It’s now very unusual to find a city building that doesn’t cater for the disabled in some way.  Access ramps, enhanced sightlines and layouts, modulated acoustics, that kind of thing.  It’s just standard, good design practice these days.

But who among us has a website that’s disability-friendly?  All public service and non-public service agencies must meet the NZ Government Web Accessibility Standard 1.1, but what about your site and the websites run by your member organisations?

There are 1.1 million New Zealanders with a disability, or one in four of us. Around 11 per cent of children are disabled in some way and 27 per cent of adults are limited in their daily activities by a range of impairments.

But, you can bet a very high percentage of disabled Kiwis are still browsing the internet.  They want what everyone wants.  They choose where to shop, where to eat, which product to buy, what hotel to stay in, which vehicle to buy, what airline to fly.

They’re looking for information, products and services; they’re looking to transact and engage in some way with your organisation and with your members.

But, how much of this audience are you losing if your website doesn’t reflect their needs?  How big a market - a customer base - are you or your member organisations potentially losing because around 1.1million Kiwis find it too hard to engage with your website and its valuable content?

Think about it from your audience’s perspective: if you are blind or deaf, or could not use a mouse or trackpad, how would you navigate the intenet? And, how much preference would you give to brands and organisations that design their websites with your needs in mind?

This is why organisations are starting to make website accessibility one of their core digital goals.  It might entail extra work, but so, too, did the installation of ramps and escalators and the changes to interior lighting and layouts that now make buildings and office space more navigable and habitable for people affected by disabilities.

Paying attention to people with disabilities isn’t just the right thing to do; it makes sense from an organisational perspective.

What is website accessibility?

Website accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the internet, including:

• auditory
• cognitive
• neurological
• physical
• speech
• visual

Website accessibility also benefits people without disabilities:

• people using mobile phones, smart watches, smart TVs, and other devices with small screens
• older people with changing abilities due to ageing
• people with “temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm or lost glasses
• people with “situational limitations” such as bright sunlight or in an environment where they cannot listen to audio
• people using a slow Internet connection

For a 7-minute video with examples of how accessibility is essential for people with disabilities and useful for everyone in a variety of situations, see: Web accessibility perspectives (You Tube)  

Accessibility benefits to organisations

Improve your search engine optimisation

The websites that Google ranks on the first page of its search results are the ones they consider to be the most relevant and useful. Google determines that by using a complex algorithm which takes into account 200+ factors.  Website accessibility and search engine optimisation (SEO) have a number of shared principles, meaning making your website more accessible is likely to improve your SEO. 

Increase site usability

Many accessibility requirements improve site usability for everyone. For example, providing sufficient contrast benefits people using the web on a mobile device in bright sunlight or in a dark room. Captions benefit people in noisy and in quiet environments. Some people have age-related functional limitations, and may not identify these as a “disability”. Accessibility addresses these situations too.

Enhance your brand

Creating accessible web experiences helps your organisation – and your members - enhance the all-important brand experience by demonstrating a tangible and proactive focus on inclusion.  The more welcoming your site appears to be, the easier it is to navigate, the more likely your site is to reinforce your brand values.  The converse is also true - when websites aren't easily accessible some people are automatically excluded from having a positive brand experience — although they may definitely have negative ones.

Accessibility creates more opportunities for brand advocates 

When people have ongoing positive interactions with your organisation they become more loyal to your brand. When they feel the service or treatment they received could benefit people they know, they're going to make recommendations to them.  Something for you and your member organisations to think about.

Accessibility demonstrates social responsibility

Consumers have no shortage of options. People are increasingly choosing to support brands that share their values. As web accessibility continues to become mainstream, those values for many include the inclusivity and accessibility of products and services. If you've committed to accessibility, you should let people know.  Social media, press releases, blogs posts, and emails are all ways you could get your message in front of interested, like-minded people.

 

Incorporating accessibility into your brand

There are robust guidelines around website accessibility and The PR Company would be delighted to review your site and provide detailed advice and recommendations about how your accessibility ratings can be improved.

Remember, around a quarter of us are disabled in some way but that doesn’t mean disabled people don’t surf the net or want to engage with brands.  Which brands they choose to engage with can be determined by which websites they can access easily.

Let’s work together to make it as easy for them as possible.   To learn more contact us.