Digital accessibility: opportunities and first steps for companies

Who is affected?

To the Accessibility Reinforcement Act The services described above include in particular: Telephone and messenger services, banking services, electronic commerce, e-books and passenger transportation services.

The "electronic commerce" aspect is particularly relevant for commercial websites, as this basically refers to all business transactions that take place via the website. In addition to e-commerce websites, this also includes forms for making contact, booking appointments and other interactions. This means that not only companies with an online store are affected, but also, for example, a hairdressing salon that offers an online form for booking appointments.

From the Accessibility Reinforcement Act Micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees or an annual turnover of less than two million euros are exempt. These companies do not necessarily have to make their websites accessible - unless they sell products via their website.

The requirements therefore affect a wide range of companies and websites. The Federal Center for Accessibility offers extensive information that can be helpful in case of ambiguity. Alternatively, Wächter can advise you on whether and which requirements apply to your company and support you in strategy and implementation.
Even if a website does not necessarily have to meet the requirements described, it is still advantageous to fundamentally consider accessibility. take into account. Some measures can be implemented without great effort and voluntary optimization brings numerous advantages - for companies and users.

 Accessibility pays off for everyone

Even companies that are not legally obliged to provide accessibility benefit considerably from the optimization or development of accessible websites. A brief scenario: Mr. B. wants to buy a new television online. The "Check availability" button has changed from red to green when he clicks on it. Despite his decision to buy, the company has not been able to acquire Mr. B. as a customer.
Not only Mr. B., but another four million people in Germany have color vision deficiency and cannot distinguish between red and green.

This example shows the enormous impact that an inconspicuous design decision can have on the accessibility of content and therefore also on the company's reach. Optimizing accessibility makes content more accessible for users, regardless of their individual limitations. In addition, user-friendliness is improved, users find their way around more easily and experience clearly structured navigation.

Not only can the usability of a website be improved by implementing the guidelines, but also its visibility in search engines. Accessible content is more search engine friendly, which leads to better rankings and a greater reach.
In addition, a commitment to accessibility shows that a company takes responsibility for inclusion and social justice, which strengthens trust and a positive image among customers and partners. Accessibility supports the aspiration for an inclusive digital society and contributes to increasing the value of the brand.

Measures for the implementation of an accessible website

At first glance, the multitude of requirements and specifications can seem extensive and confusing. It is therefore particularly important to prioritize measures and create a sound basis. Companies that want to take their first steps towards accessibility can start with these basic and easy-to-implement measures. Implementing this checklist creates a solid foundation for making websites more user-friendly and accessible for everyone and implementing accessibility step by step.

1. Contrast
   Depending on its font size, a text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 7 to the background so that it can be read by most people under as many circumstances as possible.
   
   
2. Alt texts
   Images and other non-text-based content should have alternative text. This allows people to absorb the content in different ways. For example, visually impaired people use screen readers to have websites read aloud to them. They can only consume information about images with alt text.
   
   
3. Operability via the keyboard
   Not everyone can use a mouse. The keyboard is one of the most common alternatives for navigating through user interfaces. The entire functionality of the content can be operated via a keyboard, without the need for specific time specifications for individual keystrokes.
   
   
4. Dependence on colors
   Around 4% of the world's population is affected by some form of color blindness. Make sure that your website does not communicate important information using colors. For example, successfully completed actions should not be marked by a color change of an element.
   
   
5. Clean programming
   During programming, all page elements are provided with a so-called tag. So that screen readers can also understand and reproduce the structure of the website, the correct tags must be used for elements (e.g. h1, h2, ..., h6 for headings and ol or ul for bulleted lists). 

Accessibility offers many advantages: it promotes social justice, improves user-friendliness, expands the target group and can strengthen a company's positive image. The increasing importance of inclusion in the digital industry makes the accessible design of websites an important step for forward-looking companies.
In view of the upcoming legal requirements and social responsibility, it is advisable to actively integrate accessibility into the digital strategy. Wächter can offer comprehensive advice and support - for an inclusive digital presence that meets the demands of the future and benefits everyone.