Benefits Of Making Your Website Accessible To Disabled Users ? Part 2: The Business Case

The Disability Discrimination Act states that service providers must not discriminate against disabled people. A website is regarded as a service and therefore comes under this law.

Some organisations are changing to their websites, but many are seemingly not making the adjustments. Disabled people don't access their website, they say, so why should they care?

There are, however, two very good reasons as to why businesses should start taking these issues seriously:

  • An accessible website will make you more money

  • An accessible website will save you money

    There are seven reasons for this being applicable:

    1. Your website will be easier to manage

    An accessible website separates the content (the words and images that we see on the screen) and presentation (the way that these words and images are laid out) of each page. Each web page has an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) document, which contains the words and images for that page (the content), and calls up a CSS (Cascading StyleSheets) document that includes the presentation information ? this CSS document is shared by all the pages on the website. To adjust the layout of your website, you only have to make changes in one file, saving considerable time (and therefore money).

    2. Your website will be compatible with new browsing technologies

    In the near future, the use of PDAs, mobile phones and in-car browsers will all regularly be used to access the Internet. The people making use of these new technologies are generally high-income individuals. In order to reach this lucrative target, you will need a website that can work on these machines. To test your website, try accessing it on the Wapalizer, a free program available at http://www.gelon.net, which shows how your site will look on a mobile phone.

    3. Your website will appear higher in the search engines

    By making your website more accessible to web users, you are also making it more accessible to search engines. Search engines cannot usually understand images, JavaScript, Flash, audio and video content. By providing alternative content to each of these programs, search engines will have a better understanding of the purpose of your website. The more confident a search engine is of what your website is about, all other things being equal, the higher it will place your website in the search rankings.

    4. You will not have to incur legal fees

    The RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and the DRC (Disability Rights Commission) have been exerting pressure on companies and the government to make their websites accessible. Indeed, the DRC is currently investigating 1,000 websites for accessibility (http://www.gelon.net). If your organisation's website is on this list then you can expect to be hearing from them soon.

    5. The download time of your website will be significantly improved

    Just 25% of UK web users are connected to the Internet via broadband (www.liquidzope.com/abc/2/4currentusage/currentstatebbd/view). You can be sure that if your website takes much longer than ten seconds to download then many of your site visitors will be clicking away and you will lose their custom.

    6. The usability of your website will be enhanced

    There is a certain amount of overlap between web accessibility and web usability. It has been shown that a usability redesign increases the sales/conversion rate of a website by 100% (http://www.gelon.net).

    7. You will gain good publicity

    Make your website accessible to everyone and you can tell the world about it.

    About The Author

    This article was written by Trenton Moss. He's crazy about web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy (Webcredible - http://www.gelon.net) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.

    limo prices to midway Crystal Lake west of Randal .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
    In The News:

    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    The number of people affected by a UnitedHealth data breach in February 2024 was actually higher than previously reported and was the largest medical data breach in U.S. history.
    A phishing campaign uses Google Calendar to schedule fake meeting invitations that appear legitimate, redirecting targets to phishing sites.
    Toll road text scam: Fake messages claim unpaid fees, seek payment via fraudulent links. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this scam is becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says these steps ensure that your friends and family get to the exact moment you want them to see. Try it out and streamline your sharing experience.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers tips on how to protect your identity: Be vigilant, monitor accounts, use smart security, know theft response.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says cybercriminals are exploiting iMessage phishing protection, tricking users to reactivate links.
    It's hard to imagine life without in-flight Wi-Fi these days – but sky-high web surfing comes with its own set of privacy concerns. Here's how to protect yourself.
    Over 400,000 cases of credit card fraud were reported in 2024 to the Federal Trade Commission. The CyberGuy explains how to protect against becoming another victim.
    A nondescript metal box transforms into a fully functional electric motorcycle that blurs the line between vehicle and urban infrastructure.
    Many apps unrelated to location still ask users for tracking permission, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit seeking to end this alleged practice by Allstate.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Melody, the artificial intelligence-powered robot, is life-sized and represents a move toward creating robots that resemble people in appearance and interaction.
    Here are five easy smartphone rules from the National Security Agency that you can follow to better protect your mobile device from hackers and scammers.
    A U.S. robotics company has developed "Jennie," a robotic pet powered by artificial intelligence that's designed to comfort those facing mental health challenges.
    Healthcare records for more than 184 million Americans were breached in 2024, but you can take steps to minimize that risk. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
    The Skyrider X1 from Rictor claims to be the "first amphibious flying passenger motorcycle," and it combines land and air travel in one sleek design.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Home inventory and restoration apps help itemize and track every item in your home in the event you have to make an insurance claim after a natural disaster.
    The White House launched a new cybersecurity safety label, the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, intended to help consumers make informed decisions on smart device safety.
    Today's tech can help make life so much easier — if you know how to use it. Here are a few tips on the quickest and best ways to make your phone, laptop and other devices work for you.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers Windows 11 restart fixes: Update drivers, run system scans and check hardware.
    Sony and Honda's Afeela 1 EV launches with advanced tech and entertainment for $89,900. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives his takeaways.
    With limited hard drive space, tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers these tips for storing large video files and photos.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the $236,000 Yangwang U9 electric hypercar boasts 1,287 horsepower and can jump obstacles.
  • Why A Simple Counter is Never Enough for Your Website

    A simple website stats counter is not enough if you... Read More

    How To Get Your Customers To Trust Your Website

    Research reveals three important facts:1) The Internet is one of... Read More

    What is SQL?

    What is SQL? SQL stands for Structured Query Language and... Read More

    Why Your Business Needs a Website

    Even with the steady growth of the World Wide Web,... Read More

    17 Tips to Plan a Website

    Everyone wants one.Everyone wishes they knew how to make one.SOME... Read More

    Autoresponders Make You Look Like A Pro

    People like to get immediate responses to requests. Autoresponders are... Read More

    Launch Your Own Website Today - Its Easier Than You Think!

    Thousands of people are now making a living online and... Read More

    Does Your Business Really Need A Website?

    Website, website, website, everyone says you need one. But do... Read More

    Newsletter Management Using PHP w/o mySQL for Beginners

    Let's begin by setting some limits. If you're like me,... Read More

    4 Steps to Selling More With Your Web Site

    Most web sites are more like stage sets than real... Read More

    Optimal Website Design

    Optimal website design is the art of logical navigation.It will... Read More

    Five Steps to Create Your Software Product with Outsourcing

    Many executives and investors are skeptical that software products can... Read More

    Making Your Websites More Compelling

    The Internet is a remarkable publishing medium. With just a... Read More

    7 Tips to Make Your Order Page Work Harder

    So your prospect, Mary, is sitting at the computer reading... Read More

    Ebooks for Webmasters

    Internet has opened a whole new world for web developers... Read More

    Ten Major Tips to Develop a Multilingual Web Site to Work

    If you are living in a country that its native... Read More

    Maximizing ROI via Web Site Traffic Analysis

    We are clearly well past the innocent "golden age" of... Read More

    So You Want To Have A Website

    So you want to have a website. You have gone... Read More

    Content Management ? The New Standard in Web Design

    The evolution of web development parallels the model of technology... Read More

    Website Survival Guide

    In the big, wide online world there are millions of... Read More

    How Does Your Website Make Me Feel?

    When people think about the Internet, they think about technology.... Read More

    Make Your Web Site User-Friendly!

    Making a web site is easy. Making a good web... Read More

    Building eCommerce Websites that Work - Part 2

    Succeeding with an eCommerce website is a dream for many... Read More

    Web Measurement: What You Don?t Know Would Make A Great Book

    "What's in it for me?" you ask. "Why should I... Read More

    The Dos and Donts of Launching a Small Business Website

    Launching a new small business website is often a long... Read More

    taxi o'hare Auburn ..