Here’s How An Accessibility Statement Can Help Your Business Grow

Every business needs to prioritize digital accessibility, and organizations that ignore their customers with disabilities take serious risks. But inclusive design isn’t just about compliance: It’s a practical way to grow your audience and provide customers with a better experience.

And if you’ve taken steps to improve accessibility, you’re certainly allowed to discuss those efforts. An accurate accessibility statement tells potential customers that you’re committed to the process — and can provide a competitive advantage for your business. Here’s how.

What is an accessibility statement, and why is it important?

An accessibility statement is a dedicated webpage that outlines the measures taken to ensure the site is usable for people with disabilities. It’s not a technical document; it’s written in plain language, and it gives people the info they need to use your website (and report accessibility issues). 

Your accessibility statement should include:

• Any known accessibility barriers that haven’t been resolved yet. For example, if your website uses low-contrast text on certain pages (and you can’t fix that issue right away), you’d tell users on your accessibility statement. 
• A simple explanation of the standards you use to evaluate your content. This should be a version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the international standards for digital accessibility.
• Basic information about the methods you’ve used to test your content. For example, if you’ve used a combination of manual and automated tests, you’d explain those methods (briefly) in the statement. 
• Contact information for reporting accessibility barriers.

If you’re new to the concept, we’ve written a guide for avoiding some common accessibility statement mistakes. Ideally, though, you won’t handle the work on your own — the page is a much stronger resource when it has been evaluated by digital accessibility professionals.

Learn more: Think Twice Before Writing Your Own Accessibility Statement

An accurate accessibility statement is an essential resource for users with disabilities

So, why go through the trouble of adding an accessibility statement at all — especially if you’re fairly confident that your website is accessible? 

For starters, many users with disabilities will search for an accessibility page before engaging with any other content. If a website doesn’t have accessibility resources, some people might assume that inclusive design isn’t a priority. They might think that the site will provide a subpar experience when using screen readers or other assistive tech (and usually, they’ll be correct).

An accurate accessibility statement has other business benefits:

• Providing a feedback mechanism can lead to valuable insights about the issues that affect real-life users. You can use the feedback to set up a stronger accessibility remediation strategy.  
• Accessibility statements may discourage web accessibility lawsuits. You’re giving users an actionable alternative to litigation — and while an accessibility statement on its own will not improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other laws, it can complement your compliance strategy. 
• By broadcasting your commitment to accessibility, you’re showcasing your company’s social values. That can be a strong driver of purchase decisions; in one study, 53% of consumers said that they’d pay more for products from companies aligned with their social values. 
• Showcasing your social values can also impact word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing. People are more likely to trust (and recommend) inclusive companies.

To realize these benefits, the statement must be accurate. If you incorrectly claim WCAG conformance or announce that your website “is fully accessible" without actually testing your content, you’re doing a disservice to your customers. 

Related: The Business Case for an Accessible Website

Even if your website has serious accessibility issues, an accessibility statement can make a difference

Often, businesses wait to publish accessibility statements until they’ve met certain benchmarks. That’s a mistake — your accessibility page is actually more useful when it acknowledges known barriers. 

When you acknowledge limitations, you’re showing a commitment to improvement. You’re telling users that you care about their experience and that you’re working towards a better website for everyone.

To start building a more inclusive website, send us a message to connect with an expert or test your content against WCAG with AudioEye’s free website accessibility checker.