Making your content accessible is not only the right thing to do, but it can also help you attract more customers and grow your business. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why digital accessibility is so important and what you can do to make your content more user-friendly for all. We’ll also share some case studies that show how making your website accessible has helped businesses achieve success. So whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in business for years, read on to learn more about why digital accessibility is so important!

What is Digital Accessibility? 

The term accessibility refers to the way devices, products and environments are designed in terms of individuals with disabilities or impairments being able to use them. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), was passed in 1990, mandating that public and private spaces are to be made accessible to this group. An example of this is on-ramps being placed as an alternate way for a person in a wheelchair to access an area that requires a staircase. 

When it comes to digital accessibility, the general idea of usability for all remains the same; however, the requirements for what makes something digitally accessible are different from normal ADA standards. Examples of digital accessibility include:

• Screen readers
• Closed-captioning on videos for those with hearing impairment 
• Alt text for images to describe it for those with visual impairments 
• Websites that are navigable by keyboard if the user cannot operate a mouse 

There are global guidelines for all the aspects needed to consider your website accessible. This is known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG). New ways of making digital media accessible for all are ever evolving, so you want to make sure you’re up to date in order to get the most out of your website. 

Why is Digital Accessibility Important?

Legality

You are legally required to comply with ADA standards for your website if your business provides a public service, you are a state or local government agency, or if your company has at least 15 employees. Although not every website is required to comply with these accessibility standards, it is still important to be aware of them as you could be missing out on the almost 80 percent of customers who shop for products or services online. However, if your business falls into the category of requiring compliance and fails, you run the risk of being sued. Recently, there has been a strong increase in the number of ADA-related lawsuits filed. This was the cause of the 2021 lawsuit against Domino’s Pizza. The chain pizza restaurant was declared to have violated Title III of the ADA due to their website not being accessible enough for a blind person to order a pizza on. In the end, the plaintiff won the case and Domino’s had to pay $4,000 and legal fees. 

Capture the Market

Even if your business falls into the category of not being required to comply with ADA rules, you could be missing out on an entire part of your target market if your web content is inaccessible. Most individuals with a disability still have the same needs, if not more, than those without. Designing your website in a way that reflects the needs of all possible users makes it valuable to all of your target demographic instead of a portion of it. It is never a bad idea to reach more people. 

Accessibility Can Benefit Everyone

At this point we now are aware of the benefits accessibility brings to those with disabilities, however, having a website that is ADA compliant helps those without disabilities as well. Web design for business can be reflected within the job market by creating new roles for website designers. Having alt text explaining images can also be helpful if the images are slow or fail to load due to connectivity issues. Image captions and HTML tags also improve your SEO due to them providing the search engine with more information on your site. All of these improvements make for a seamless experience for users visiting your website, disability or not. 

Accessibility is important not only for those with disabilities, but also for businesses who want to stay ahead of the curve and ensure they’re providing the best possible experience for all users. Making your website compliant with ADA standards can widen your market and provide a better experience for everyone. If you’re not sure where to start or need help making your website the best it can be, we offer a variety of services that can help. Check out our site today to learn more about what we can do for you.