MARKETING
accessible to anyone at any time.
TODAY’S WEB ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
As of right now, there are no formal, established guidelines
for website accessibility compliance under the ADA. The
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 (ADA) is very
clear about the requirements for brick and mortar but
vague with defined remedies when it comes to your virtual
property, like your website. After being presented to
Congress and the Department of Justice, the result was a
recommendation that websites should follow the WCAG 2.1
standards set forth by The World Wide Web Consortium.
Still, there was no law stating that anyone had to follow
voluntary standards.
In addition to W3C and WCAG 2.1 standards, you can also
visit The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
site for a helpful checklist to follow to meet minimum
requirements.
THE RISKS OF NOT HAVING AN ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE
Unfortunately, many lawsuits have been filed over website
accessibility. Certain industries have seen a higher risk
level, including golf courses, marinas, and hospitality. The
average insurance claim is close to $20,000 when settled,
along with a promise to bring the website up to WCAG 2.1
standards. According to Chicago based law firm Seyfarth
and Shaw, there were over 2,300 non-government lawsuits
in 2018 and a projection of over 6,000 for 2019.
Accessibility does not guarantee that you won’t be sued,
but it makes it a lot less likely, and it helps defend your
case in that you were trying to do something.
WHY ELSE SHOULD YOUR WEBSITE BE ACCESSIBLE?
There’s one more major reason to revamp your website
to be more accessible. If you get it right, you have the
potential to gain some other new business. The U.S.
Census Bureau reports that, based on the most recent
census information, approximately 8.1 million people in
this country are visually impaired, including two million who
are blind.
Medical advances have reduced the percentage of people
who are blind. Still, as our country ages, more people
become visually impaired or blind due to advanced age.
This market is growing, and these people buy insurance.
Yes, auto for insurance for the blind! With autonomous
(self-driving) vehicles, it is a large and untapped market.
Keeping an accessible web presence provides options and
markets open to all. Why would you want to exclude a large
potential customer base before they even know anything
about you?
HOW TO MOVE FORWARD TO AN ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE
Don’t rush out and jump on an accessibility tool for purely
defensive reasons. Learn more about website accessibility
and how you can take this opportunity to make your
website more user-friendly for potential customers.
For example, you can take a minute to reach out to the
local chapter of the following organizations for the blind
to discover how blind individuals can use the internet and
what they look for in their browsing:
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
American Council of the Blind (ACB)
Blind, Inc.
There are cost-effective tools available to make your site
more accessible to those who may not be able due to
permanent disability or a temporary circumstance.
Larry Neilson is CEO & Managing Partner of Neilson Consulting and
ProgramBusiness.com
Jerry Fox is the Vice President of Carrier Relations for HawkSoft
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