific pages and templates, just as a structured Hubspot-style audit would do for lead funnels.

Step 2: Apply Accessibility Basics the Hubspot Way

Accessibility is the technical foundation of inclusive ecommerce. Inspired by the approach in the Hubspot content, focus on fixes with the highest user impact.

Core accessibility improvements

Use semantic HTML structure. Proper headings (H1, H2, H3), lists, and landmark regions help assistive technologies interpret your content.
Improve color contrast. Follow WCAG contrast guidelines on buttons, body text, and labels.
Fix alt text. Describe the purpose of each image, especially product photos and functional icons.
Optimize focus states. Ensure that keyboard focus is always visible and logical.
Label forms clearly. Provide explicit labels and error messages, not just placeholder text.

These upgrades mirror how Hubspot recommends tightening each conversion step in a funnel: make interaction effortless and obvious.

Step 3: Use Inclusive Imagery Following Hubspot Examples

The source article analyzes how brands use imagery to reflect a wide range of customers. Take a similar approach for your ecommerce photography and graphics.

Guidelines for more inclusive visuals

Feature diverse bodies, ages, skin tones, and abilities in product photos.
Avoid tokenism; diversity should appear across categories, not just in a single campaign.
Show real-life use cases, not just studio shots, to make products feel accessible in everyday contexts.
Use lifestyle photos that reflect varied cultures, family structures, and gender expressions.

By doing this, you mirror the inclusive ethos in the Hubspot examples while still keeping the spotlight on your own brand and products.

Step 4: Align Copy and Microcopy With Hubspot-Style Inclusivity

Language is as important as visuals. The Hubspot resource highlights brands that avoid stereotypes and speak to customers respectfully.

Inclusive copy practices

Use gender-neutral language where specific gender is not necessary.
Describe benefits for different users instead of assuming a single “default” customer.
Be straightforward about accessibility features, sizing, and materials so people can make confident decisions.
Keep tone human and empathetic, avoiding jargon that can feel exclusionary.

Apply this to product descriptions, navigation labels, help text, and policy pages to create a coherent, inclusive voice similar to what you find in Hubspot's marketing materials.

Step 5: Optimize Navigation and Filters With a Hubspot Mindset

Easy navigation is essential for all shoppers, especially people with cognitive or motor challenges. A Hubspot-inspired approach treats navigation like a guided funnel.

Make it simple to find the right product

Use clear, descriptive category names.
Offer multiple ways to filter products (size, material, use case, accessibility features).
Ensure filters are usable on mobile and with assistive tech.
Avoid overly deep menu structures that require many clicks.

Think of each navigation step like a Hubspot workflow step: remove unnecessary choices and highlight the most helpful paths.

Step 6: Build Trust With Policies and Support Inspired by Hubspot

Transparency is central to trust. The brands highlighted in the Hubspot article make their values and policies easy to discover.

Elements that increase confidence

Clear shipping, return, and warranty details.
Accessible contact options (chat, email, phone, and self-service support).
Plain-language privacy and data usage explanations.
Content that shares your DEI and accessibility commitments.

Surface these elements near key decision points, such as cart and checkout pages, to support hesitant buyers.

Step 7: Continuously Test and Improve Using Hubspot-Style Analytics

Inclusivity is an ongoing process. Like a Hubspot campaign, your ecommerce experience should evolve based on data and feedback.

Ongoing optimization checklist

Track behavior metrics. Monitor bounce rate, exit pages, and checkout drop-off to spot friction.
Gather qualitative feedback. Ask customers about accessibility, representation, and clarity.
Run A/B tests. Try different layouts, images, or wording to see what improves engagement for diverse users.
Schedule regular audits. Revisit accessibility and inclusivity at least twice a year.

Use these insights to refine your store, similar to how Hubspot users continuously tweak their marketing workflows.

Next Steps and Helpful Resources Beyond Hubspot

To deepen your implementation, consider partnering with specialists and expanding your toolkit.

Consult digital accessibility and CRO experts, such as the team at Consultevo, for audits and implementation support.
Study additional resources on inclusive design, UX writing, and accessibility standards.
Review more brand examples like those on the original Hubspot inclusive ecommerce article.

By following these structured steps, inspired by the clarity and depth of Hubspot's content, you can build an ecommerce website that welcomes more people, improves performance, and better reflects the real customers you serve.

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