There is a misconception that thinking about accessibility is some kind of box-ticking exercise and that it’s something that doesn’t need to be given too much thought.
The truth is that giving real thought to accessibility has a lot of benefits to your business, and it’s something that’s worth investing some time in.
- Reach a wider audience
According to WHO, 15% of the world’s population has some kind of disability. The global prevalence of disability is increasing due to the aging population, the spread of chronic diseases, and the fact that we now have more accurate ways of measuring disability.
That’s a whole lot of people who you might not reach with your carefully thought-out marketing campaign if you don’t take accessibility into account when you’re designing it.
- Greater connection to your audience
One of the simplest ways to increase accessibility is by adding subtitles to your videos so that deaf people can understand them too.
Not only will this help you to connect with a whole group of people who you wouldn’t have before, but it can also help audience engagement as a whole.
Subtitles help to reinforce your message to people who can hear and also enables them to enjoy your video content at times when it’s not convenient for them to have the volume switched on.
You can also boost your SEO ranking by adding subtitles. Google and other search engines prioritize accessibility, and so things like having alt texts in your images and subtitles on your videos will improve your SEO ranking and ensure that your content is more visible to everyone.
- It’s the right thing to do
Eleven marketing are specialists in accessible marketing. They point out that if a new building was constructed, you would naturally expect to see it constructed with wheelchair ramps and braille signage to ensure that the building was accessible to anyone who entered it.
The same idea applies to your marketing campaign. An accessible marketing plan means that your ideas are equally accessible to all.
- Illustrates your business values
The business world is highly competitive, and you need to ensure that you are doing everything you can to connect with your potential customers.
If they are people who think that inclusivity and accessibility are important, then demonstrating your commitment to these values through your marketing campaign is a great way to show them you are on the same page.
If you are operating in a competitive field, factors like accessibility could be what helps someone to decide whether to go with you or a competitor.
- Meet government guidelines
Governments have guidelines in place around accessibility, and it’s a good idea to meet them so that you are in sync with public sector organizations.
Considering accessibility from the design stages of your campaign means that it will be much easier to factor into the finished product than if you suddenly find that you have to once you have already got started.
