Oren Divon, CMO at Pluro web accessibility.
For businesses across all industries, websites are no longer a luxury but a necessity. The rise of e-commerce, online marketing, and digital branding has made websites indispensable tools for engaging with customers, promoting services, and driving sales. However, as the importance of websites has grown, so has the need for them to be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Accessibility is no longer just a legal requirement in many jurisdictions; it’s also a moral and ethical obligation for businesses.
Offering accessibility as a service is crucial for web agencies. However, accessibility is not a one-time endeavor. It requires ongoing attention, much like other essential web services like hosting, SEO, and security. This article will explore why web agencies should offer accessibility as an ongoing service and how it benefits the agency and its clients.
The Ongoing Nature of Web Services
When a business sets up a website, it often considers it a one-time project. It pays a web agency to design and develop the site, and once it’s launched, it considers the job done. However, experienced web professionals know website maintenance is far from a one-time effort. Various services are required to keep a website functional, relevant, and secure over time.
Hosting is necessary to keep the website online and accessible to users around the clock. This is not a one-time payment—businesses pay monthly or annual fees to ensure their site remains operational.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is another critical service. While an initial SEO setup can lay the groundwork for a site to be discovered by search engines, ongoing SEO efforts are essential to maintain and improve search rankings. Algorithms change, competitors adapt, and content needs to be regularly updated to stay relevant. Therefore, SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous attention.
Security is the most critical ongoing service. Cyber threats constantly evolve, and a secure site today may not be safe tomorrow. Regular updates, patches, and monitoring are necessary to protect a website from being compromised.
Similarly, accessibility is not a one-time project but an ongoing requirement. Like hosting, SEO, and security, the initial setup of accessibility features is only the beginning.
Accessibility: A Continuous Commitment
When a web agency builds a website, it might include accessibility features such as alt text for images, keyboard navigation, and proper heading structures. These features are part of the initial infrastructure that makes the site accessible to users with disabilities. However, websites are dynamic entities—they change and evolve over time. Content is added, designs are updated, and new functionalities are implemented. Each of these changes can potentially impact the website’s accessibility.
For instance, adding a new video without captions can make the site less accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Implementing a new JavaScript-based interaction that is not screen-reader-friendly can hinder users who rely on assistive technologies. Even something as simple as changing the color scheme can impact users with visual impairments if the color contrast needs to be adequately considered.
Given these challenges, accessibility must be maintained and updated continuously. Just as businesses invest in ongoing SEO, hosting, and security services, they should also invest in ongoing accessibility services. This is where web agencies can offer significant value.
The Role of Web Agencies in Providing Ongoing Accessibility Services
Web design agencies must recognize that accessibility isn’t just a temporary issue but a long-term commitment to inclusivity. Rather than fearing the complexities of web accessibility, agencies should proactively embrace it as part of their core services.
One of the biggest challenges agencies face is a lack of knowledge about the current accessibility status of their websites or their clients. Without this information, managing accessibility becomes nearly impossible. Effective management simply can’t happen without visibility. Agencies should not treat accessibility as a peripheral task. Instead, they should take ownership, become proactive leaders, acquire the necessary knowledge, and guide their clients toward compliance. By adopting solutions prioritizing accessibility, agencies can ensure compliance with legal standards and improve the overall user experience for all visitors, including those with disabilities.
Web design agencies should incorporate accessibility audits and automated scanning tools and stay up-to-date with evolving regulations. In doing so, they will provide a better product for their clients and position themselves as forward-thinking, responsible partners in creating an inclusive web.
It cannot be overemphasized how crucial web design agencies are in ensuring that websites remain compliant, user-friendly, and inclusive for people with disabilities. Their role extends beyond the initial design and development phase, encompassing continuous monitoring, updates, and optimization to maintain accessibility standards as technologies and regulations evolve.
Key Aspects of the Ongoing Role Web Agencies Play:
- Accessibility audits and assessments: Agencies should conduct regular audits to identify website accessibility barriers. These audits involve automated tools and manual checks to ensure a website meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and other relevant standards. By conducting periodic assessments, agencies can pinpoint areas needing improvement and ensure ongoing compliance with legal requirements such as the ADA in the U.S. or the European Union’s accessibility directives.
- Continuous compliance monitoring: Accessibility isn’t a one-time task. As websites grow, add new features, or update content, agencies must continuously monitor changes to ensure accessibility standards are upheld. This can include integrating real-time monitoring solutions to detect and address issues as they arise.
- Content updates and optimization: Agencies should work closely with their clients to ensure that any new content—images, videos, blog posts, or multimedia elements—remains accessible. This involves ensuring proper alt text, providing transcripts or captions for videos, and maintaining appropriate contrast ratios for text and background.
- Training and education: Agencies play a critical role in educating their clients about accessibility. They can provide training to content creators, developers, and marketing teams to ensure that everyone involved in managing the website understands accessibility best practices. This empowers clients to maintain their website’s accessibility between agency reviews.
- User Feedback and Testing: Involving people with disabilities in usability testing is an essential service agencies can provide. By collecting feedback from real users, agencies can better understand how accessible the website is, allowing for adjustments that improve overall accessibility. This approach ensures a website functions well across devices and assistive technologies (like screen readers).
- Legal and standards updates: Web accessibility regulations and standards (such as WCAG) continuously evolve. Agencies should stay informed about the latest changes in accessibility laws and guidelines and ensure that their client’s websites are compliant. This includes helping businesses avoid legal risks by updating them on their region’s latest accessibility-related rulings or mandates.
- Maintenance of third-party integrations: Agencies must ensure that any third-party tools or plugins integrated into a website (such as chatbots, forms, or e-commerce platforms) comply with accessibility standards. As these tools often receive updates from external developers, agencies should ensure they remain accessible after updates and work seamlessly with assistive technologies.
- Accessibility roadmaps and strategy development: An agency also helps clients create a long-term accessibility strategy. This includes planning for regular updates, setting improvement goals, and ensuring accessibility is part of the client’s digital transformation and future-proofing efforts. Developing an accessibility roadmap makes it easier to manage resources and ensures that accessibility remains a priority even as the website evolves.
- Assistive technology compatibility: Another key responsibility is ensuring that websites are compatible with various assistive technologies, such as screen readers, voice recognition tools, or alternative input devices. Agencies must consistently test websites with these technologies to ensure a seamless experience for all users.
- Reporting and documentation: Clear documentation and reporting on a website’s accessibility status are critical for transparency. Agencies should provide detailed reports highlighting which accessibility guidelines are being met, areas needing improvement, and plans for future updates. This documentation can also serve as evidence of compliance should any legal issues arise.
The Benefits of Offering Accessibility as a Service
For web agencies, offering accessibility as an ongoing service provides several benefits:
First, it creates an additional revenue stream. Just as agencies charge for SEO and security services, they can charge a monthly retainer for accessibility services. This retainer covers the costs of regular audits, updates, and user testing, ensuring the website remains accessible over time.
Second, offering accessibility services enhances the agency’s reputation. In today’s market, businesses are increasingly aware of the importance of accessibility. By providing this service, agencies position themselves as leaders in a critical area, which can help attract new clients and retain existing ones.
Third, it’s a win-win for clients. By paying for ongoing accessibility services, clients ensure their websites remain compliant with legal standards, reducing the risk of potentially costly lawsuits. They maintain a high standard of usability for all users, which can lead to increased traffic, customer satisfaction, and better business outcomes.
Web design agencies must evolve from merely offering accessibility as an optional service to embedding it into their ongoing processes. This continuous effort enhances the reputation of both the agency and its clients, showing a commitment to social responsibility, inclusivity, and digital equality.
