What happens if your website is not ADA compliant?

 A To be deemed ADA Compliant, a website must meet at the very least the Level AA criteria. If you don’t know what Level AA is, it is simply a criterion used to measure the accessibility of a website.  It was created by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Level A – A website some users have access to.

Level AA – A website that almost all users have access to (8 or 9 out of 10 users).

Level AAA – A website that every user has access to.

We will also look at the guiding principles for ADA Compliance.

An ADA Compliant website should:

1. Offer the same quality of content to everyone, no matter the medium.
2. Easily operated and easy to navigate. Its tools should also be easy to access.
3.  Easy to comprehend and understand.

Finally, the website should be easy to read and hear. If you have videos on your website, it should be clear enough, and the texts should be visible and clear as well.

Now that we know the basics of what it means to have an ADA Compliant website design, let’s discuss which websites are required to be ADA Compliant

Who Should Have an ADA Compliant Website?

The Act states that business or organizations that fall under any of the following categories;

1. A business which operates for the advantage of the public
2. Private employers that have 15 or more staff/employees
3. State Government Agencies & Local Government Agencies.
4. All electronics and information technology which includes the internet.

All websites should be ADA Compliant; however, not all websites are. In fact, a lot of websites are not ADA Compliant even though it is required by law. What then happens to websites that are not ADA Compliant?

What happens if your website is not ADA compliant?

Loss of Customers

According to the CDC, one in four adult Americans has some type of disability. By not being ADA Compliant, you lose the services of over 60 million potential clients instantly. Of course, not all 60 million have access to the internet or would ever come across your website; however, there are still several customers being lost daily due to the inaccessibility of your website.

Bad Reputation

As more people begin to use the internet, there is a push for inclusivity. Websites that are not inclusive will be shunned and will earn a bad reputation. In this case not all PR is good PR. A bad reputation can sink a business faster than a good reputation can build one. It is also important to have the customer loyalty and support, a good reputation brings; therefore, you should ensure your website is ADA Compliant.

A Poor User Experience

Even though we regularly discuss the importance of automation, search engine algorithms, and SEO, websites are still made for human interaction. A website that isn’t ADA Compliant is failing at the primary function of a website – user experience. If a user’s experience is terrible, they’re less likely to return and even less likely to purchase a product or service. If your website offers a poor user experience, your business will simply not last very long.

A Lawsuit

This is a very real possibility if you do not have an ADA Compliant website. Despite the fact that you had no ill intentions, the absence of an ADA Compliant website can lead to a lawsuit. A person with disabilities can file a lawsuit that says your website does not follow the 2012 Revised ADA Act.

You can start being ADA Compliant today by having captions in your live videos, providing audio descriptions and fonts that can easily be resized. For more details on ADA Compliant websites and how you can make your website ADA Compliant, please reach out to us today.

Circle City Digital is a web design company based in Indianapolis. We specialize in all things digital. We offer website design, branding, automation, SEO, and other digital-oriented services, all at affordable rates. Contact us today to get started!