According to the World Health Organization, there are around one billion individuals throughout the world who are disabled. This accounts for an estimated 15% of the global population.
The discussions around disabilities are often framed in terms of legal requirements rather than true accessibility and inclusion. Digital marketers are in a position to shift this mindset and make their products more accessible to people with disabilities.
Material and data are now more broadly accessible due to the evolution of digital marketing. Even so, accessibility is not always synonymous with availability.
Users with visual, hearing or cognitive impairments have certain requirements that must be met to access information. There are a lot of different routes that marketers may use to make their content available to these demographics.
Why Is Creating Content on The Web That Is Accessible to All Users So Significant?
Accessibility on the web is not limited to those who are hearing or sight impaired. Accessibility is also concerned with cognition, motor/sensory skills, variations in eyesight, and other disability.
The primary justification for accessible content is to ensure that the internet and its reaches a wider audience.
The business expansion is the second justification. Businesses that make their websites and applications accessible ensure potential clients get they products or services they need.
To put it another way, one in every four individuals in the United States reports having some kind of disability/impairment. A poorly accessible website prevents up to 30 per cent of the American population from purchasing your goods and services.
One such reason is that you might get into legal difficulties. In 2022, there were two high-profile lawsuits about the accessibility of websites. Cosmetic giant L’Oreal and UC Berkeley were sued over inaccessible websites and reached settlements with the Justice Department.
Maintaining a site’s high level of accessibility also provides a number of other advantages. Accessibility requirements combine with technical problems such as search engine optimization (SEO), copywriting, user experience (UX), and user conversion.
Which Aspects of Digital Content Should Marketers Focus Their Attention On?
The question to ask is, “What digital assets should marketers not be worried about?” Because there is no correct response.
It doesn’t matter what kind of material you’re putting out there. Even if its a video, a tweet, or any other content, all of it has to be accessible to everyone.
Your content must be compliant with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This conclusion was made by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the United States. Why take a chance when inaccessible websites have been the basis of several lawsuits for digital accessibility. This trend does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Why Those Working in Digital Marketing Should Embrace Accessibility and Make It a Priority?
Accessibility in marketing indicates businesses are willing to reach as many people as possible.
When seen in this light, accessibility is not a compliance problem; rather, it is a chance to extend one’s reach. It is clear why accessibility should be embraced by digital marketers since it presents an opportunity to expand one’s reach.
When your content and other assets are inaccessible, you lose viewers and turn off prospective customers. Over $13 trillion in disposable income is controlled by people with disabilities, just untapped.
Making your website accessible gives you profits in terms of leads, boosts your credibility, and increases conversions.
3 Simple Ways to use Accessibility in Digital Marketing
1. Alt text for images
The alt text for an image should be an accurate description that gives the viewer information about its context.
Screen readers will read the alt text to the user in order to explain a picture. Marketers utilize alt text to improve the SEO of the page on which the image is housed. However, disregarding alt text will result in a decrease in the accessibility of your website as a whole.
The purpose of alternative text is to provide readers with disabilities with the same context as non-disabled users.
2. Use an acceptable color contrast ratio
Making a simple adjustment to your website’s contrast ratio is one of the easiest ways to make your website more accessible to visitors who are color-blind or visually impaired.
The WCAG 2.0 Level AA specifies text and graphic pictures must have a contrast ratio of 4.5:1. Text that is 18 points or larger, requires a contrast ratio of 3:1.
3. Make appropriate use of captions and transcripts
Captions and transcripts are two tools that are used to make video and audio information more accessible. These two tools are comparable but not the same.
Captions (called “subtitles” in some areas) provide content to people who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing. Captions are a text version of the speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the content. Transcripts are a text version of the speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the content. Descriptive transcripts are required to provide video content to people who are both Deaf and blind. It includes description of visual information to understand the content.
Conclusion
Accessibility is a legal requirement, and digital marketers have a duty to respond to the needs of their customers responsibly. Naturally, the advantages of a highly efficient accessibility solution accomplishes much more than only assisting customers in avoiding legal action.
Accessibility of websites results in better client engagement and retention. Hence, it should be a primary focus for any company to maximize profits.
When a company demonstrates that it cares about its customers by making its website available to all users, it sends a persuasive message.
What is web accessibility, and why is it important?
What is Alt Text and Why is it Important for Digital Accessibility
Seven Tactics That Leverage both Accessibility and SEO
Five myths about digital accessibility that you should know
The post 3 Easy Tips to make Web Accessibility a part of Digital Marketing Efforts appeared first on Codemantra.
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