179 - Liz Interviews Alyssa Downey of Amp'd Designs on Website Accessibility for Jewelry Brands

Welcome to the Success With Jewelry podcast, hosted by Laryssa Wirstiuk and Liz Kantner, two experts passionate about helping independent jewelry artists thrive.

Welcome to episode #179! Liz sits down with Alyssa Downey, owner of Amp'd Designs, a brand and web designer with over a decade of experience helping small businesses build websites that don't just look beautiful — they work for everyone who visits them. Alyssa studied at Pratt Institute, has worked at NYC design studios, as an Art Director at a high-end print company, and in the Art Department at Atlantic Records, and has been running her own design business full time since 2018.

In today's episode, Liz and Alyssa break down website accessibility in a way that actually makes sense for independent jewelry brands — not the intimidating technical version, but the practical one that helps you make sure the customers who want to find you and buy from you actually can.

In today's episode, Liz and Alyssa cover:

What website accessibility means and why it should be a priority for every jewelry brand

The legal side of accessibility — and why it's worth paying attention to even as a small business

The most common accessibility mistakes Alyssa sees on jewelry websites

Why heading structure matters way more than most designers realize (and it's not just about design)

Text legibility, tiny fonts, and script typefaces — what's hurting your website and what to do about it

Color contrast explained: how to check yours and what to do if it fails

Alt text: why it matters for both accessibility and SEO, and how to write it correctly

How to audit your own website for accessibility without hiring a developer