While you might believe that most websites are accessible to everyone, you’d be dead wrong about that. Unfortunately, the opposite is true when including anyone with a disability, a sight problem, or other difficulties. In their case, just using the web is a trial in itself. But much more can be done to improve upon that.
Making websites more accessible admittedly requires time, and sometimes money. However, there are notable upsides to putting in the effort now rather than later. Here are just a few of them.
The Legal Risk of Not Making Changes
Various pieces of legislation have passed like Section 508 and EAA/EN301548 requiring websites to be accessible to all. There are also web accessibility standards to follow. Major companies like Amazon and Domino’s Pizza have been sued for not providing access for people with disabilities. And don’t think that smaller sites can avoid this requirement because disabled individuals can get annoyed enough to hire a lawyer too.
There are Tools Out There to Make the Task Simple
Using an accessibility tool like accessiBe can make the task easier when you don’t know where or how to start. A scan of the site can provide a first look at how bad the situation is. Inaccessible buttons and icons, or other accessibility issues can be highlighted with suggested fixes. Once changes have been applied, another scan can be performed to confirm if everything was resolved. It’s a good idea to use a tool that offers automated scans too. This can check newer content additions for accessible problems too.
Encourage Loyal Customers
Disabled customers are happy to give their loyalty to a business that caters to them. From a business perspective, doing so is good business. Customers who struggle to deal with other companies feel pleased when they don’t have the same issues elsewhere. A website is no different. It’s useful to know that accessibility tools can read text from the screen or change the site’s appearance to make it easier to see. Providing an accessibility tool for your site shows that you care. And brands that care often have fiercely loyal customers as a result.
It has now become necessary to get on the accessibility train. Don’t let your site get left behind at the station.
