Why is accessibility important for businesses to take seriously?

Let’s dive into the world of web accessibility and explore its importance for every business. 

What is web accessibility? The practice of web accessibility ensures that websites are designed to operate with everyone in mind. Particularly people with disabilities. There are 14.1 million people with disabilities in the UK and web accessibility means that the site has been designed and developed with aspects such as auditory, cognitive, physical, and visual needs in mind. Making your site accessible for all comes with a wealth of benefits not just for your business but for the individual using it and society as a whole. 

What are the other advantages of ensuring accessibility on your website? 

SEO

A major advantage and one that many may not think could contribute towards, is the fact that web accessibility can improve SEO. By creating a good accessible website with features such as properly marked-up semantic structure and well-labeled links and images, your website will become more discoverable by search engines. 

Reducing Exposure to Lawsuits

Having a website that is fully accessible also reduces a companies exposure to lawsuits. A prime example of this occurred when Domino’s Pizza failed to reach accessibility compliance. Dominoes found themselves in a lawsuit when a customer with a visual impairment failed to be able to order through their app, the claimant was not able to use the screen reader software to read instructions out loud and order a pizza. This went against the Americans with Disabilities Act and the case was taken to the supreme court. 

Increased ROI

Everyone wants increased ROI, right? Having great web accessibility is another perfect way of achieving that. Increasing your accessibility opens up your site to reach a larger amount of people, and yes there are costs involved in increasing accessibility but there are proven stats that reveal that increasing accessibility, increases ROI. For example, Interestingly, Tesco, found that making their online website and other digital products accessible drove in a yearly sales increase of £13 million.

Adhering to Coding Standards and Regulations

Let’s finally not forget coding standards! Implementing great accessibility on your website means that it adheres to strict coding standards, producing a cleaner, higher performing website that everyone can use. This includes making sure that headings are correctly structured and semantic HTML is embedded. Within the British government, accessibility regulations came into force for public sector bodies on 23 September 2018, under this, companies must make their website or mobile app more accessible by making it ‘perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.’ 

The internet is supposed to be for everyone, not a majority. 69% of disabled customers abandon inaccessible websites and redirect their spending to those that are more inclusive. Increasing your accessibility ensures inclusivity for all. 

If you have any questions regarding accessibility or web development services, contact us. 

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