Digital accessibility is becoming increasingly important as there is a significant increase in the number of people accessing online content. This means that more people with disabilities are taking advantage of digital products and services. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 1.3 billion people with disabilities worldwide. This is a significant user base, and designing platforms that are easily accessible to them will have financial benefits for businesses, too. However, this is not a simple process, and many different factors need to be taken into account.
Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Tech Landscape
It is best to start with a definition: it simply means designing and developing technology products for users with a wide range of disabilities. It does not focus on a specific type of disability. Instead, a multi-layered approach is used, and rather than focusing on “technical compatibility”, an inclusive design is created that benefits all users. This removes barriers for people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments, enabling them to have a satisfying digital experience.
A study conducted in 2022 shows that only 3% of the internet is accessible to people with disabilities. This is an extremely low figure, and given the size of the potential customer base, it is hard to explain why companies are not seriously working on accessibility. Tech companies can be pioneers in this regard and set an example for all other companies by incorporating these principles into their product development lifecycle. As we will discuss below, such an approach would also have very satisfying financial returns. As tech companies set the standards and expectations for the entire digital ecosystem, they can single-handedly change the way all other industries approach disability.
Potential Benefits of Digital Accessibility
Among the benefits that companies that prioritize digital accessibility can gain, the most important are the following:
Market Expansion and Revenue Growth
People with disabilities are a large demographic defined as “underserved” and have surprising purchasing power. Most people think of people with disabilities as living on social benefits and not having a budget to afford most things. The reality is quite the opposite: a CDC study shows that in the US alone, one in four people has a disability. This means that approximately 25% of the US population has some form of disability, which translates to close to 85 million potential customers.
- With each of them potentially spending 100 units, a brand that attracts just 1,000 new customers with a disability could generate 100,000 units of potential revenue.
- Every brand can get more customers for their website or online store and convert visitors into loyal customers. Research by “Click-Away Pound” shows that more than 70% of users abandon websites that do not offer accessible options within the first 10 seconds.
- This is called the “click away” effect and means that up to 70% of potential customers are lost. Another study conducted by UserWay shows that close to 900 million dollars in sales are lost each year during the Christmas season because of this.
Above all, digital accessibility will enable a company to appeal to a much larger customer base and increase sales. Moreover, people with disabilities are members of close-knit communities. Word-of-mouth marketing alone can help a brand grow in a very short period of time. This can be quite beneficial for new companies such as vox casino: iGaming (online casinos & sportsbooks) is a very competitive industry, and new brands need to take advantage of every edge they can get. And this one can be a bigger edge than anyone realizes.
Better & Bigger ROI Rates
Return of investment (ROI) rates are one of the most important metrics to show how successful a business is, and for digital accessibility, this rate can reach 99%, as different studies have shown. Unlike many other investments, investments in this matter lead to both revenue growth and cost reduction. In other words, it is possible to achieve maximum returns with minimum investment, and no other type of investment is so advantageous. For every 1 unit spent on digital accessibility, it is possible to earn 99 units, which is an incredible ratio.
Products and services designed with these principles in mind will also reduce the workload on the customer service department as they will be more user-friendly. In fact, even non-disabled users will request less support than before. If we consider that possible legal costs related to accessibility will also decrease, the actual ROI rate will easily exceed 100% in the long run.
Long-Term Relationship
Research shows that more than 30% of people with disabilities are over the age of 65, and about 30% of people reaching retirement age will have some form of disability. A company that manages to attract this audience will gain long-term and loyal customers. Older consumers tend not to change their habits, meaning that if they prefer a brand, they stick with it. Companies that can appeal to them can easily establish long-term customer relationships, thanks to accessibility features. In all increasingly competitive industries, this will be an important advantage. One of the main goals of every brand is to create loyal customers, and this can be easily achieved with a small investment.
SEO Benefits
Accessibility features are also important for SEO performance. Search engines like Google don’t share a lot of information about what they take into account in ranking, but one of the criteria they do share openly is how accessible the site is. So, it’s not a “secret”: the more accessible a website is, the higher it will rank.
In highly and intensely competitive industries, this can make a real difference, especially for businesses that are struggling to improve their rankings. If you’re not seeing results with mobile optimization, page loading speed, keywords, and other factors, adding accessibility features to your site could be the solution you’re looking for, and it won’t cost much, especially when you consider the ROI.
Accessibility Examples from Big Brands
This approach is beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses, but even large-scale companies benefit from it. Here are some examples:
- Apple’s VoiceOver screen reader works on all iOS and Mac-based devices, including HomePod smart speakers.
- Apple also offers alternative input methods for mobility-impaired users with Switch Control. This feature can create an alternative interface for virtually any application and process commands given in different ways.
- Microsoft’s Narrator screen reader has been available since the earliest versions of Windows. The addition of live captions in Windows 11 has improved it even further.
- With CoPilot AI, Microsoft also offers a wide range of accessibility options for visually impaired users. CoPilot can read and summarize documents, recognize people and objects, and even become an input channel by processing voice commands.
For any company that wants to start working on digital accessibility, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) can serve as a guide. This act clearly defines what the special requirements should be for websites, mobile applications, and electronic communications. In addition, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards for all online content should also be taken into account. Any company that pays attention to accessibility will achieve a highly satisfactory return, increase sales, gain loyal customers, and increase brand recognition.
