The Importance of Accessibility on the Web

Benefits of Web Accessibility

• Increased Reach

  Six percent of Americans are visually impaired.  If your web presence is not optimized for Americans with disabilities, you are not reaching a major share of your target market.

• Search Engines Love Accessible Websites

  When you design a website for accessibility,  you also help search engines understand your website better which increases your rank in search engine results.

• Public Relations

  Having an accessible website demonstrates that you understand and care about the various needs of people coming to your website.  When people feel understood and accommodated, they are more likely to view you as professional and trustworthy.

• Meet Legal Requirements

  According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a website must be accessible to people with disabilities.  If your website is not accessible, you are vulnerable to legal action.

Quick Tips for an Accessible Web Presence

• Provide Descriptive Text for Images & Multimedia

  Use the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual aid.  Or, if you are sharing a photo with a message on Facebook, repeat the message in the caption for those with visual impairments. Provide captioning and transcripts of audio and descriptions of video.

• Think When You Link

  Many people link by saying something along the lines of “Click here for more information about our services.”  Those using a screen reader only get “click here.”  Link the informative part of the sentence such as, “Click here for more information about our services.”

• Keep Your Pages and Posts Organized

  Use headings, lists and a consistent structure.  Building your website using a content management system such as WordPress makes this easier as such tools are built in.

Want to build an accessible website or find out how accessible yours is? Contact us today!