What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility refers to the inclusive practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. When web pages are correctly designed, all users can have equal access to the information on them.
Who Is Affected?
There are different disabilities that affect people using the web, including:
- Auditory – Difficulty hearing, deafness and hearing impairments
- Cognitive – Conditions that affect the brain’s memory, attention or ability to interpret information
- Motor – Various forms of paralysis caused by injury, congenital conditions and tremors
- Visual – Blindness, color blindness and low-vision caused by various eye conditions
Why Is It Important?
Legal liability is a common reason organizations work to make their websites accessible, and increasingly websites are being held legally accountable. According to the Seyfarth ADA Title III News & Insights Blog, plaintiffs filed 3,225 website accessibility lawsuits in federal court in 2022 – a 12 percent increase over 2021.
But the importance of digital accessibility goes beyond legal regulations! According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), new government research finds up to 1 in 4 Americans have a disability that impacts a major part of their life.
Did you know? Approximately 71% of web users with a disability will simply leave a website that is not accessible. With 29% or about 1 in 3 adults in the state of Georgia having some type of disability, this represents a significant loss of traffic, clientele and audience.
By making our digital content accessible, we can:
- Broaden our reach to more audiences
- Increase traffic to our websites
- Optimize search ranking potential
- Improve our websites and increase usability for all visitors
- Generate positive PR and brand awareness
- Demonstrate a commitment and care for people with disabilities
- Comply with legislation to reduce legal liabilities
- Protect the brand
- Standardize web design, build and maintenance
What Can Content Managers Do for a More Accessible Website?
Achieving accessibility for your website not only relies heavily on design, but also content. To stay proactive about digital accessibility during content creation, read our articles:
