In this digital age, websites have quickly become the primary means of gathering information, commerce, and communication. But, how up to date are you on making sure your website is accessible to all, including those with disabilities? Ensuring your website is accessible is not only a good thing to do, it’s also a legal requirement. The key way to ensure your website is accessible is to adhere to WCAG 2.1 standards. We’re here to discuss exactly why it is beneficial for a website to be in compliance with these standards.
Ethically, it’s simple. Making your website accessible to everyone is just the right thing to do. People with disabilities deserve the same right to access information, goods, and services as everyone else. If your website is not accessible, you are excluding a significant portion of the population from being able to easily and comfortably access your website. Excluding people can have a negative effect on your business, as well, as you may be losing potential customers and clients.
Adhering to WCAG 2.1 standards is the way to ensure that your website is accessible to all. These standards provide guidelines on how to make your website accessible to people with different types of disabilities including visual, auditory, physical, and cognitive. Such things to keep in consideration are your color contrasts, font sizes, differentiating object states, ensuring images have alt tags, and so much more. By adhering to these standards, business owners can ensure their websites are accessible to all.
Let’s not forget the legal aspect we mentioned. If your website is not accessible, you are at risk of a user taking legal action against you. In the US, there are laws that require websites to be accessible to all. However, not a lot of people know that this is the case. Failure to comply with these laws can result in a user taking legal action against your business. Adhering to WCAG 2.1 standards is the way to ensure you can avoid legal issues, but it is a hassle to get everything set up correctly. That’s why it’s best to trust experts in accessibility to ensure your business is protected.
If your website is not up to WCAG 2.1 standards, this is the time to ensure that it is. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it can also help your business target new audiences and grow your revenue. Be sure to protect your business’ interest by adhering to WCAG 2.1 standards and setting a new example of what the web should be. If you are looking for help in getting set up for success, please reach out to us. We’d be happy to work with you to ensure a more accessible future for all!