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Why Google Wants Your Website to be ADA Compliant

Written By: Brandon Schwin

Do you know the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) extends to website development? To address the needs of users with disabilities, you need to ensure that your platform’s design meets ADA compliance. 

Site Accessibility Improves Retention Rates

ADA compliance for SEO is equally important. Whether your business operates offline or online, you need to make it accessible for all users. To support accessibility to your site, you need to audit the pages, with special online tools or do so manually. If you perform a manual audit, you need to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) used by web developers. This part of the process surpasses using automated tools as WCAG generated reports must be deployed to correct accessibility issues. 

WCAG Guidelines 

Basically, WCAG guidelines ensure that: 

  • Your web visitors can work with both audio and video content. 
  • Your guests can use your site’s features easily. For instance, your site should be designed so anyone can easily navigate the platform. 
  • Your site is easy to comprehend and includes directions on using specific tools or tabs. 
  • All your site visitors have about the same experience when landing on your site.

ADA Users – Who to Focus on When Designing a Site 

When designing a website then and including SEO, you need to consider all types of users, including people with: 

  • Deafness or hearing loss 
  • Low visions or blindness
  • Restricted physical movement
  • Neurological limits brought on by conditions, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s
  • Cognitive limitations or learning disabilities

Improving Your Site’s Design 

Building an ADA-compliant site means designing a site that:

  • Uses fonts for easier readability 
  • Employs contrasting colors to distinguish the text and background colors 
  • Includes tutorials for using the platform

SEO and ADA Benefits 

When you comply with the ADA for the design of your website, you will recognize a number of advantages –  with respect to both SEO and ADA compliance. A website that offers easier navigability ranks better in the search results as does one that is simpler to read and understand.  

 When it comes to ADA compliance, a responsive web design places the needs of the user first, thereby providing simpler navigation and easier readability and comprehension. Therefore, providing legible text is just as important as including a quick load time for anyone with a slower web connection. Focus on a “straightforward” approach when creating an accessible site. 

The Business Impact 

Besides the legal concerns connected with having a site that is not ADA-compliant, having a site that does not feature ADA compliance for SEO will negatively impact your bottom line. According to Forbes, approximately 70% of people with disabilities will abandon a platform they find difficult to use. Don’t let this happen to you. Inaccessibility can impair your site’s ability to make money. As a result, you need to focus on creating a responsive design – something vital to have in today’s online marketplace. 

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