Aug 8, 2025
Is Your Website ADA Compliant? A Simple Guide to WCAG for Small Businesses
Introduction
As a business owner, you know your website is your digital storefront. But what if some of your customers can't get in the door? Website accessibility lawsuits are on the rise, and businesses are facing increasing legal pressure to ensure their sites are usable by people with disabilities.
The short answer is: to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), your website should follow the technical standards known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
This guide will break down what WCAG is, why it's crucial for your business, and a few simple first steps you can take to improve your site's accessibility.
What is WCAG and Why Does it Matter?
The WCAG is a set of technical guidelines for making web content accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, and motor impairments. While the ADA itself doesn't explicitly mention websites, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that commercial websites are "places of public accommodation" and must be accessible.
Failing to comply not only excludes a significant portion of the population but also exposes your business to demand letters and costly lawsuits.
The 4 Principles of WCAG
WCAG is organized around four core principles, easily remembered by the acronym POUR:
Perceivable: Users must be able to perceive the information being presented. This means providing text alternatives for images (alt text) and captions for videos.
Operable: Users must be able to operate the interface. This means your website should be fully navigable with a keyboard alone, without requiring a mouse.
Understandable: The information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. This means using clear language, providing predictable navigation, and helping users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies (like screen readers).
Conclusion
Website accessibility is no longer a "nice-to-have"; it's a business and legal necessity. By embracing the principles of WCAG, you not only protect your business from legal risk but also create a better, more inclusive experience for all your customers. Start with small steps, like adding alt text to your images and ensuring your site is navigable by keyboard, to begin your journey toward a more accessible web.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a screen reader?
A screen reader is a software application that enables people with severe visual impairments to use a computer. It reads the text that is displayed on the screen with a speech synthesizer or a Braille display. This is why having proper headings and alt text is so important.
Are accessibility widgets or overlays enough to be compliant?
No. While some widgets can add helpful features, they do not fix the underlying code of your website. Many lawsuits have successfully targeted sites that use these overlays, arguing that they do not provide full accessibility.
Does my small business really need to worry about this?
Yes. A very high percentage of digital accessibility lawsuits are filed against small and medium-sized businesses. Proactively addressing accessibility is the best way to mitigate this risk.
What is "alt text"?
Alt text (or alternative text) is a short, written description of an image on a webpage. This text is read aloud by screen readers, allowing visually impaired users to understand the content and context of the image.
Is there a simple first step I can take?
Yes. Try navigating your own website using only the "Tab" key on your keyboard. Can you access every link, button, and form field in a logical order? If not, that's a great place to start making improvements.
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