Why web accessibility is important:
The internet belongs to everyone—but not everyone enjoys equivalent access. According to a 2021 report from WebAIM, 97.4% of the top one million websites had accessibility issues on their homepages.
Web accessibility expands your audience
One common misconception is that web accessibility is only for people who are blind or deaf. That’s not the case. Accessible websites offer an improved experience for all of these users by focusing on four fundamental principles: Content should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. With an accessible approach, your website or mobile app can dramatically improve its reach—without making technology-specific accommodations for every method that people use to access your content.
Accessible websites provide a better experience for all users
Appropriate colour contrast ratios ensure that text is legible for people with vision disabilities. Colour contrast refers to the difference in contrast between foreground elements (such as text) and your website’s background. Using appropriate colour contrast can reduce eyestrain for almost everyone. A simpler user authentication process can accommodate people with mobility or memory impairments. All users will benefit from a streamlined login process, which may improve conversions and customer retention. Writing clear, concise content can accommodate people with learning disabilities. Once again, all users benefit: Clearer content gets your message across more efficiently.
Accessible websites often cost less to maintain
Accessible websites tend to use cleaner code, which means faster load times, fewer errors, and improved search engine positioning. When you’re ready to add features, refresh content, or redesign your site, you might end up paying less for development and maintenance.
Starting an accessibility initiative may require an investment, but the investment has excellent returns. In many cases, the benefits become apparent almost immediately. With that said, it’s important to remember that accessibility should remain a consistent priority; it’s not a one-time project, and every member of your team will need to share the responsibility.
Web accessibility is a legal and ethical obligation
Many countries have laws and regulations that require website accessibility. If those laws didn’t exist, accessibility would still be worthwhile—but many businesses begin prioritising users with disabilities to avoid legal consequences.
The Queensland Department of Education requires WCAG 2.x compliance of all public facing websites and digital content.