The ADA is a law that helps make sure people with disabilities can do the same things as everyone else. This includes using websites. An accessible website often performs better in search rankings and provides a better user experience for all visitors, not just for those with disabilities. 

When a website is easy for everyone to use, more people are likely to buy things. This is good for the business and for all shoppers.

Website Accessibility Affects Sales

Not even considering the disabled population, cart abadonment is 70% just in general. That is often attributed to the user interface and experience (UX/UI) on the website, specifically navigation, form field issues, and mobile responsiveness.

Still not convinced? Check out these additional stats:

• Businesses lose money due to inaccessible websites. According to a study out of the UK, businesses there lose approximately £17.1 billion annually as the result of not having a compliant website.
• Research by Accenture shows that companies that actively champion disability inclusion achieve 28% higher revenue on average.
• A report by WebAIM found that 97.4% of home pages did not meet WCAG level AA standards, alienating part of your user demographic and leaving the rest with a poor UX/UI.

Website Accessibility is the Law

If you have an accessible website that is easy for everyone to use, more people can buy from you, but even more, you’ll also avoid getting in trouble with the law. 

Word of caution: don’t fall for website accessibility myths that can get you in legal trouble. Website accessibility applies to all websites at all levels. Government websites, small and large corporate websites, and everything in between. 

Don’t let your website (or better yet, your business) fall into these stats:

• In 2018, there were 2,314 lawsuits. By the end of 2023, there might be 4,220.
• Most lawsuits (77%) are against smaller businesses that make less than $25 million a year.
• Title III website accessibility first-time violations range from $55,000 to $75,000, with secondary violations up to $150,000.

Website Accessibility – New DOJ Rule

On April 24, 2024, the DOJ made a new rule about website accessibility. This rule is for state and local government websites. It says these websites must be easy for people with disabilities to use.

The new rule has some important points:

• All state and local governments must follow this rule.
• The rule is about websites and mobile apps.
• Websites must follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This is a set of rules that help make websites work for everyone.
• When to follow the rule:
  • Big cities (50,000 or more people) must follow the rule by April 24, 2026.
  • Smaller towns (less than 50,000 people) have until April 24, 2027.

As web professionals and website owners, we have the power to make the internet a more inclusive space. By prioritizing accessibility in our web development and SEO strategies, we’re not just expanding our potential audience—we’re making a real difference in people’s lives.

At the end of the day, ensuring your website is accessible not only make good business sense but it’s also just the right thing to do.