ADA Compliant: What is it and whys it important for me?

Visually becoming ADA compliant means that your web site gets the little blue man icon you see on this page at the bottom right. Click that icon and you will see various topics such as Color, Font and Content are listed. Essentially what this blue man icon symbolizes is that our Big Orange Planet web site has been rigorously externally tested for accessibility to all users, including Dyslexia and disabled people.

“Why is this now suddenly a thing, cant I just ignore this?” you may be thinking. No, its easy to have your site become ADA Compliant, and the benefits to your web site are enormous. It’s a smart marketing decision for several key reasons. It’s an investment that can improve customer loyalty, boost your brand, and contribute to your business growth.

The benefits to your site are huge, see this list:

• • Wider Audience Reach: By ensuring your site is accessible to individuals with disabilities, you expand your potential customer base. It’s estimated that nearly 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have a disability, so by making your website inclusive, you tap into this large and diverse market.
  • Improved User Experience: Accessibility features such as keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and easily readable fonts benefit not just people with disabilities, but also those without. An accessible website tends to be more user-friendly and intuitive, which can increase engagement and customer satisfaction.
  • SEO Benefits: Accessible websites often have better structure and clear content organization, which also helps with search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines like Google reward websites that are well-organized and easy to navigate, making accessibility features indirectly benefit your site’s ranking.
  • Brand Image and Reputation: Being known as a company that values exclusivity can improve your brand’s reputation. Customers respect brands that are socially responsible, and accessibility shows that your company cares about everyone, regardless of their abilities.
  • Competitive Advantage: If your competitors aren’t providing accessible experiences, becoming ADA- compliant could set you apart and make your business more appealing to customers who value accessibility.Making your website ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant and accessible is not only a legal requirement for businesses that serve the public in the U.S. Ultimately, making your website accessible is about offering equal opportunities to all users, which aligns with good business practices and social responsibility.

Also, it is apparently an actual legal requirement! According to recent data, there were approximately 4,605 web accessibility lawsuits filed in 2023 related to non-ADA compliant websites, marking a significant increase compared to previous years.

This is a rising trend, The number of lawsuits against non-ADA compliant websites has been steadily increasing in recent years. Companies of all sizes can be targeted by these lawsuits, particularly those with online stores.

If your website isn’t accessible, you could face lawsuits or complaints, which can be costly both financially and in terms of reputation. ADA compliance demonstrates proactive care in meeting legal standards. The legal requirements for website accessibility are largely tied to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is a law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. While the ADA itself doesn’t explicitly mention websites, courts and legal experts have interpreted that the law applies to the digital space as well, especially for businesses that are open to the public.

Luckily and happily here at Big Orange Planet we can get your site ADA compliance and you can have all these benefits and factors boost your SEO and give you both peace of mind and increased Google results.

Contact us for a FREE SEO evaluation of your web site so we can build an SEO strategy customized for you! More info on Big Orange Planet pricing, click here.