Part of my "regular job" consists of optimizing websites for revenue generation, and one of the hottest topics of the moment is web accessibility.
I had never heard people discuss this concept outside of my work, so I can only assume it's still not widely known by the general public. I thought I would write a few words on the subject.
What is web accessibility?
Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. More specifically, people can:
perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web
contribute to the Web
Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including:
- auditory
- cognitive
- neurological
- physical
- speech
- visual
Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities, for example:
- people using mobile phones, smart watches, smart TVs, and other devices with small screens, different input modes, etc.
- older people with changing abilities due to ageing
- people with “temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm or lost glasses
- people with “situational limitations” such as in bright sunlight or in an environment where they cannot listen to audio
- people using a slow Internet connection, or who have limited or expensive bandwidth
There are 4 principles of Accessibility, often referred to as POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust.
The idea of this article is not to do a deep dive on web accessibility so I will provide only a brief overview of each principle.
Perceivable: users must be able to understand the information being presented; it can’t be invisible to any of their senses.
Operable: users must be able to use the interface and it cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform.
Understandable: users must be able to comprehend information as well as how to use the interface.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
Accessibility on web3
In my opinion, web3 applications should start looking into adopting Accessibility from the get-go. There are many reasons for that, and I would like to highlight some of them.
It's the right thing to do
The way I see it, web3 is all about freedom but also about inclusion. Combined with blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, web3 offers an alternative to those who were alienated by traditional finance for whatever reason.
Making web3 accessible would add even more to the inclusion factor making sure everyone can take part in this revolution. We cannot accept that some people are left behind if we can help it.
It's the smart thing to do
Bringing all these users to web3 is not only the right thing to do but also a very smart move from a business perspective.
People with disabilities have nearly half a trillion dollars in disposable income. That's a lot of money that could be boosting web3 economy even further.
According to Forbes, in 2021, retailers lost nearly 1 billion dollars in sales over Christmas due to inaccessible websites.
There is a lot of money to be made online, and the financial impact of web accessibility is enormous.
Onboarding opportunity
Data shows that only 3% of the internet is accessible to people with disabilities and 1.3 billion people around the world grapple with significant disabilities.
This means there are a lot of potential users that are being partially or completely excluded from the internet. There is an enormous opportunity to onboard these people straight to web3.
Final thoughts
Web3 must start looking into Accessibility adoption from the start. It's only the right thing to do to make sure that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the real freedom and financial revolution that it brings, but it also makes sense from a business perspective.
There are millions of people around the world with some kind of disability that control nearly half a trillion dollars of disposable income, and seeing that the internet as a whole is lagging, with only 3% of it being accessible, there is a golden opportunity for Web3 to start onboarding this audience right away.