Why WCAG Accessibility Is Essential for UX and Brand Credibility

As more platforms and services move online, WCAG accessibility is becoming even more important. Everyone who needs to use a site should be able to access it and the digital content it contains, and use it effectively.

The good news is that putting accessibility in the spotlight doesn’t only promote inclusivity. It also helps brands expand their reach. That’s thanks to increased trust, an improved user experience, and enhanced SEO.

Most importantly, paying attention to how accessible your website is ensures that you’re compliant. That’s a crucial factor for regulated sectors, including government, healthcare, and education organizations. 

Read on to find out how adhering to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) guidelines ensures you align with legal standards.

What Is WCAG Accessibility and Why It Matters

First, let’s look at WCAG, which stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines provide one standard for web content and its accessibility, which is shared around the world. Its aim is to ensure that the needs of governments, organizations, and individuals are met. 

The documents are regularly updated, with new standards developed to match the changes in user needs and technology. In that way, the WCAG guidelines provide clear explanations on how to make online content more accessible to people with disabilities. That covers websites and apps, and includes guidelines for structure and presentation as well as images, sounds, and text.

The guidelines are technical. That’s because they’re designed for tool developers, content developers, and accessibility evaluation developers. The success criteria aren’t designed for policymakers and managers. However, they do align with web accessibility standards set out in disability laws.

UX Benefits of Accessibility

Web accessibility guidelines take into account the needs of users with disabilities.  However, the benefits of an accessible site are much more wide-reaching. That’s because accessible design is also user-friendly design. That means sites are easier to read and navigate, which benefits all users. 

Considering the user’s needs is paramount. One study shows that 79% of people in the US are more likely to revisit or share a mobile site if it is easy to use. There’s also evidence that only around 50% of people will consider making a repeat purchase if they encounter a poor experience.

UX goals align with WCAG accessibility in several ways. They provide guidance on achieving better readability, contrast, captions, navigation, and keyboard support. The success criteria cover multiple areas, including ensuring elements of a site are:

• Distinguishable
• Adaptable
• Navigable
• Compatible
• Predictable
• Readable

WCAG accessibility is a matter of compliance, but it’s so much more. It widens your audience, as more people are able to use your site confidently. It also enhances SEO through transcripts and alt text that help demonstrate what your page has to offer. Then, there’s the way that accessibility features align with UX enhancement. 

The success criteria above all lead to clear and concise content. They also make easy navigation a priority and focus on aspects, like high contrast design, that make your content easier to understand, enabling users to act. The resulting positive user experience leads to improved engagement, which, in turn, impacts the conversion rate.

Trust and Credibility in Regulated Industries

The WCAG isn’t a legal document. However, these guidelines are crucial in complying with the disability act, also known as the ADA. While the WCAG is a standard, ADA requirements set out that state and local governments and businesses open to the public must not discriminate against people with disabilities.

Meeting the ADA requirements prevents legal trouble, but it also impacts your reputation, particularly with diverse audiences. A commitment to inclusivity shows that you’re willing to think about your users and their needs. The simple act of identifying and removing access barriers goes a long way in building trust.

Anyone in regulated industries relies on the public to participate in their services. Without trust and loyalty, your organization will struggle to function. Accessibility demonstrates several key factors that boost credibility and trust. They include social responsibility, transparency, and an ethical approach.

Showing respect and that you care about your users increases your credibility and reputation. These efforts can form part of your wider DEI alignment. While that applies to any business open to the public, it’s particularly relevant to schools, hospitals, and government sites. Confidence in your abilities to serve public interests is a crucial factor when it comes to assessing your overall effectiveness.

How to Check and Improve Your Website Accessibility

Understanding WCAG compliance and its benefits is a useful starting point. It gives you the motivation to act. Looking at the guidelines helps you know which areas to focus on and what is expected. The next step is taking action with practical changes. Often, that means assessing and improving your existing site.

While you can perform manual checks, there are also tools to check website accessibility. When using a website accessibility checker, find one that checks for WCAG and ADA compliance. You can expect it to run several audits, including:

• Interaction and navigation tests
• Screen reader and assistive technology tests
• Visual and structural accessibility tests 

Common issues that are easily addressed include poor color contrast or the use of color to provide information. These are easily fixed by improving the contrast and stating the information instead of only colour coding it. Other frequent issues include not using text alternatives for images, not labeling forms, and not providing the option for keyboard navigation.

Other, more technical elements that might come up in WCAG accessibility audits include links and hidden content. For example, if some content in the structure is hidden, but some elements are still focusable, it means that users may still be able to interact with it. Confusion is often the result as the interaction doesn’t lead anywhere. 

As for links, they should have a clear and discernible name. That means it should show where the reader will go and not just ask them to ‘click here.’ In both cases, changing the markup patterns will fix the issue.

ADA Compliance vs. WCAG Standards

Organizations have some flexibility in how they make their websites accessible. There’s no legal obligation to implement the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. That doesn’t mean they’re not useful, though. 

You must comply with the ADA’s requirements and be able to prove it. That’s where the standards and guidelines come in. They offer a more specific and technical roadmap for achieving accessibility. 

That leads to the question: What is ADA compliance? The act requires your organization to communicate effectively. Crucially, it prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. That applies to services, programs, and goods provided to the public.

The position of the Department of Justice is that the ADA applies to web content. There have been numerous enforcement cases and agreements to address inaccessibility. They involve universities, organizations, and corporations. Services and programs include anything offered online. Therefore, your website must be accessible to people with disabilities.

Ensuring accessibility is made easier through technical standards. Think of the WCAG as the standard ADA compliance requires you to prove. The ADA lists resources to help with compliance. They include the WCAG and Section 508 Standards. The latter are standards that the federal government uses for its websites.

Elevating UX Through Accessibility

Paying attention to WCAG accessibility has many benefits. They’re a useful tool for ensuring legal compliance with the ADA. Accessibility changes also deliver an improved user experience for all users. They guarantee clear and concise content that’s easy to navigate. Plus, they enhance SEO, which helps you reach a wider audience.

Demonstrating that you care about the user experience builds trust and credibility. These two elements are easy to lose and take time and effort to build. Anything that contributes towards them is worthwhile, especially in regulated industries. An audit to assess your website’s accessibility can set you on the right track for positive changes.

Learn more about ADA accessibility and communication services with Language Network.