For many years, accessibility was one of the last things web designers and developers focused on. Plenty of businesses assumed accessibility only mattered for large corporations and government agencies. But that assumption doesn’t hold up any longer. Not only is website accessibility important for users, but it’s also a legal requirement that’s enforced through federal and state laws.
Whether your motivation comes from legal concerns, a greater understanding of how people rely on assistive technology, or a combination of both, making website accessibility a priority is a step in the right direction. By ensuring your site is accessible, you can give all users equal access to your website.
Website Accessibility Matters to More People Than You Realize
The CDC reports that roughly one in four American adults lives with some type of disability. That includes people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and people with mobility limitations or cognitive conditions that affect how they read or process information.
Accessibility can even help people who may not describe themselves as disabled, such as an older adult who struggles to read small, low-contrast text. Having a design that works for these situations allows everyone to enjoy the best of your website.
The Growing Legal Focus on Website Accessibility
Website accessibility lawsuits are on the rise. According to the law firm Seyfarth Shaw, there were 3,117 website accessibility lawsuits in federal court in 2025, up 27% from the year before. When you include state courts, that puts the total closer to 5,000. Interestingly, many of these cases target small and mid-sized businesses, especially restaurants, ecommerce sites, and service providers with online booking.
Government rules are getting stricter too. In 2024, the Department of Justice adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the required standard for state and local government websites. In April 2026, the DOJ gave those agencies an extra year to comply, moving deadlines to April 2027 for larger entities and April 2028 for smaller ones.
While private businesses aren’t covered under this specific rule, courts often use the same WCAG standard when deciding Title III cases. Businesses that sell to European customers must also follow the European Accessibility Act, which became legally binding in 2025.
Accessibility and SEO Have a Lot in Common
Search engine optimization and accessibility have a strong relationship. Search engines can’t see images or watch videos like humans can. They instead rely on text and structure to understand a page, which is what screen readers rely on as well. Having alt text on images, a logical heading order, descriptive link text, and captions or transcripts for video are helpful for those using assistive technology. Plus, they give search engines clearer signals about what your content covers.
The same logic applies to AI tools that summarize and recommend websites. If you have a page with clean structure and clearly labeled content, it’s easier for those systems to interpret correctly. So, the efforts you make to improve accessibility are often the same improvements that you would make for SEO. Double win.
Where to Begin With Website Accessibility
If your website wasn’t built with accessibility in mind, the best place to start is with an audit. An audit can help you find barriers that make your site difficult for people with disabilities. From there, you can prioritize the improvements that will make the biggest impact.
- Start with an accessibility audit: While automated tools can help identify common issues, manual testing is your best bet. This approach involves using your keyboard and screen reader to provide a complete picture.
- Check color contrast: Make sure that your text has enough contrast against the background so visitors can easily read it. Pure black text on a white background is typically ideal. Also consider what your website will look like in both dark and light mode.
- Improve keyboard navigation: All interactive elements should be accessible by keyboard, as well as have a visible indicator showing where the user is on the page.
- Review forms and videos: Make sure that forms have clear labels and helpful error messages. Videos should also include accurate captions.
- Be cautious with accessibility overlays: Some widgets promise instant compliance, but don’t take their word for it. True accessibility needs to be built into the site’s design and development. Widgets cannot fix underlying problems with your website’s code or guarantee legal compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Website Accessibility
What is WCAG?
WCAG refers to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which are a set of standards published by the World Wide Web Consortium. Courts and regulators in the U.S. use Level AA as the benchmark.
Does the ADA apply to my business website?
There is no set federal deadline for private businesses but courts have repeatedly ruled that websites can fall under the ADA. Private companies are often the target of lawsuits. Speak to a legal professional about your specific situation.
How long does it take to make a website accessible?
It depends on the size and complexity of your website. Small websites may only need a few fixes that can be completed in a couple of weeks, while large or older sites can take longer. Incorporating accessibility into the redesign is typically more efficient than retrofitting.
Is accessibility a one-time project?
As with other web maintenance, accessibility is not a one-time project. Be ready to perform regular checkups to make sure that your site is in good shape, as new pages, images, videos, and plugins can introduce new problems.
Building a Website for Every Visitor
Accessibility used to be a nice extra, but it’s now moving into the same category as mobile-friendly design. People expect websites to be accessible, and businesses that choose to ignore it are taking on more risk as time goes on. To correct this issue, start with an audit and fix the biggest gaps. Then continue to make updates so that your website is not only compliant but also accommodating to all users.
Want to know how accessible your website really is? Contact WSI Internet Partners to talk about an accessibility review and a design plan that works for all of your visitors.
Aaron Braunstein is the President of WSI Internet Partners, a Waco-based digital marketing agency that helps local businesses grow through strategy-driven SEO, Google Ads, and AI-powered solutions. A long-time member of the Waco business community, Aaron brings global expertise and local insight to every project. Connect with him on LinkedIn or learn more at WSI Internet Partners.
