As digital marketers and business owners, the importance of having an ADA compliant website should not be overlooked. An ADA compliant website meets certain web accessibility guidelines set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that people who are disabled have full access to all areas of your website. When it comes to running a successful business online, having an ADA compliant website is essential due to both legal requirements and improved user experience. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the reasons why high quality websites should comply with these standards, and offer five simple steps you can take today to make sure your site is as accessible as possible.
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1. Legal Requirements
The first and foremost reason why a high-quality website should comply with ADA standards is because it’s a legal requirement. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that all public accommodations, including websites, make reasonable accommodations to disabled individuals in order for them to have full access to the site. This means making sure that text is readable by screen readers, images have appropriate alt tags so they can be read by those who are visually impaired, videos include capt for hearing impaired viewers, etc. If your business fails to comply with the law, you are at risk of facing costly lawsuits and fines from the US Department of Justice.
2. Improved User Experience
Making sure your site is ADA compliant isn’t just about meeting legal requirements, it also provides a better user experience for those who are disabled. Features such as alternative text on images, keyboard navigation, and captions on videos all help to make the website more user friendly and accessible to those with disabilities. This improved user experience can have a positive effect on your business by increasing customer loyalty, improving SEO ranking through better accessibility scores, and boosting brand reputation.
3. Better Website Design
By adhering to ADA compliance standards in your web design process you’re creating a site that can be used easily no matter the disability or device used to access it. For example, when designing a website you should consider things like how users navigate between pages and how they interact with the content. By using design techniques such as progressive disclosure, you can make sure that the most important information is displayed first while other details are revealed gradually. This makes it easier for users to find what they’re looking for quickly and efficiently regardless of their disability or device used to access your site.
4. Improved SEO Rankings
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important part of any online marketing strategy, and making sure your website is ADA compliant is one way to boost your SEO rankings. According to a top SEO agency, search engines like Google take into account a number of accessibility factors when ranking websites such as alt tags on images, captions on videos, page titles, and more. If your website meets all these requirements, it’s more likely to show up higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
5. Increased Revenue
Finally, having an ADA compliant website is a great way to increase your revenue. According to the World Health Organization, there are over 1 billion people worldwide who have some form of disability. That’s a huge potential customer base that you don’t want to miss out on! By making sure your site meets all the necessary accessibility guidelines, you can be sure that this enormous population of customers can use your site without any difficulty or frustration. This can result in increased sales and revenue for your business.
Conclusion
In conclusion, websites should comply with ADA standards not only because it is a legal requirement but also because it provides better user experience, website design, SEO rankings, and can lead to increased revenue. Taking the time to make sure your site is ADA compliant will pay off in the long run. To get started, you can use an online tool like WAVE or WebAIM to scan your site for any issues related to accessibility. Additionally, be sure to keep up with any changes that may occur as new guidelines are released by the Department of Justice. With a little bit of effort and attention to detail, your website can become ADA compliant and open up a world of possibilities for all users!