Users with disabilities are visiting your website

It’s getting increasingly difficult to track how users are finding your website, but there is one thing I can guarantee — users with disabilities are visiting your site, and you should be prepared to serve them accordingly.

I was talking with a (now former) client a few years ago, urging her to do more work to make her website more accessible. Her response was sad and ignorant, saying:

“I am all about helping the disabled maneuver through a website, but that is not my audience. The people I attract are not disabled.”

To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what she meant by that, but she was clearly mistaken. Not only are 10–15% of all internet users disabled to some degree, we all have other issues from time to time that make accessibility on a website even more important.

It’s essential to know your audience and serve them well, and ignoring this aspect of your audience can be a little rude, short-sighted, and expensive if you ever get sued.

Don’t question whether or not users with disabilities are visiting your website. They are, so put in the effort to serve them properly.