By Michael Gasser, Squeeze Marketing
Web accessibility is the practice of designing and building websites that can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. This includes individuals who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, have motor disabilities, or have cognitive limitations. It is estimated that over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability.
For business owners, web accessibility is not just the right thing to do. It is increasingly a legal requirement and a significant business opportunity.
The Legal Landscape Is Shifting
ADA-related website lawsuits have been rising steadily. Businesses of all sizes have been sued for having inaccessible websites. The Department of Justice has taken the position that the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to websites, and courts have increasingly agreed. Several states have additional accessibility requirements for businesses operating within their borders.
The safest legal position is to make your website accessible. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level is the most widely accepted standard. Meeting these guidelines significantly reduces your legal risk and demonstrates that your business is committed to serving all customers.
Accessibility Is Good for Business
Beyond legal compliance, accessibility expands your potential customer base. People with disabilities represent a significant and loyal market segment. A website that is accessible to screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies can be used by millions of people who would otherwise be unable to interact with your business online.
Accessibility improvements also benefit all users. Better contrast makes text easier to read in bright sunlight. Captions on videos help people watching without sound. Clear navigation helps everyone find what they need faster. Accessibility is not a niche concern. It is good UX for everyone.
Common Accessibility Issues
The most frequent accessibility problems are also the easiest to fix. Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers. Videos without captions exclude deaf users. Poor color contrast makes text unreadable for people with low vision. Forms without proper labels are impossible to navigate with a keyboard.
Other common issues include missing heading structure, which makes it difficult for screen reader users to navigate your content, inaccessible dropdown menus, and links that say click here without describing where they lead. These issues are straightforward to identify and resolve with the right expertise.
How to Get Started
Start by running your site through a free accessibility checker like WAVE or Google Lighthouse. These tools will identify the most critical issues. Address alt text, color contrast, heading structure, and form labels first, as these cover the most common barriers.
For a comprehensive approach, work with a web development team that understands WCAG guidelines and can audit your full site. Accessibility should be built into your website from the ground up, not bolted on as an afterthought. If you are planning a website redesign, this is the ideal time to make accessibility a priority.
The Bottom Line
Web accessibility is good ethics, good business, and increasingly good legal practice. By making your website usable for everyone, you expand your reach, improve the user experience for all visitors, and protect your business from legal risk.
Squeeze Marketing builds accessible websites that meet WCAG standards and serve every customer. Visit squeezemarket.com to learn how we can help your business be accessible to everyone.
