Are you a digital marketer or business owner looking to keep up with the ever-shifting landscape of web compliance? The recent increase in accessibilities lawsuits due to an individual’s inability to use websites has made ADA website compliance all the more important. Great news – it doesn’t have to be daunting! In this post, we will discuss 6 takeaways from our team as they navigated the waters related to ADA Website Compliance. Come along and learn how our team went about tackling website accessibility challenges and how your organization should go about tackling their own.
1. Be proactive.
At the heart of ADA website compliance is a commitment to making sure that all users have equal access to digital content even if they have disabilities such as limited mobility, low vision, hearing impairment and more. Accessibility must be taken seriously in order for any website or digital product to truly be successful long-term. As such, it’s important for organizations to be proactive in their approach when it comes to ADA website compliance. This means taking an audit of your existing infrastructure and proactively addressing areas where there may be gaps or potential issues with accessibility compliance. It can also involve actively gathering feedback from disabled users on user experience and accessibility issues, which can help you develop better strategies moving forward.
2. Understand Your Target Audience
It is important to make sure that you understand your target audience, including any disabled users who may be using your website or digital product. Researching user needs and preferences can give you insight into how to better serve them, as well as how to ensure ADA compliance. For example, if you know a large portion of your visitors struggle with reading due to a vision impairment, then it’s essential for you to include features like text-to-speech capabilities or larger font sizes in order to be accessible. The key here is finding out what people need and then making sure those needs are met.
3. Use the proper tools
Using specialized tools designed for web accessibility testing can help organizations identify potential issues quickly. These tools are designed to scan a website for issues related to ADA compliance and generate comprehensive reports about what needs improvement. WordPress Website Design Company Dallas shares that some of the most popular accessibility testing tools include WAVE, AXE, and Tenon. These tools can provide invaluable insight into how your website is performing from an accessibility standpoint, as well as help you identify any areas that need attention.
4. Employ Alternative Text
Alternative text (or “alt text”) is used to describe images or other visual elements on websites so that those with disabilities can still understand the content within them. For example, if there is an image of a sunset on a page, it would be helpful for someone who has trouble seeing due to vision impairment to have an alt text description that reads “a sunset over a lake”. Writing effective and descriptive alternative text ensures that all users can access content on a website, regardless of their abilities.
5. Ensure Usability
It’s also important to make sure your website is usable for everyone, which includes those with disabilities who may be unable to use a mouse or rely heavily on keyboard navigation. This means making sure links are clearly labeled and buttons are easily clickable or able to be tabbed through using the keyboard. According to Arlington SEO Agency, it is important to have an intuitive page structure so that those navigating with screen reader software don’t get lost in complicated menus and sub-menus. Making sure usability is optimized for all users is essential for ADA website compliance.
6. Get Certified
Last but not least, it is important to consider getting certified by a third-party organization that specializes in accessibility testing and certification. Doing so can help provide outside validation of your website’s overall accessibility and give customers greater confidence in your services or products. Some organizations that offer web accessibility certifications include Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Section 508, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Summing Up
At the end of the day, making sure your website is compliant with ADA standards is essential for digital marketers and business owners to keep up with the continuously changing landscape of web compliance. By understanding our 6 takeaways from our team’s experience related to ADA Website Compliance, you can get started on the right track. Proactively addressing user needs, using specialized tools for accessibility testing, employing alternative text, prioritizing usability and even considering certifications can all help ensure that your website is accessible and compliant with ADA standards. In short – an accessible website is a successful website. So take action today and get started on the path to ADA compliance.
