What Is Website Accessibility?
Website accessibility means making your website accessible to everyone, regardless of their disability.
Website accessibility is important because it enables people with disabilities to use the web safely and comfortably. It also helps people who rely on assistive technology (AT) to use websites, such as screen readers, text magnifiers, or voice recognition software.
You can think of website accessibility as the “universal design” of the web. Universal design is an approach that aims to make products and services accessible to all users, no matter what their physical or cognitive abilities are. Many websites today are not designed with universal design principles, making them inaccessible for some users who rely on assistive technology for communication or navigation.
Why is Web Accessibility Important for Businesses?
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) defines web accessibility as “ensuring that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in the digital economy.” The web is a place where visually impaired people can find information, communicate with others and participate in their communities. But the web is also an important tool for businesses.
Many small businesses use the web to market their products or services and reach customers. As consumers become savvier about shopping online and using companies’ websites, these businesses need to provide access to their sites through an accessible website so that customers can easily find what they want and do business with them.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of guidelines to make web content more accessible to users with disabilities. WCAG Level A is the lowest level and has no requirements for accuracy; it focuses on the structure of the document but does not require that the information be represented in any specific format. It is appropriate for documents primarily intended for an audience who will use them in situations where they will not have access to assistive technology such as screen readers or refreshable Braille displays.
WCAG Level AA is an improvement on Level A by requiring all elements of a document to be operable by assistive technology. This includes: color contrast ratios, structural markup, information and functionality presentation, and text presentation.
WCAG Level AAA requires all elements of a document to be operable by most users with disabilities, including those with visual impairments, mobility impairments, and cognitive disabilities.
Reasons why Accessibility is Good for Your Business:
1. More Revenue from More Users
The main reason why web accessibility is important is that it allows more revenue from more users. Web accessibility allows people with disabilities to access the internet, which in turn allows them to do things they couldn’t do before. For example, a blind person can now read and purchase books on the internet.
2. Increased Market Share
Studies have shown that more than 20% of the overall population is digitally challenged, making it for them to use inaccessible websites. Therefore, when you make an accessible website, you are targeting more people who can use your product, which potentially leads to an increased market share.
3. You Will Save Money
It’s easier to incorporate accessibility at the start of a website development or redesign process rather than making improvements to an existing site later as a separate project. Focusing on the website accessibility needs at the start will help you to save some money.
4. A Better User Experience
Web accessibility is a user experience issue. It’s not just about making it possible for everyone to use the web, but also making it easier and more enjoyable for users of varying abilities.
A better user experience means that visitors can access your site without difficulty or frustration. They can do this by using your site with or without assistive technology (AT), like screen readers, magnifiers, and other tools. They can do this in both online and offline environments.
For example, imagine a user with dyslexia who is unable to read the small print on a screen. She would be able to get around your site if you provide alternative text for every image, link, and button. Or perhaps someone with poor eyesight needs an easy-to-read font size option in the browser settings menu.
These are just two examples of how web accessibility supports good user experiences for all visitors who might encounter barriers on the web. Using a document accessibility software can help you to get started with the process of making your website accessible.
5. Search Engine Optimization and Increased Traffic
Search engine optimization and increased traffic are two of the most common reasons a website should be accessible.
Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! use the information they gather from your site to determine which sites are most relevant to their users.
If you have a website that’s not accessible to people with disabilities, chances are it will get ignored by search engines and, therefore won’t rank as well.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are many reasons why web accessibility is important. It reduces the risk of a lawsuit because it’s compliant with the law, promotes equal opportunity in surfing the internet for all people, and prevents situations where people would be forced to use assistive technologies. It helps with search engine optimization, as well as customer retention and loyalty. It also provides an identifiable brand and trustworthiness. Lastly, not taking advantage of accessibility features wouldn’t give disabled people – a part of your customer base – access to your content.
Author Bio:
Emilie Brown works with the Digital Marketing team at PREP, an AI-based remediation software that enables businesses to create WCAG and ADA compliant PDFs in minutes. Her approach and methodology is simple, concise and to-the-point and connects with readers seeking for solution-driven content on topics related to accessibility and remediation. Apart from her time at work, she loves to spend time with her dog, volunteer and play her guitar.