15 Reasons of Implementing Accessibility on Your Website

Top 15 benefits of making your website accessible

Let's examine each benefit in more detail.

1. Reach a larger audience

By making your website accessible to people with disabilities, you can tap into a vast and diverse audience that might otherwise be excluded. According to the World Health Organization, over one billion people live with some form of disability worldwide, so making your website accessible can help you reach a significant portion of the population.

2. Improve usability for all users

Many accessibility features, such as clear navigation, simple language, and keyboard accessibility, can improve the usability of your website for all users. By incorporating these features, you can create a better user experience for everyone, regardless of ability.

3. Increase user engagement

People with disabilities are just as likely as anyone else to engage with online content and make purchases online. By designing and developing your website with accessibility in mind, you can increase user engagement and drive conversions. It’s like having a store with a wide doorway: you’ll get more customers into the store if everyone can easily enter, rather than if the doorway is too narrow and some potential customers can’t even get in.

4. Comply to legal requirements

In many countries, web accessibility is a legal requirement. For instance, in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that businesses must ensure that their websites are accessible to users with disabilities, or face potential lawsuits. By making your website accessible, you can ensure that you comply with relevant laws and regulations, and avoid the risk of legal action.

5. Gain a competitive advantage

Implementing accessibility into your website can help you stand out from your competitors who may not have made accessibility a priority. This can create a competitive advantage, especially among customers who value accessibility and are more likely to do business with companies that prioritize it.

6. Meet corporate social responsibility goals

Many organizations have corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals related to inclusion and diversity. By providing an inclusive website experience, you can demonstrate your commitment to these goals and enhance your overall CSR strategy.

7. Avoid discrimination

By incorporating accessibility into your website, you can avoid discriminating against people with disabilities, which is not only unethical but also illegal in many countries. Accessibility is about ensuring no one is excluded from using the website because of their disability. For example, this could include making sure that text is readable for people with visual impairments, or that the website can be navigated with a keyboard for those who cannot use a mouse.

8. Enhance your brand image

By implementing accessibility into your website, you can enhance your brand image and reputation. You send a message to your customers that you care about their needs. This can build loyalty by creating a positive image of your brand in the minds of your customers, as they are more likely to engage with organizations that prioritize accessibility, inclusion, and diversity.

9. Build customer loyalty

By demonstrating your commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, and creating a positive customer experience you can build customer loyalty and retain customers over the long term.

10. Increase SEO and web traffic

Accessibility features, such as alt tags, captions, and transcripts, can also enhance your search engine optimization (SEO) and increase web traffic to your site. Making your website accessible can also improve your rankings on search engines and social media platforms, leading to more visibility and engagement.

11. Adhere to international standards

Many international organizations, such as the United Nations, have established standards and guidelines related to accessibility. For instance, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed a set of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to help web developers create websites that are accessible to people with disabilities. By adopting website accessibility standards, you can adhere to these standards and contribute to the global effort to promote inclusion.

12. Foster assistive technology innovation

Many accessibility features, such as voice recognition and screen readers, are examples of innovative technology that can benefit all users. By embracing accessibility, you can support the development and innovation of assistive technologies, which can benefit people with disabilities in all areas of life, not just in online spaces.

13. Reduce customer support requests

Many customers with disabilities may require additional support or assistance to access your website. By making your website available to all users, you can reduce the need for customer support requests and improve the overall customer experience.

14. Avoid reputation damage

Inaccessible websites can damage your reputation and lead to negative reviews, social media backlash, and other forms of public criticism. By making your website barrier-free, you can avoid these negative consequences and maintain a positive reputation.

15. Meet ethical and moral obligations

Regardless of legal requirements, making your website accessible is simply the right thing to do. Everyone should have equal access to information and resources, and ensuring accessibility is a moral and ethical obligation for all website owners.

Conclusion

Accessible websites are important because they ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and use online content. This includes people with such disabilities as visual, hearing, motor impairments, and cognitive disabilities. By making websites accessible, businesses and organizations can reach a wider audience and provide equal opportunities for people with disabilities to access their products, services, and information. Accessible websites also help to promote inclusivity and diversity, and can improve user experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities. Additionally, creating accessible websites can also help businesses and organizations comply with legal requirements and avoid potential lawsuits.