Why Website Accessibility Is Important For Small Businesses In 2024

Why Website Accessibility Is Important For Small Businesses In 2024

Website accessibility is the practice of designing and developing websites that are usable by everyone, including those who have disabilities. It means that websites are compatible with assistive technologies, such as screen readers, keyboards, and voice commands, and that they adhere to accessibility standards and guidelines.

Website accessibility is not only a moral and ethical responsibility, but also a legal and business requirement. In this blog post, we will explore why website accessibility is important for small businesses in 2024, and how you can make your website more accessible and inclusive.

The Benefits Of Website Accessibility For Small Businesses

Making your website accessible can bring many benefits to your small business, such as:

- Expanding your customer base: According to the World Health Organization and the CDC, 16% of the world's population, and 26% of the U.S. population, have a disability. That means over 1 billion people worldwide and around 86 million people in the U.S. may be unable to access websites that are not designed with accessibility in mind. This can include physical, sensory, cognitive and intellectual disabilities. By making your website accessible, you can reach this large and often overlooked market segment, which could lead to increased revenue and growth.

- Improving your reputation and brand image: Website accessibility can also enhance your reputation and brand image, as it shows that you care about your customers and their needs. It can build trust and loyalty with your existing customers, who may appreciate your efforts to make your website more user-friendly and inclusive. Additionally, website accessibility can help attract new customers who value social responsibility and inclusion.

- Boosting your SEO ranking: Website accessibility can also have a positive impact on your SEO ranking, as it can improve your website's performance, usability, and content quality. For example, by making your website more accessible, you can reduce your bounce rate, increase your user sessions, and optimize your images and videos. Factors such as these can help you rank higher on search engines like Google and Bing, which can drive more organic traffic to your website.

- Complying with laws and regulations: Website accessibility is also a legal requirement in many countries and regions, such as the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, Japan, and many more. By making your website accessible, you can comply with laws and regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Section 508, and more. These laws and regulations aim to protect the rights of people with disabilities and ensure that they have equal access to online information and services. Failing to comply with these laws and regulations can expose you to lawsuits, fines, penalties, and reputational damage.

How To Make Your Website More Accessible

Making your website more accessible may seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some simple steps you can take to make your website more accessible:

- Conduct an accessibility audit: The first step is to assess the current state of your website's accessibility. You can use various tools and resources to conduct an accessibility audit, such as automated checkers, manual testing, user feedback, expert reviews, etc. An accessibility audit can help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your website's accessibility, prioritize the issues that need to be fixed, and set goals for improvement.

- Follow the four principles of web accessibility: The four principles of web accessibility are: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. These principles provide a framework for making your website accessible to people with disabilities. They are based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are the most widely accepted standards for web accessibility. The WCAG provides detailed guidelines and success criteria for each principle. You can use the WCAG as a reference for making your website more accessible.

- Implement the components of web accessibility: The components of web accessibility are: content, user interface components (such as buttons, menus, and forms), user agents (such as browsers), authoring tools (such as content management systems), assistive technologies (such as screen readers), evaluation tools (such as validators), users (such as people with disabilities), developers (such as web designers), policymakers (such as legislators), educators (such as teachers), etc. These components work together to create an accessible web experience for everyone. You need to consider how each component affects your website's accessibility and how you can optimize them for better accessibility.

- Test for web accessibility: The final step is to test your website's accessibility regularly and continuously. Testing for web accessibility can help you ensure that your website meets the accessibility standards and guidelines, that it works well with different devices and browsers, that it is compatible with various assistive technologies, and that it provides a positive user experience for everyone. You can use different methods and tools to test for web accessibility, such as automated testing, manual testing, user testing, etc. Testing for web accessibility can help you identify and fix any accessibility issues that may arise and keep your website up to date with the latest accessibility trends and best practices.

Conclusion

Website accessibility is important for small businesses in 2024, as it can help you reach a wider audience, improve your reputation and brand image, boost your SEO ranking, and comply with laws and regulations. Website accessibility can also help you create a more inclusive and user-friendly web experience for everyone.

At LearningWithAlex.com we have a guide to help you implement better website accessibility practices by tackling the most common areas of need through the book: The 5-Step Website Accessibility Blueprint for Small Business Owners: Increase Customer Satisfaction While Avoiding Legal Issues. This practical guide contains fixes to many common website accessibility issues facing businesses like yours.

I hope this helps with your journey to make a more accessible website.