The Benefits of Making Your Website ADA-Compliant

With the era of digitalization, more and more of the world’s functions and activities can be found online. E-commerce sites, for instance, are considered a must nowadays, serving as counterparts to physical stores. These digital spaces connect people and businesses together. As they continue to proliferate, it becomes all the more necessary to make sites ADA-compliant, so that they’re accessible for everyone. 

What Is the ADA?

ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act. It was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1990 to ensure non-discrimination for people with disabilities. 

In America, there are more than 60 million adults living with a disability. This represents 26% of the overall adult population in the country. As the population ages, this number is expected to grow.  

The ADA legislation protects the civil rights of everyone with a disability and provides them with equal opportunities. For businesses and service providers to comply with this law, they need to see to it that both their physical stores and websites are easily accessible by all individuals. 

Being ADA-compliant is both a legal and regulatory requirement. Failure to comply could lead to serious negative implications for a brand or business, so it is important to ensure that your website sticks with the ADA requirements.  

Benefits of Making Your Website ADA-Compliant

Making your platform easily accessible to those with disabilities can be advantageous for your business. Here are some of the merits of having an ADA-compliant web page:

1. Increase in Audience

If your website is ADA-compliant, more people would be able to benefit from it and easily browse through it. This can boost your site traffic and help you reach a wider audience. Additionally, it can set you apart from your competitors. 

2. Better SEO

Search engines pay attention to how humans use and navigate sites. Complying with ADA standards lets you optimize your site to provide accessibility and readability, thus also making it more SEO-friendly.  

3. Enhanced User Experience

With an accessible site, users—both those living with disabilities and those without—can conveniently navigate your page or find the information they need. Visitors benefit more from your page if it is user-friendly and has an intuitive structure. 

4. No penalties

When a website is difficult for people to use, it can negatively affect a brand’s reputation. But aside from this, businesses could also pay hefty penalties if their websites are not ADA-compliant. In 2020, more than 10,000 lawsuits in the United States were filed because of non-compliance with ADA standards. This number is expected to stay on an upward trend in the coming years.

5. Qualify for a $5,000 tax credit

Your business could be eligible for a tax credit by making your website ADA compliant for people with disabilities. Through the IRS Code Section 44, Disabled Access Credit, efforts to improve website accessibility are eligible for a 50% credit for any expenditures over $250, not to exceed $10,250, for a maximum benefit of $5,000.

Optimizing Your Site for ADA Compliance

If your website is not yet ADA-compliant, it is time to take the necessary steps to make it more accessible for all. Seek professional assistance on how you can optimize your page and apply best practices for site navigation. 

ADA Web Accessibility has the tools and expertise needed to create an ADA-compliant website. Learn more by contacting ADA Web Accessibility today.