If your business serves older, first-generation Korean-speaking clients, adding Korean-language audio descriptions to your key service pages is a direct way to improve their access. It is not a necessary feature for every business, and we often advise clients to keep their current website if it already serves their core audience well.

Consider this addition if your most important clients are older, prefer listening over reading, and have limited vision. The goal is to make your most critical information, like your service menu or booking instructions, available in spoken Korean. This is different from a full screen reader. It is a recorded human voice describing a specific page's content.

1. How Audio Description Works on a Website

A Korean-language audio description is a recorded MP3 file embedded on a webpage. A visitor clicks a play button to hear a person read the page's main content in Korean. This is useful for pages with static, important information, like a treatment menu, a list of class types, or your hours and location.

It is not a substitute for a proper bilingual website structure. For your site to be found, your Korean content must still be live text on its own Korean URL, joined with hreflang tags. You can learn more about that approach on our services/web-design page. The audio file is an accessibility layer on top of that structure.

WHEN TO SKIP: You likely do not need this if your clients are primarily younger, English-speaking, or if your service details change daily. The ongoing recording effort may not be worth the benefit.

2. Which Pages Should Get Audio Descriptions

Start with your most essential service or menu page. For a restaurant, this could be the main dishes page. For a clinic, it could be the treatments page. For a fitness studio, it could be the class descriptions.

Do not record your entire website. Focus on the one or two pages that contain the information a client needs to make a decision to contact you. A common setup is to add an audio player only to the Korean version of these key pages. You can see examples of how we structure separate language URLs for different industries on our industries page.

3. The Practical Steps and Costs

The work involves writing a clear Korean script, recording it professionally, and embedding the audio player on your site. You own the recording. The main cost driver is the professional recording and editing time.

For a Hyper Vision client, adding this feature to an existing Landmark site or higher involves scripting and integration work. It is not a standalone service we offer. The investment must be weighed against how many clients will use it. If you are building a new site and know this feature is critical, discuss it during the planning phase on our pricing page to understand how custom features integrate with our builds.

WCAG: Every site we build passes a WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility check before launch. Adding a human-narrated audio description can address specific success criteria for low-vision users, but it is a supplemental aid, not a replacement for proper semantic HTML and ARIA labels.

4. What to Say in the Recording

The script should be a clear, slow-paced reading of the page's key written content. Describe the offerings plainly.

We offer three types of traditional Korean skincare treatments. The first is a basic cleansing facial. The second is a moisturizing treatment for dry skin. The third is an anti-aging treatment with gua sha. Each session lasts 60 minutes. Please call to book an appointment.

Avoid marketing language, hype, or pricing that changes frequently. State the services, their duration, and the next step for the client. If you list prices on the page, read them. If you use a placeholder like "[your price]", say "price available upon request."

5. Maintenance and Alternatives

Audio files are static. If your menu or services change, you must re-record and replace the file. This is why we suggest it only for stable, core information.

A simpler, more maintainable alternative is to ensure your Korean website text is perfectly clear and your font size can be increased easily by the browser. For many businesses, this is sufficient. The most important step is having a professionally built, bilingual site where the Korean content is written for clarity, not translated. You can audit your current site's bilingual structure with our free website audit.

6. Deciding If It's Right for Your Business

Ask if your first-generation clients are struggling to read your website. If their adult children are always the ones explaining the menu, then an audio description might help. If not, your resources are better spent on a clear bilingual site and local SEO so new clients can find you.

This is a niche feature for a specific audience need. It is not a standard marketing tool. For most Korean American businesses we work with, from restaurants to professional services, investing in a solid, accessible bilingual website (like our Landmark or Storefront builds) is the foundational priority. After that, features like audio description can be considered.