The undeniable advantages of web accessibility: how the European Accessibility Act affects your business

Imagine that your webshop is closed to 20% of your potential customers. This is the reality for many businesses, as their websites are inaccessible to people with disabilities. The upcoming European Accessibility Act (EAA) could serve as a wake-up call, but the urgency is still underestimated.

By having an inaccessible website, you not only risk facing fines from the EAA, which will come into effect in 2025, but you also miss out on a growing segment of the population as potential customers. One in five people permanently experiences some form of disability, and this group will only continue to grow due to aging.

The EAA will make digital technology, from websites to ATMs, more accessible for at least 87 million Europeans. Complying with the EAA is not just a legal requirement; it also offers commercial advantages. Google rewards accessibility with more organic traffic, leading to higher conversions. An example of this is customers of CMS Max who saw a 20 to 30 percent increase in conversion due to improved accessibility.

Despite these advantages, research shows that large webshops still struggle with accessibility. This indicates that there is still much work to be done.

Simple solutions to improve accessibility include adjusting colors for color-blind visitors and lowering the language level of your texts. Additionally, adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a good next step. This means that multiple people in your organization should engage with these guidelines.

But remember: complying with the WCAG and the EAA is not an end goal, but a means to continuously make your website more accessible. Implementing accessibility in design, creating awareness throughout the company, and regularly conducting audits are some of the best ways to achieve this. Accessibility should be part of your organization's DNA, and customers should be able to easily provide feedback online.

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