GV Explains Website ADA Compliance in 2021


What Does it Mean to Be ADA Compliant?

Operating in the digital marketplace requires a diverse knowledge base. You must familiarize yourself with SEO best practices, modern marketing strategies, and other disciplines.

While any seasoned marketer understands the importance of the aforementioned principles, you may be shocked to learn that your business should also be ADA compliant. Achieving ADA compliances adds an entirely new layer of responsibilities to the digital marketing industry. However, failing to become compliant can have a significant impact on your business.

What is the ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal law that was created with the intent of providing protection and equality to citizens with disabilities. The law prohibits any type of discrimination against people with disabilities.

The scope of the ADA is far-reaching and influences virtually every industry. It protects disabled persons when seeking employment, purchasing goods or services, and when moving about public spaces.

While the 1990 act was originally limited to physical interactions and locations, 2010 revisions were implemented to address web accessibility. According to these new standards, all technology must be readily accessible to those that suffer from disabilities.

Importance of ADA Compliance

ADA compliance is essential to digital marketing for several reasons. For starters, it is required by federal law. If your business is not compliant with ADA guidelines, you could potentially face severe fines or lawsuits.

To make matters worse, you could be the subject of headlines or news articles that could cause irreparable damage to your brand. You have spent countless hours building a solid reputation. Don’t jeopardize it by failing to be ADA compliant.

In addition to legal repercussions, failing to become ADA compliant narrows your customer base. Clients with disabilities will not be able to easily access your content, which reduces the chances that they will buy your product or service.

You should also take an ADA compliant approach when it comes to hiring practices. Having a few staff members that suffer from disabilities is an excellent way of diversifying your employee pool and optimizing creativity. By incorporating the uniqueness of every individual, you can create a positive environment that will allow new ideas to flourish.

Digital Marketing ADA Compliance Requirements

Now that you understand the importance of becoming ADA compliant, you can take steps to ensure that your digital marketing strategy is meeting all guidelines. While the Department of Justice has not officially set forth any specific rulesets, they generally encourage self-regulation.

However, if you are looking for a good starting point, you should review the global accessibility standards as set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium’s guidelines. They have four primary categories, which include:

  • Perceivable
  • Operable
  • Understandable
  • Robust

With that said, understanding and implementing these accessibility requirements can be challenging. That’s where we come in!

For years, GetVisible has provided our clients with expert guidance in the digital marketing space. We can assess your site’s ADA compliance levels and implement necessary changes to improve your current practices. Contact us today to get started.#GV #GVExplains

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