ADA Compliance for Websites: A Complete 2022 Guide

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The Internet has forever changed the way we communicate, making it easier to keep in touch or meet people anywhere in the world. It’s also made communication easier for people with disabilities, though it could always be made better. Website developers, marketers, and business owners are more increasingly cognizant about meeting the needs of this demographic. ADA compliance for websites helps make this possible.

Aside from making life a bit easier for those who are differently abled, there are additional benefits for following ADA compliance guidelines when building your business website. Read on to learn more – and make sure your website meets these basic requirements.

Why ADA Compliance for Websites Matters

An estimated 15% of the world’s population has disabilities. That amounts to roughly 1 billion people who may not be able to access your products or services if your website is not fully accessible.

With 97.8% of websites not following basic ADA compliance guidelines, you can make your business stand out in the following ways:

Improve Site Quality

Simply put, websites that are universally accessible are just better websites. Why would you not want to have as many people as possible be able to access your products or services? Not to mention, following ADA compliance guidelines also overlaps with techniques for good web development and design. Everybody wins here.

Avoid Legal Consequences

While unlikely, you could potentially face a discrimination suit from someone with a disability who can’t access your website. Following these guidelines enables you to work with government agencies and nonprofits, which are also ADA compliant.

Expand Your Audience

Sure, an ADA compliant website could help you gain an audience for your business in the disabled community. But taking those extra steps says to their friends, relatives, and caregivers that you care. Increasing your audience can’t help but also increase your business’ bottom line.

Normalize Accessibility

There’s nothing wrong with being disabled. Being ADA compliant helps normalize this fact. The more websites comply, the more beneficial it is for everyone.

Improve Your SEO Ranking

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is your website’s best friend. It’s what helps your business shoot to the top of Google rankings when people use search terms that are relevant to your business. ADA compliance standards just happen to use some of the best practices in SEO standards. Why not take advantage of that?

Does Your Website Make The Cut?

You may be on board with making your website more compliant, but wondering how you can accomplish that. Below are a few suggestions for improvement:

Closed Captioning and Subtitles

If your website has videos, make sure they have captions and subtitles. Make sure these captions are grammatically correct.

Audio Transcripts

In addition to closed captioning, it’s also a good idea to have audio transcripts available with your videos. This helps visitors using screen readers.

Use Plain Language

When creating your transcript or subtitles, it’s best to be as plain and simple as possible. Avoid using slang or jargon, as this will also help visitors whose first language may not be English.

Include Multiple Contact Options

Many companies communicate exclusively by email or phone, but an ADA compliant company will offer both. Be sure to include web forms and a physical location as well.

Make Sure Any Forms On Your Site Are Also Accessible

If you have any PDF forms attached to your website, whether they are read-only documents or forms that need to be filled out, they should be accessible to your users. Including ADA Accessible forms allows them to be read by screen readers.  Making sure any fillable forms available for download on your website are accessible allows greater access for users to provide you with the information you are requesting.

ADA Compliance for Websites and More

Connectica is a digital marketing company that offers a wide range of services to help improve your business. From building a professional website, to boosting that website’s SEO, to creating and managing your site’s content, we do it all! Our services have helped thousands of businesses in the South Florida area, and yours could be one of them. For questions or to schedule a consultation, call us today at 877-816-2259.