1 in 4 Adults Has a Disability. Is Your Website Shutting Them Out?
61 million adults in the United States live with a disability. Many have vision impairments, hearing loss, motor difficulties, or cognitive conditions affecting how they use websites.
If your website does not work for these visitors, you lose customers and face legal risk. ADA-related website lawsuits hit a record high in recent years, with small businesses increasingly targeted.
Website accessibility is not a large-enterprise problem. It applies to every business with a website. And the good news: most fixes are straightforward and improve your site for all visitors.
What Website Accessibility Means
An accessible website works for people with disabilities. This includes people who:
- Use screen readers because they have visual impairments
- Navigate with a keyboard because they are unable to use a mouse
- Need captions on videos because they have hearing loss
- Require larger text or high contrast because of low vision
- Process information differently due to cognitive disabilities
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide the standard. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the benchmark most legal and regulatory requirements reference.
Why Small Businesses Should Care
Legal Risk
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to places of public accommodation. Courts have increasingly ruled websites fall under this definition.
In 2023, over 4,000 ADA-related website lawsuits were filed. Small businesses made up a large portion of defendants. Settlements range from $5,000 to $150,000 or more.
You do not need to be a Fortune 500 company to get sued. Plaintiffs' firms specifically target small business websites because they are less likely to be accessible and more likely to settle quickly.
Lost Revenue
The disability community has over $490 billion in disposable income. When your website does not work for these visitors, they leave and buy from a competitor.
Accessibility problems also frustrate people without disabilities. A confusing navigation menu, tiny click targets, or auto-playing videos with no controls annoy everyone.
SEO Benefits
Many accessibility improvements also improve search engine rankings. Alt text on images helps Google understand your content. Proper heading structure helps Google parse your pages. Fast load times benefit accessibility and SEO equally.
The Most Common Accessibility Problems
Here are the issues found on the majority of small business websites:
Missing Alt Text on Images
Alt text describes what an image shows. Screen readers read this text aloud to blind users. Without it, images are invisible to screen reader users.
The fix: Add descriptive alt text to every image on your site. Describe what the image shows, not what it is. "Team of three electricians standing in front of a white service van" is better than "team photo."
Poor Color Contrast
Light gray text on a white background is hard to read for people with low vision. It is also hard to read for everyone on a sunny day or a dim screen.
WCAG requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
The fix: Use a contrast checker tool like WebAIM's Contrast Checker (webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker). Adjust text and background colors to meet the minimum ratio.
No Keyboard Navigation
Some visitors navigate websites entirely with a keyboard, using Tab, Enter, and arrow keys. If your site requires a mouse to access menus, buttons, or forms, these visitors get stuck.
The fix: Test your site by putting your mouse away and navigating with only your keyboard. Tab through every link and button. If you get stuck or lose track of where you are on the page, there is an issue to fix.
Missing Form Labels
Contact forms, booking forms, and search bars need labels identifying each field. A screen reader user encounters an unlabeled text box and has no idea what to type.
The fix: Add a visible label or aria-label to every form field. "Your Name," "Email Address," "Phone Number" each need their own label.
Videos Without Captions
Videos on your website need captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors. Auto-generated captions are a start but contain errors. Manual review produces accurate results.
The fix: Add closed captions to all videos. YouTube and Vimeo both offer captioning tools. Review auto-generated captions and correct any mistakes.
Missing or Incorrect Heading Structure
Screen readers use headings (H1, H2, H3) to understand page structure and allow users to jump between sections. If your page uses headings for visual styling rather than structure, it confuses assistive technology.
The fix: Use heading tags in logical order. One H1 per page, followed by H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections. Do not skip levels (going from H1 to H3 without an H2).
Links With No Context
Links reading "click here" or "learn more" tell a screen reader user nothing about where the link goes.
The fix: Write descriptive link text. "View our plumbing services" is clear. "Click here" is not.
How to Test Your Website's Accessibility
Automated Testing Tools
These free tools scan your website and flag common accessibility issues:
- WAVE (wave.webaim.org): Paste your URL and get a visual report of issues on each page
- Google Lighthouse: Built into Chrome DevTools. Run an accessibility audit with a few clicks.
- axe DevTools: A browser extension providing detailed accessibility analysis
Automated tools catch about 30 to 40% of accessibility issues. They are a great starting point but not a complete solution.
Manual Testing
Do these tests yourself:
- Keyboard test: Navigate your entire site using only a keyboard. Tab through every page, menu, form, and button.
- Screen reader test: Turn on VoiceOver (Mac) or NVDA (Windows, free download) and listen to your site. Does it make sense?
- Zoom test: Zoom your browser to 200%. Does everything still work? Does text overflow or get hidden?
- Color test: View your site in grayscale. Are all elements still distinguishable?
Professional Audit
For a thorough assessment, hire an accessibility consultant. A professional audit typically costs $1,000 to $5,000 depending on site size and covers manual testing with assistive technologies, detailed reports, and remediation guidance.
Quick Wins: Fix These Today
You do not need to overhaul your entire website at once. Start with these high-impact fixes:
- Add alt text to all images (biggest single improvement)
- Check color contrast on headings and body text
- Make sure your site is navigable by keyboard
- Label all form fields
- Add captions to videos
- Use descriptive link text
These six fixes address the most common issues and significantly reduce legal risk.
Platform-Specific Tips
WordPress: Install a plugin like WP Accessibility or Starter Theme with built-in accessibility features. Choose themes labeled WCAG-compliant.
Squarespace: Squarespace templates include basic accessibility features. Focus on adding alt text, using proper headings, and maintaining contrast.
Wix: Use the Wix Accessibility Wizard to scan and fix common issues. Add alt text through the image settings panel.
Shopify: Choose accessibility-focused themes. Add alt text to product images. Ensure checkout forms are labeled.
Writing an Accessibility Statement
An accessibility statement on your website shows good faith and provides contact information for visitors who encounter barriers.
Include:
- Your commitment to accessibility
- The standard you aim for (WCAG 2.1 Level AA)
- Contact information for reporting issues
- Date of your last accessibility review
Place this on a dedicated page linked from your footer.
Ongoing Accessibility Maintenance
Accessibility is not a one-time project. Build it into your regular workflow:
- Add alt text when uploading new images
- Check contrast when updating design elements
- Test new pages and features with keyboard navigation
- Run an automated scan monthly
- Do a full manual review quarterly
For more on this topic, read The Small Business Website Checklist: 15 Things to Check Today.
For more on this topic, read What Makes a Strong Online Presence in 2026.Check Your Website's Overall Health
Accessibility is one piece of your online presence. MyBizGrade evaluates your website performance, mobile usability, and overall digital presence in a free, instant report.
Get your grade at https://www.mybizgrade.com and see where your website stands across all the factors affecting whether customers find and choose your business.
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Also read: Small Business Website Checklist | Is Your Website Mobile Friendly | Ssl Certificate Explained