One in four Americans has some form of a disability. That means that 25 percent of your target audience might not be able to view or navigate your website if you haven’t considered its accessibility.
Failing to make website accessibility a priority can also mean you could face fines and lawsuits from individuals who are unable to access your website.
Let’s review what website accessibility is and why it matters to your business.
Website accessibility is about making sure that all people can “perceive, understand, navigate and interact with the Web.” This includes people with auditory, visual, cognitive, speech, neurological and physical disabilities.
Additionally, those with disabilities should be able to contribute to the web just like anyone else.
An accessible website provides the necessary details for screen readers to describe what’s on-screen for those with visual disabilities, makes it possible to navigate for those who can’t use a traditional keyboard or mouse, etc.
The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative provides guidelines and resources for people who manage websites. These guidelines provide technical specifications for ensuring that a website is available to everyone. These standards are international to ensure that all people can access the web from anywhere.
Just like brick-and-mortar stores have accessibility requirements, so does online commerce and browsing. Without such guidelines, businesses might miss out on serving a large population of consumers. Here’s a look at why you should make your website accessible.
The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative outlines many rules and regulations for what makes a website accessible. This includes but is not limited to:
The process can be time-consuming and tedious. It’s often a job that’s best for an expert. Kelly Website Design offers website accessibility services to help you stay compliant with the law and welcome all customers. Contact us to learn more.
We are ready and waiting to help you with all your website design needs! Whether you need help with Website Design, Logo Design, WordPress Hosting, or any other service, we can help.
We are also here to answer any and all questions you may have, so ask away!
Kelly Website Design, LLC
(484) 466-5313