Accessibility as an opportunity: the path to better UX, higher profits and a stronger brand

Implementing measures to ensure the accessibility of products and services is a legislative obligation that's new to many businesses and companies. It often requires additional financial resources, which can be an obstacle for company management – especially where accessibility isn't among their priority areas. Some organisations are willing to accept the risk of a fine, because they see investment in accessibility as an extra cost that doesn't bring immediate returns.

When deciding what will or won't be implemented, it's worth also considering the benefits accessibility can bring to a business. There are, in fact, numerous benefits that can turn accessibility into added value for a company and improve its competitiveness.

Accessibility helps you win more customers and strengthen your brand

More accessible digital solutions mean a larger customer base, since persons with disabilities, older people, or people with temporary limitations (such as a broken arm or a short-term deterioration in eyesight) will find it easier to use the services and products on offer. By removing barriers, we win their trust and their satisfaction with our products and services. Companies that adapt to the new requirements in good time minimise the risk of legal disputes and sanctions, including financial penalties, while also building a positive image as a socially responsible brand.

Accessibility improves the user experience for everyone

Accessibility isn't just about meeting requirements for persons with disabilities – it improves the overall user experience (UX) for everyone. When a website, mobile application or digital product is designed with an emphasis on simplicity, intuitiveness and usability, all users benefit. What specific improvements does accessibility bring?

• Clearer navigation – A clear, consistent menu, a logical content layout, and the ability to operate the site by keyboard or voice command make it easier for everyone to use, not just for persons with disabilities.
• Better colour contrast and readability – Properly set colour contrast, sufficiently large text and clear typography reduce eye strain and improve the readability of content for older people and people with temporarily reduced eyesight (for example, tired eyes when working at night), as well as on screens exposed to direct sunlight or when projected onto a large screen, where poor colour contrast can significantly reduce readability.
• Simpler forms and interactions – Well-designed forms with clear labels, properly flagged errors and the ability to auto-fill data improve efficiency and reduce user frustration.
• Clearer content – Using plain language, short sentences and well-structured text helps not only people with cognitive impairments, but also all users reading on mobile devices or who aren't native speakers of the site's language.
• Adaptability across devices – Accessible design is responsive, meaning it displays correctly on mobiles, tablets and desktops alike. This leads to better user comfort and prevents visitors from leaving the site. Responsive design is also important for SEO, since, from 5 July 2024, the Google crawler only indexes websites that are responsive (external link).

Accessibility and SEO: better visibility in search engines

One of the less-discussed but very important benefits of accessibility is its positive impact on SEO (search engine optimisation). When a website is accessible, it often also meets key SEO requirements that improve its position in organic search results. How exactly does accessibility affect SEO?

• Better content structure – Using correctly marked-up headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.), a logical hierarchy of information and well-organised sections help search engines better understand the page's content and increase its relevance.
• Text alternatives for images – Search engines can't "see" images, but they can read their text alternatives. Correctly written text alternatives help not only blind users, but also how the page is displayed in search engines.
• Faster page loading – Optimising for accessibility often involves removing unnecessary elements, which speeds up page loading. Google treats loading speed as an important factor when ranking pages in search results.
• Mobile accessibility = higher Google ranking – Since Google enforces mobile-first indexing (ranking based on the mobile version of the page), responsive design and accessibility for touch devices can significantly affect your SEO score.
• Clearer, more understandable text – Using plain language and short paragraphs improves readability not only for users, but also for search engines, which can then better understand the page's content.
• Meaningful hyperlinks, even out of context – Descriptive and unambiguous link text (e.g. "Read the overview of WCAG 2.2 changes" instead of "Click here") improves orientation on the website and helps search engines better understand the connections between pages.

Getting ready for the future of the digital market

With the EAA's effective date approaching, it's essential for organisations to start adapting their digital solutions as soon as possible. Implementing accessibility measures requires thorough planning, testing and a gradual roll-out of changes, especially for large digital platforms. The sooner companies begin this implementation, the easier and more cost-effective it will be for them to adapt to the new standards.

Thorough preparation not only enables companies to meet legal requirements, but also to gain a competitive advantage and support innovation in the digital environment. This allows businesses to set themselves apart from the competition and contribute to building a more inclusive digital society, where everyone has equal access to information and services.

We can help you prepare and plan the implementation of accessibility requirements – read more in our Services section.