With years of experience working across multiple industries, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in the expectations around website design – and one of the most important priorities is accessibility.
For too long, accessibility has been treated as a “nice-to-have” or a compliance box tick. But today, smart brands know it’s much more than that, it’s a core part of quality user experience, good SEO, and inclusive marketing. In short, if your website isn’t accessible, you can expect it to underperform for your business and audience.
It is shocking to see that in an era of inclusion that accessibility is overlooked as millions of users with disabilities encounter significant barriers when websites aren’t designed appropriately.
Here’s why accessibility is no longer just an option – and how we help include it within every stage of our clients’ digital presence.
1. Usability for Everyone
Designing for people with disabilities whether that’s visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments, actually makes your website better for everyone. Ever tried to navigate a site in bright sunlight? Or scroll with one hand while holding a coffee in the other? Accessibility features like high contrast, alt text, and keyboard navigation improve the experience for all users in real-world scenarios.
Web accessibility ensures that all users can perceive, navigate, and interact with digital content independently and effectively. For example, a blind person should be able go navigate your website and understand its content with a screen reader, just the same as a sighted user would.
2. It is a Legal Requirement
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires businesses to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled users, including online. For public sector organisations, it’s even more stringent, we have experienced this first-hand with ExtraCare Charitable Trust. But even for private companies, lawsuits and complaints are rising over inaccessible websites.
3. Accessibility Boosts SEO
Search engines love accessible websites as they are generally easier to crawl, understand, and index, which supports their goal of delivering the best, most relevant content to users. Clear hierarchy, descriptive alt text, semantic HTML are all the things that support screen reader. It’s a win-win: better user experience and improved search visibility.
4. It Reflects Your Brand Values
Your website is your digital shopfront, and it speaks volumes about who you are. If your brand champions inclusion, equality, or community, then having an accessible site is non-negotiable. And if you don’t show that commitment online, your audience will notice, leading to negative comments and poor word-of-mouth.
We’ve helped clients reposition themselves as accessibility-first, and it often leads to stronger trust and broader reach.
5. Accessible Design Drives Conversion
You don’t want 20% of your potential customers struggling to use your site, or worse, leaving it entirely. From clearer calls to action to cleaner layout and intuitive navigation, accessible websites often perform better in terms of bounce rate, time on site, and conversion.
Because good accessibility is good UX. And good UX drives results.
Whether you’re redesigning your site, launching something new, or just starting to explore what accessibility means for your brand, Switch is here to help you make digital spaces that welcome everyone.
