Web accessibility is a crucial consideration for small businesses aiming to create inclusive online experiences. By implementing accessibility features, companies can ensure their websites are usable by people with disabilities, comply with legal requirements, and potentially expand their customer base.
88% of online consumers won’t return to a site after a bad experience.” This statistic from WebFX’s recent study shows how important usability is in web design. Usability isn’t a luxury only for big companies with deep pockets. It’s for anyone who wants to retain and grow their audience.
While comprehensive accessibility solutions like those offered by accessiBe can be valuable, there are also many cost-effective steps small businesses can take to enhance their website’s usability.
This article explores practical approaches to improving web accessibility without breaking the bank.
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The Business Case for Web Accessibility: Why Small Businesses Should Prioritize Inclusivity
Web accessibility isn’t just about complying with laws or being a good citizen – it’s a business strategy that delivers real benefits. Making your website accessible to people with disabilities can open up new markets, increase your online visibility and even bring in more cash. Let’s get into the business case for web accessibility.
1. Larger Customer Base
One of the biggest untapped markets is people with disabilities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) over 1 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability, that’s 15% of the global population. In many countries such as Canada and the US, people with disabilities are a significant portion of the consumer base.
By making your website accessible you open up millions of potential customers. For example, many users rely on screen readers to navigate online stores or websites. If your site isn’t compatible you could be turning away customers without even knowing it. Expanding your site’s usability to this group can lead to more engagement and ultimately more revenue.
2. Better SEO
Accessibility and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are closely related. Several web accessibility best practices – such as proper use of HTML heading structures, descriptive alt text for images and clear navigation – align with the algorithms that search engines like Google use to rank websites.
- Alt Text for Images: Alt text describes images, making them accessible to screen reader users. Search engines use this text to understand what the image is about, and improve your site’s ranking for image based searches.
- Logical Heading Structure: Screen readers use HTML headings (H1, H2, H3) to navigate a page. Search engines also prioritize sites with well structured content that makes it easy for users to find what they’re looking for. Better structure means better indexing which means better rankings.
This dual benefit means that making accessibility improvements can make your website more findable and get more organic traffic. In short web accessibility and SEO are a match made in heaven that benefits both users and search engines.
3. Better Brand Reputation
In an increasingly conscious consumer market, customers are paying attention to what businesses stand for. Prioritizing inclusivity and showing you care about creating accessible digital experiences can boost your brand reputation. In fact many consumers today prefer to engage with brands that show social responsibility and inclusivity.
By putting accessibility first you’re telling your business cares about all users, regardless of ability. This builds customer loyalty and sets you apart from competitors who may not be doing the same.
Plus positive brand perception leads to more word of mouth referrals, customer trust and a sense of community among your customers.
4. Legal Protection and Tax Benefits
Accessibility can also save your business from legal headaches. In many countries web accessibility is the law. For example in the US the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires digital services to be accessible to people with disabilities. Not complying with these regulations can cost you lawsuits and fines.
By addressing accessibility now you can avoid legal action and show you care about inclusivity and the law.
And there are financial benefits to making a website accessible. Some regions offer tax credits or other financial incentives to businesses that invest in accessibility. For example in the US small businesses can qualify for the Disabled Access Credit which provides tax relief for accessibility related expenses including website updates.
These tax benefits can help offset the cost of accessibility improvements so another good reason to make inclusivity a priority for your online presence.
5. Better User Experience for Everyone
Accessibility improvements make the website better for everyone not just people with disabilities. Many accessibility features like responsive design, easy navigation and clean layouts make for a more intuitive and enjoyable browsing experience. For example:
- Responsive design: Making your website accessible on all devices including smartphones makes it better for everyone regardless of ability.
- Clear Navigation and Structure: Simplifying navigation and organizing content in a logical way helps users find what they’re looking for faster, reduces frustration and improves conversion rates.
When accessibility is built in it makes the interaction better for everyone and that means more time on site, lower bounce rates and higher conversions.
Cost-Effective Accessibility Solutions
Below are practical, budget-friendly solutions that can make a big impact.
1. Use Automated Tools for Audits
Automated tools are a quick and cheap way to find common issues on a website. They scan the pages and give you a report on the barriers users with disabilities might face, such as missing alt text or poor color contrast.
Automated tools aren’t exhaustive – they can’t catch everything, especially those that require human judgment – but they’re a good start. Tools like WAVE, Axe or Google Lighthouse can find errors related to basic web standards like missing labels on forms or unoptimised images.
2. Perform Basic Manual Changes for Accessibility
Making manual changes to improve accessibility is both effective and cheap. Here are the areas to focus on:
- Alt Text for Images: Adding alt text to images is crucial for screen reader users. Alt text describes the image content, so users with visual impairments can understand what’s being displayed. This is a simple update any developer or content manager can do.
- Proper Heading Structure: Use the right HTML heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) in a logical order. Proper headings help users who navigate via keyboard or screen readers understand the structure of your content, so they can jump to relevant sections.
- Color Contrast: Low contrast between text and background colors can be a big barrier for users with visual impairments. Use tools like Contrast Checker to test and ensure your website’s color scheme meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards.
3. Content writing for Accessibility
Accessible content creation means writing and structuring text so it’s easy for all users to understand, regardless of any cognitive disabilities they may have. The good news is this doesn’t require special software or expensive services, just thoughtful content strategies:
- Plain Language: Write in plain language, no jargon or long sentences. This benefits all users, especially those with cognitive disabilities or non-native speakers.
- Structure for Readability: Short paragraphs, bullet points and subheadings make content scannable. Many users, especially those using assistive technology, benefit from structured content that’s easy to navigate.
- Descriptive Links: Instead of “click here”, use meaningful link text like “Learn more about accessibility improvements”. This allows screen reader users to understand the purpose of the links they encounter.
4. Simplify Navigation
One of the simplest ways to improve website usability is to simplify navigation. A confusing menu or too many options can overwhelm users and they’ll leave. Limit your menu to essential pages and group related pages under clear categories. Consider using a sticky menu that stays visible as users scroll so navigation is more convenient.
Cost-effective tips:
- Use free or affordable website builders like WordPress or Wix which have simple, customizable templates with easy navigation options.
- Test your navigation by doing a card-sorting test using tools like Optimal Workshop which allows you to see how users categorize your content.
5. Page Load Speed
Did you know that a 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%? Slow loading times frustrate users and hurts your website’s usability. The good news is you don’t need to spend big to improve page speed.
Practical solutions:
- Compress images using free tools like TinyPNG or JPEG-Optimizer. Large images can slow down page load times big time.
- Minimize plugins and third-party scripts. Every additional plugin slows down your website so remove those that are not necessary.
- Use free content delivery networks (CDNs) like Cloudflare to deliver content faster to users across different geographical locations.
6. Mobile Usability
Mobile accounts for 58% of all website traffic globally. Ignoring mobile usability is no longer an option even for small websites. Make sure your website is responsive and works well on smaller screens. Good news is most website platforms offer mobile-optimized templates for free.
Low-cost actions:
- Use Google’s free Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check your website’s mobile performance. It gives you actionable tips for improvement.
- Choose a responsive design template from free sources like ThemeForest or Bootstrap.
7. Simplify Forms and Reduce Input Fields
Forms are often a usability killer. Long and complicated forms frustrate users and they’ll leave. By reducing the number of fields and simplifying the design you can improve user experience big time.
Actionable steps:
- Remove unnecessary form fields and only ask for necessary information. For example instead of asking for first and last name, you can ask for full name.
- Use free form-builder tools like Google Forms or Wufoo which allows for easy customization and A/B testing.
8. Use User Feedback
User feedback is a powerful (and cheap) way to find out where your usability is lacking. You don’t need expensive software – just a willingness to listen to your audience.
Methods:
- Install free feedback tools like Hotjar or Google Forms to ask users about their experience and get insights.
- Analyze user behaviour with free tools like Google Analytics. Look at bounce rate, session duration and pages per session to see how users are using your website.
9. Make it Accessible
A usable website is also an accessible one. Making it accessible means your site is usable by a wider audience, including people with disabilities. Small changes like adding alt text to images and making text bigger or more readable can improve the experience for everyone.
Cheap fixes:
- Use free online contrast checkers like WebAIM to make sure your text stands out against your background.
- Add alt text to images. Most content management systems, like WordPress, let you do this for free.
10. Use Clear and Consistent CTAs
Clear and consistent call-to-action (CTA) buttons guide users to your goal whether that’s a sale, sign-up or download. Vague or misleading CTAs confuse users, while well placed, descriptive ones convert.
Quick wins:
- Use free design tools like Canva to create beautiful, attention grabbing CTA buttons.
- Be consistent in style and placement across your site to avoid confusion. This keeps the user journey smooth and simple.
11. Content Layout and Readability
Too much text and cluttered pages can overwhelm visitors. Clean and organized layouts with plenty of white space are easier to read and navigate, usability wins. Choose simple, readable fonts and break up text into bite sized chunks.
Cheap fixes:
- Use free readability tools like Hemingway Editor to make sure your content is clear and readable.
- Use a grid based layout with free or low cost themes that follow best practices for readability.
12. Integrate Search Functionality
If users can’t find what they’re looking for they’ll leave. A search bar lets users quickly find specific content especially on content heavy sites.
Cheap solutions:
- WordPress has free plugins like Ivory Search or Relevanssi to add search to your site.
- For smaller sites, consider Google Custom Search which is free and gives great results.
13. Test Usability
Finally, one of the best ways to improve website usability is to test usability. Watching real users use your site can reveal hidden pain points you weren’t aware of.
Budget testing:
- Tools like UserTesting.com offer affordable usability testing. Or gather a few users from your audience and ask them to do tasks while you observe.
- Record sessions with free tools like Loom to see how users interact with your site and find areas to improve.
