ADA Compliance for business websites needs to be considered by all business owners. It’s important to provide access for those who use screen readers or other assistive devices to make your goods or services available everyone just as if you owned a storefront or office building. We will be starting a series in August on how to make your websites ADA compliant and hope to make it an easier transition for you.
Government Guidelines for ADA Compliance
The following information on ADA compliance is useful and relevant information to understand guidelines, compliance and timelines for business websites.
1. Guidance on Web Accessibility and ADA describes how State and Local Governments and businesses can ensure their websites are accessible to people with disabilities.
2. Referencing Ogletree Deakins Law, on a recent post, they mentioned:
“In August 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would make the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) the standard for compliance for state and local governments covered by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)2. The DOJ is proposing to make the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines the ADA Title II compliance standard for local and state governments.
3. If finalized, the standard would apply to websites and mobile apps, and would give governments two to three years for compliance, based on population.
4. The DOJ explicitly recognized the impossibility of designing and maintaining a website that conforms in all respects and at all times to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, but what measure of conformance would be adopted is unclear.”
3. Preparing for the unavoidable requirements for compliance for business websites will give businesses advantages:
• Being pro-active and sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities
• Being ahead of the competition meeting compliance
• Being a leader in addressing the needs of its clients, prospects and visitors
— Charles H. Castano | Monday Morning Marketing
But What Does Being ADA Compliant Have to do with Marketing?
1. A successful website involves designing your website for the enjoyment and use of everyone. Designing your website in an effort to meet the standards of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) ensures that goal.
2. A well designed website; one that contains useful content and is user friendly, is crucial for improving your rankings in the search results.
3. An improved ranking in the search results will give your business more visibility.
Our hope is that the research we are doing and reporting to you will be helpful to you as you consider the benefits of making your website ADA compliant.
— Jillian Stone | Monday Morning Marketing