You need to buy a gift, it’s your best friend’s birthday soon and you want to get them something special. On your lunch break, you head into town where there are two shops to choose from, Michael’s Miscellany and Bits and Bob’s.

You go to Michael’s Miscellany first. As you approach, you trip up the steep steps at the entrance. After fumbling to your feet, you struggle to open the heavy door. Inside, the music is loud and there are flashing whirligigs all over the shop; everything is jumbled together without labelling or categorisation, making it impossible to find anything. Frustrated and overwhelmed, you leave without buying a gift.

Next, you head to Bits and Bob’s. This shop is a delight to visit. The door opens automatically as you approach, and the aisles are clearly labelled with overhead signs. The shelves are perfectly categorised, and the atmosphere is calm and welcoming. A friendly staff member at the till is ready to help, and you quickly find the perfect gift, pay, and leave in time to get back to work. Later, during a catch-up with your boss, you mention your terrible experience at Michael’s Miscellany and how you won’t be going back. Your boss decides that next time they need to buy a gift, they’ll go straight to Bits and Bob’s.

These two very different experiences highlight the importance of accessibility. One shop is accessible and user-friendly, while the other is not. This analogy applies to web accessibility as well. Just as a physical space can be welcoming or frustrating, the same principles apply online. Ensuring that your front door is open to everyone, regardless of their abilities, is not just a legal obligation, but a golden opportunity to enhance your brand’s reputation and reach. Web accessibility means designing and developing your website so that people with disabilities can perceive, operate and understand it effectively.

Don’t limit your customer base

Approximately 16% of the global population, or 1 in 6 individuals, live with some form of disability, totalling at around 1.3 billion people. And that figure doesn’t include people that are temporarily disabled from injury, circumstance or environment. By making your website accessible, your brand is able to reach a wider audience, which can help engage more customers and boost sales.

Enhance the user experience for all

Designing for accessibility often makes the experience better for everyone, not just people with disabilities. Features like high-contrast text, clear and simple navigation as well as common and consistent landmarks benefit all users, making your website more user-friendly and enjoyable to use.

Improved Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Many principles of web accessibility also align with the best practices for SEO. For example, using a proper heading hierarchy ensures that you website content is well-organised and easily navigable for both users and search engines. This means structuring your content with clear and logical headings (e.g., H1 for main page titles, H2 for subtitles, H3 for sub-subtitle etc.) which helps screen readers interpret the page structure and assist visually impaired users in navigating your site.

Writing concise and accurate alternative text for images provides meaning and context for screen reader users whilst also helping search engines understand the content of images, which can improve your website’s relevance and ranking in search results, although it is important to point out not to abuse this by keyword-stuffing.

Clear and concise language not only helps users with cognitive disabilities but also improves the readability and user experience for all customers. Readability is also a factor search engines consider when ranking pages. Therefore, by improving the accessibility of your website, you are simultaneously boosting your SEO chances, making you rank higher in search results, attracting more visitors, and strengthening your brand’s reputation.

Inclusivity promotes a positive brand image

When a company prioritises web accessibility, it demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity. Your customers are more likely to trust your brand, product and services if you demonstrate empathy and consideration. By making your website accessible, you send a clear message about your brand values to your customers. That you value everyone. Showing that you are socially aware and responsible, and care about the diversity of needs that your audience has, significantly enhances your brand image. Customers appreciate businesses that make an effort to cater to everyone, regardless of their abilities. It gives people a sense of fairness and respect, which resonates positively with customers who value equality and social responsibility.

a young women using a mobile phone with a prosthetic arm

United Welsh are a housing association, and have committed to making their brand more accessible. They have already overhauled their colour palette and style guide of their non-digital collateral, and plan to do the same to their website to improve colour contrast after a recent accessibility assessment. United Welsh are not obliged to make their website accessible, but by adopting and promoting web accessibility, they will position their brand as a pioneer of accessibility in their sector. This leadership not only sets them apart from competitors but also attracts customers who value initiative and innovation, and, more importantly, they don’t exclude anyone.

Legal compliance

In September of 2018, the UK’s accessibility regulations came into force for public sector bodies, and since then, The Government Digital Service has been monitoring compliance by reviewing a sample of public sector websites and mobile apps every year.

In other regions, there are legal requirements mandating web accessibility, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States and the European Accessibility Act in the European Union, which impacts EU countries and anyone wanting to trade in those areas. Non-compliance can lead to lawsuits, which can severely damage your brand’s reputation and financial standing. By proactively making your website accessible, you can avoid legal repercussions and present your brand as law-abiding and proactive.

Conclusion

Investing in web accessibility is not just about compliance or doing the right thing—it’s a strategic move that can significantly enhance your brand’s reputation. By creating an inclusive, user-friendly online space, you can expand your customer base, improve SEO performance, and foster loyalty.