Navigation is one of the most repeated interfaces on a website, which means small usability problems are experienced again and again. Accessibility improvements to menus usually make the experience better for everyone, not only visitors using assistive technology.
Keyboard access should be predictable
A visitor should be able to move through navigation items with the keyboard, identify the currently focused item, open relevant controls, and continue into the main content without getting trapped.
Visible focus styles are especially important. Removing browser focus outlines without providing a replacement makes an interface significantly harder to use.
Mobile menus need clear states
A menu toggle should communicate whether the navigation is expanded or collapsed. The control needs an accessible name, a sufficiently large touch target, and behavior that remains understandable without animation.
Labels matter more than clever wording
Navigation should use labels that match what visitors expect to find. A portfolio link called “Selected Work” can be appropriate; an ecommerce account page called something highly abstract is usually not.
Good navigation reduces the amount of interpretation required from the visitor.
These improvements also help search engines and developers because the underlying markup tends to become more semantic and consistent. Accessibility is often a useful signal that the interface has been implemented thoughtfully.