In today’s society, most people depend on the internet to communicate, including those with disabilities. But imagine the difficulty you would experience if you were trying to navigate a website with a disability or sensory impairment. That’s why ensuring that your website is inclusive to every possible visitor is essential.

Some law firms fail to invest in web accessibility. Often the reason for their hesitation is that they are concerned about the time and money it will take to optimize their website properly. They may also not realize the benefits of having an accessible website. However, your investment in creating an accessible website can not only improve user experience, but can also prevent the possibility of web accessibility lawsuits.

Building a connection with your audience by creating the best law firm website has many benefits. We will discuss the top five benefits of ensuring that your law firm has an accessible website.

What is an Accessible Website?

An accessible website is developed so that those with disabilities can use it. Web accessibility allows people with disabilities to better understand, perceive, navigate, and interact with the site.

Accessible websites are designed to assist those with disabilities, such as:

• Cognitive
• Auditory
• Physical
• Neurological
• Visual
• Speech

Benefits of an Accessible Website

Here are the top five benefits of an accessible website.

#1. Reach a Wider Audience

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 61 million adults in America are living with a disability. So imagine how many potential clients your website could reach if you ensured that it was accessible to more people.

And while it’s impossible to design a website that can accommodate every person, making some simple modifications can go a long way in helping those with disabilities use your website. Making your website more accessible will expand your market penetration and, in turn, reach more clients, improve revenue, and enhance your brand visibility.

#2. Increase Traffic to Your Website

When your website is accessible to users, whether or not they have a disability, you increase traffic to your website. An accessible website can also help with SEO (search engine optimization).

While SEO is used to make websites more accessible for search engines, some areas On-Page SEO can also impact the accessibility of users on the website. This includes:

• Page titles provide context and help visitors identify if the information on the page is relevant to them.
• Headings help provide structure to the page and allow visitors to navigate a page quickly.

• Sitemaps help visitors easily find the content they are looking for, especially if your website navigation is complex.

• Anchor text describes the content found on the page you are linking to. It describes the purpose of the page and helps the reader decide if they want to click the link.

• Breadcrumb links are another way to navigate your website. It helps users get back to the original page and trace back through the path they took to get to the page they are on.

• Alt text provides text alternatives to images for those with visual impairments. The alt text is read aloud by screen readers. Alt text must be relevant and accurate.

• Navigation helps users quickly find what they are looking for.

• Readability ensures that the content on your page is readable and can be understood by users who may have cognitive disabilities.

• User interaction — Limiting the number of physical interactions required is essential, as screen readers cannot perform physical interactions such as clicking buttons.

Increased traffic leads to better engagement and improved SEO rankings, ultimately leading to a possible increase in conversion rates.

#3. Increased Trust

When you make your website more accessible, you increase the trust that potential clients have in your law firm. In addition, you are raising awareness of the importance of accessibility and showing that you care about the needs of the visitors to your website.

#4. Avoid Legal Complications

Were you aware that you could be sued if your website is not in compliance with the regulations of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? The ADA requires that all websites are accessible and usable by those with disabilities. Therefore, being proactive and ensuring that your website is accessible to all can help protect you from legal complications.

#5. Existing Clients Also Benefit

Not only will your new website visitors benefit from having an accessible website for your law firm, but existing clients can also benefit. Below are some of the ways you can make your website more accessible that can help existing clients as well.

• Creating transcripts or closed captions for videos can benefit clients who may not be hard of hearing but are watching a video with the sound off.
• Using a higher contrast ratio can make the text easier for clients to read if they’re on a smartphone outside on a sunny day.
• Making buttons on your website larger can help clients browse your website while walking or moving.
• A clear design and layout can help clients navigate your website easier. If a visitor, even without a disability, gets frustrated with your website, they’ll leave.

Conroy Creative Counsel Can Help Make Your Website Accessible

An accessible website is beneficial not only for your audience but for your business as well. By having an accessible website, you are catering to an audience who wants to do business with you. And when they can freely access your website, your law firm can grow substantially.

Conroy Creative Counsel knows the importance of an accessible website to expand the reach of your law firm. Our team is dedicated to providing you with a market strategy that aligns with your goals. We will implement a strategy that will help your law firm establish credibility, convey expertise, and build trust.

We want to hear about your firm! Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.