Avoid Accessibility Lawsuits with an ADA Compliant Website
Web design is an art form in and of itself but it is one that is quickly coming under scrutiny from governmental agencies and regulatory bodies. An ADA Compliant Website in now more essential than ever before.
Of course, this was a long time in coming and also overdue by some accounts. For example, websites in the United States could face hefty lawsuits if they fail to make their online portals compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Luckily for website owners searching for affordable web design services, Orange County’s Orange Web Group offers a comprehensive strategy for making websites ADA compliant.
And it isn’t just website accessibility lawsuits that online companies have to worry about, but also losing out on important business.
Zenyth Group’s CEO Daryn Harpaz said of this cohort during an interview that “more than 85% of websites that are visited do not provide an inclusive experience. And we know that over 80% of people with disabilities say that they would return to a website if it was accessible and they would shop more often and support that brand.”
Of course you can’t just hire any web designer, Orange County’s Orange Web Group has extensive experience in just this field of project modeling and execution. Among the top web design companies, Orange County’s Orange Web Group harnesses the creative energy and cutting edge technology native to California to deliver world-class products to their clients. Perhaps that is why they are considered by long-term partners the best web design company Orange County has to offer.
Website accessibility isn’t just about meeting legal requirements or capturing a market, but also about recognizing certain fundamental values that underpin our society as a whole.
“If you are, as a business, catering to society, regardless of ability, you’re going to succeed as a company. And if a business owner could meet, engage, or otherwise interact with the disability community, I believe that they would see the human aspects of this and want to do better. It shouldn’t have to be under the requirements of a lawsuit or the threat of penalties and fees to want to do better. Instead, we should be enabling our community from a social aspect to be integrated and inclusive. And I think that says a lot about where we need to move in the direction of disabilities in general,” Daryn explained.
ADA Compliant Web Design in Orange County
Part of the process of making a website ADA compliant includes extensive testing and modeling of various user scenarios. That’s why it is so important that companies enlist the best talent that they can. When it comes to affordable web design, Orange County’s own Orange Web Group knows how to work within client budgetary parameters while also getting the job done. They will not only get your website up to regulatory standards, but they will also help you keep it there. Unlike many firms that approach business in an ad hoc manner, Orange Web Group seeks to build relationships with their clients.
Another reason why companies need to start thinking about this – and now – is because of the shift in consumer behavior brought out by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Since its emergence in Wuhan, China, last year, the COVID-19 outbreak has forced local governments to implement lockdown measures and has called into question the way retail business is conducted in brick-and-mortar stores. As you can imagine, this has led to a boom in business for online merchants.
Owner of Artistic-Zeal Media, Cortni LoGalbo, said of the need to make websites accessible, “Covid-19 has caused shoppers to move toward online shopping as opposed to purchasing in store. Companies that don’t have ADA compliant websites are already at risk of a lawsuit, but now they are seeing surges of shoppers purchasing from them online.”
LoGalbo also highlights that there are literally “hundreds” of ways a website could violate the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and face accessibility website lawsuits.
“A few specific issues of concern are the ability to navigate a website using only the keyboard, proper coding of headings, unique titles and lists, legibility of text based on size, contrast from background, color and font and images with detailed alternative text so screen readers can properly convey what is displayed,” he explained.
As for the ADA compliant websites and lawsuits, many businesses are facing out-of-court settlements rather than going to court. This is not only expensive but it doesn’t solve the problem of website ADA accessibility.
“Many small businesses are told, ‘You can’t fight this. If you fight this, you’re going to quadruple your bill. There’s nothing you can do, just write them a check. That’s why many individuals are settling out of court, but often the individuals that are sending these demand letters are doing so for hundreds of businesses at a time. And even then, getting a web developer who is familiar with regulations to make your site compatible could cost [$30,000] [plus]. That’s why we are happy to offer an affordable option for these businesses and for most companies, there are tax credits that can help cover these costs.”
There are five major reasons that companies need to consider ADA compliance for their website in the near term. These include:
5. Increase Target Audience
ADA compliance will make your website open to more segments of the population.
4. Improve Your SEO
You’ll be rewarded in terms of SEO for bringing your website up to the latest standards.
3. Improve Your Online Reputation with ADA Compliant Websites
The easier it is to use your website the better your online reputation will be especially among consumers that value accessibility.
2. Improves Overall Website Usability
Staying up to date on current ADA accessibility measures will inevitably lead to improvements in usability across your entire website.
1. Avoid Lawsuits
As we’ve emphasized in this article, ADA compliance will help you avoid needless lawsuits that could end up being quite expensive for your company.
