When was the last time you thought about accessibility on your website? If you’re most people, probably not until an issue arises. But here’s the thing: Accessibility isn’t that “nice-to-have” feature any longer; it’s crucial. So you’re redesigning your site to keep up with the times, freshen up your look, or just make it more user-friendly; accessibility should be at the top of your priority list.
You must be wondering why accessibility matters so much. Well, let’s dive into that and explore why making your website accessible is not just the right thing to do, but also a smart business move.
What Is Web Accessibility, Anyway?
So, let’s first deconstruct the actual meaning of accessibility. Simply explained, it’s about trying to ensure that everybody, including people with disabilities, can use your website. Just try imagining yourself trying to work on a site without images visible to you, or audio, or even being able to use the mouse. It’s an enormous challenge, isn’t it?
Web accessibility is the removal of those barriers. It means providing text descriptions for images, ensuring your site can be navigated with a keyboard alone, and that color contrast is sufficient for visually impaired users to read the text. Not to mention video captions, such a minor thing, yet it opens your content to a whole different group of people.
It’s not just about the right thing to do; it’s about making sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, will have access to your content.
Legal and Ethical Responsibility: It’s a Must, Not a Maybe
You’ve probably heard of the ADA, right? Well, here’s one better: it applies to websites, too. That’s right: if your website isn’t accessible, you could be risking legal trouble. More and more companies are getting hit with lawsuits for failing to provide equal access online.
Beyond the legal side, there’s the ethical argument. Shouldn’t everyone, no matter their ability, be able to access your website and use it as intended? Accessibility is about more than avoiding lawsuits; it’s about doing the right thing and ensuring that your content is available to all.
It’s Not Just for People with Disabilities, It Benefits Everyone
Here’s one thing you might not have considered: Accessibility actually enhances the user experience for all users. Yes, it aids persons with disabilities in using your website, but it will also make the website more usable for users without disabilities.
The thing is, clear fonts, simple navigation, fast loading times and easily readable text are advantageous to all people, not just those with special needs. Think of trying to fiddle your way through a website on your phone, or at least trying to. It means an accessible design isn’t only usable for people with disabilities but also to anyone using your site in difficult situations, when they are in a hurry or on the phone in bright sunlight.
The best part? All these simple changes can make your site more user-friendly across the board, leading to happier visitors, and possibly more sales.
Accessibility = SEO Gains? Absolutely
Did you know that accessibility can really add to your SEO rankings? It’s true: alternative text for images, headings properly structured, clean code-these are all great things for users with disabilities, but also for search engines in understanding and better indexing your content.
Think of it this way: Google wants to rank sites that are easy to read and use, and when you make your site more accessible, you are in effect speaking the language of Google. Furthermore, optimization for accessibility can improve page load time, killing two birds with one stone for SEO and user experience.
So you’re not only doing the right thing by making your site accessible, but you’re also boosting your chances of ranking higher in search results. Pretty cool, right?
Accessibility Can Boost Your Conversions
But in making it more accessible, you’re really just making it easier for everyone to interact with it. That translates to more sign-ups for your newsletter, purchasing from your site, or contacting you for your services. And what is better? More conversions mean more revenue.
Think about it: how many are potentially out there who can’t use your site effectively? That might be people who can’t see, or who can’t use a mouse or a touchscreen. By providing an accessible experience, you make sure more of them can perform the actions you want them to do. And that means good business.
It Shows You Care About Your Customers
The internet is huge. There’s a lot of competition out there. So, what is going to separate you from the rest? Your commitment to accessibility can be a major differentiator. When you make your website accessible, you’re telling your customers, “We care about you, and we want to make sure our website is available to everyone, no matter their ability.”
It’s a great way of building trust with your audience, while creating a positive image for your brand. People appreciate businesses that prioritize being inclusive and socially responsible, and that can translate to customer loyalty and long-term success.
How to Start Making Your Website Accessible
OK, now that we have discussed why accessibility is important, let’s discuss how you can incorporate it into your website redesign. It’s not as daunting a task as it sounds.
1. Plan Ahead
Accessibility should be woven right into the DNA of your website from the beginning, not bolted on as an afterthought. That means you want your design and content to be accessible right from the planning phase.
2. Test, Test, Test
Once your website is live, it’s time to test. You’ll want to test with people with disabilities to make sure it’s truly usable for them, as well as use other accessibility testing tools such as WAVE or Lighthouse to find and fix issues.
3. Use the Right Tools
There are tons of tools available to help you assess your site’s accessibility. Some of them are automated, but it’s still important to do some manual testing to catch anything the tools might miss. If you’re looking for an easy way to start improving your site’s accessibility, one of the first steps is to choose the best accessibility plugin that fits your needs and integrates smoothly with your existing platform.
4. Work with Experts
If accessibility is just not your strong point, then don’t be afraid to bring in the experts. There are people out there who specialize in making sure your website conforms to all standards of accessibility and offers the best possible experience to all users.
The Bottom Line: Accessibility Is a Win for Everyone
The bottom line: prioritizing accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do, but also smart business. Opening your site to a larger audience, improving your SEO, boosting conversions, and showing care for users is what it does. With growing legal requirements around accessibility, it is now more important than ever to make sure your site is up to par.
So, what are you waiting for? If you’re redesigning your website, accessibility had better be on your checklist. Your users, and your business, will thank you for it.
