Make your site more user-friendly to the visually impaired
Taking the time to make your website easier for people to use, is not just being considerate, it’s the right way to manage your brand online.
Did you know that companies, large and small, are being sued because their site does not allow the sight impaired to navigate your site? It’s true.
In 2023 alone, there were more than 4,500 ADA-related app and web accessibility lawsuits for an average of 80-100 lawsuits a week. Most lawsuits were filed in New York, California, or Florida with eCommerce websites receiving the bulk of claims.
Source: info.usablenet.com
Based on ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA is more than handicapped parking spaces, accessibility ramps, and braille signs in elevators. It’s now being applied to websites.
Is your website compliant?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, it’s really important to note, the fix can be a simple one. Our site, for instance, provides great functionality, giving sight impaired users more options when visiting. We can do the same for your website. All new sites we build are made with our users in mind. Accessibility isn’t an afterthought, it’s built in.
On our site, you’ll note an icon, which stands for accessibility.
Click to access the Accessibility Menu and see the options.
Click, Read Page to see, or rather, listen to, the screen reader we’ve installed, As you go through just one page, you start to understand how this might effect someone who’s visually impaired.
Using tools like this is a great start. We take it steps further by providing other best practices built into your site, streamlining the user experience.
Screen Readers
Understanding how others view your website is what this is all about.
Screen readers are apps that read the contents of a site for the user. Often in painful detail, they describe every element on the page. By minimizing these elements, we craft a better experience. Depending on your business, this can be a quick fix or a continual effort.
Considering the needs of different users makes the difference. A little effort pays off—and might just avoid a lawsuit. Get ahead of this and win over this audience.
At GreenDev, we help resolve challenges like this, making your site more accessible. We’re here to help you navigate both the technical and human side of developing your internet presence.
In the News
Businesses ‘sitting ducks’ for lawsuits because websites aren’t ADA compliant
This article and video from Florida television station, News 8 in Tampa, shows how one local retailer is facing litigation. The article relates that…
The retailer states that, “Lawyers tell me to just settle. You can’t fight ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you fight this, you’re going to quadruple your bill”.
* For more information on ADA, visit https://ada.gov