Accessibility is a hot topic in WA, with many organisations fearing the potential legal or reputational fallout of their website not being 100% accessible. These fears are understandable, but they’re also unfounded.
2023 saw an exponential rise in the number of lawsuits related to digital accessibility in the US.
As digital accessibility requirements become more stringent and more widely adopted, many Australian organisations are worried this trend may soon reach our shores, leading them to ask:
“How can I make my digital presence 100% accessible?”
But in reality, this is the wrong question - making your organisation 100% accessible is incredibly disruptive and stressful, costing time and money and likely harming your commercial interests. It’s also not necessary.
Instead, a better question is:
“What accessibility actions are going to give my organisation the best return for the least amount of disruption?”
Why it’s important
To answer this question, we need to explore how digital accessibility can benefit YOUR organisation:
Compliance
Depending on the industry in which you work, your organisation may be subject to legislation on minimum accessibility requirements. If this is the case, making sure you meet these requirements helps protect your organisation from legal penalties.
Public Relations
Accessibility is an important way to show your customers that you care about them. If your website can be used by a greater number of people, it shows you are thinking about them. Failing to do so can lead to reputational damage if segments of your audience are calling for accessibility online and being ignored. This can also occur if your failure to create an accessible user experience is at odds with your organisation’s messaging on ESG goals.
As well as improving customer experience, an accessible digital presence is a great way to signal to your stakeholders that your organisation is future-focused and on top of the latest digital trends.
Website Performance
An accessible website is more likely to generate conversions and is easier to find on Google.
Why? Accessibility necessitates the use of clear language and design elements. These make it easier for customers to engage with your website and understand your offering. It also makes it easier for search engines like Google to read your website and make sure it gets in front of the right audience.
On top of this, if customers can’t find the information they need on your website, they’re more likely to put strain on your administrative resources by calling or sending emails instead.
The weighting of these various benefits is going to be different for every organisation. For example, compliance may be the most important factor for Local Governments, whereas a large
Not for Profit may benefit most from improved PR. Similarly, Corporates may see improved website performance as their top priority because their website brings in leads and therefore
revenue.
What’s next?
Ultimately, getting the best return for the least amount of disruption comes down to prioritising what is most important for your organisation (compliance, PR or website performance), using tools to assess your current accessibility standings, and then actioning the things that will make the most impact according to your priorities.
That’s where we come in.
At ALYKA, we specialise in designing, developing and delivering accessible websites, as well as optimising existing websites to better achieve your accessibility goals.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your next project.
