Dive Brief:
- E-commerce and media sites scored the lowest overall in an accessibility audit of the 100 most visited websites in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Italy, according to a study released by the Contentsquare Foundation last month.
- Only 7% of websites showed consistent accessibility efforts, and the grand majority — 71% — of high-ranking websites were from public sector organizations. Contentsquare Foundation rated the sites based on 17 key accessibility criteria outlined/detailed in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, including media and moving contents, images, keyboard navigation and presentation of information.
- Missing alt-text and inadequate color contrast were among the most common e-commerce and media website deficiencies identified in the study. The average media site scored a 5.8 on a 10-point scale, while the average e-commerce site scored a 5.4.
Dive Insight:
Companies that ignore digital accessibility concerns, or simply put in the minimum effort to comply with regulations, may be leaving a lot of revenue on the table.
“When companies think about accessibility, they often neglect to consider that visual impairment is a common phenomenon,” Shashi Bellamkonda, principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group, told CX Dive in an email.
Standard best practices like adding alt-text for images can significantly improve the user experience, particularly among aging consumers with visual impairments, according to Bellamkonda.
Other best practices have even wider applications. Paying attention to color use can benefit a wide range of potential browsers.
“Today, users access websites on a wide variety of devices,” Bellamkonda said. “Providing good color contrasts between foreground and background colors along with the other accessibility features, will prevent abandonment and potential lost sales.”
Banking websites generally performed better than their e-commerce and media counterparts, with an average score of 6.6. Banks in the U.S. led their peers with an average score of 7.6, which the Contentquare Foundation attributed to compliance with and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Banks’ legal and ethical responsibilities give them good reason to offer strong accessibility features, according to Bellamkonda. However, banks shouldn’t be the only ones taking accessibility seriously, as it can boost customer trust for any brand.
“Don’t think of digital accessibility as legal compliance,” Bellamkonda said. “Use the best practices to create a positive and very inclusive experience for all users. This may be a good path for growth.”
