The internet empowers people like never before. We are constantly connected. We learn online, meet friends online, play games online, and shop online, to name just a few. Can you imagine a world without the internet?
For most of us, buying a couple of sneakers online is a matter of a couple of minutes – well, that is when you know what you are looking for – . But opening your browser, navigating to your favourite shop, placing an order, and paying online can be done in minutes using a smartphone, tablet or computer.
However, have you ever considered that this sequence of tasks could be a nightmare for people with certain disabilities? Issues like overly complex or unusable navigation, intrusive pop-ups and banners, insufficient colour contrast, and images without proper descriptions are just some of the unnecessary barriers that render websites and webshops unusable for some.
I firmly believe that we have a moral obligation to create an open and accessible internet that is inclusive for everyone. But even from a business perspective, one doesn’t need to be a genius to understand the value of investing in web accessibility. Inaccessible websites simply leave money on the table.
My name is Taeke Reijenga. I am the CEO of Level Level, a full-service WordPress agency based in the Netherlands, and I’m also the founder of the A11Y Collective. In this course, I invite you to explore with me the business case for web accessibility.
