Learn about the importance of implementing digital accessibility, and how your efforts could benefit your reputation, revenue, and customer loyalty.

How to Get Digital Accessibility Right: Regulations and Implementation

how-to-get-digital-accessibility-right-regulations-and-implementation

[[p]]Digital accessibility is more than just a catchphrase &ndash; it&rsquo;s a legal requirement, a reputational safeguard, and a driver of revenue growth. It impacts how people perceive your brand, how they interact with your digital products, and, ultimately, how your business performs.[[/p]]

[[p]]With the introduction of the [[a href="https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/union-equality-strategy-rights-persons-disabilities-2021-2030/european-accessibility-act_en" target="_blank"]]European Accessibility Act[[/a]] (EAA) in June 2025, the urgency has never been greater. [[a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2025/0506/1511252-accessibility-eu-directive/" target="_blank"]]And despite 60% of firms not understanding the act, according to Mason Hayes and Curran[[/a]], most still haven&rsquo;t begun their compliance journey, either due to perceived barriers or general confusion about how to get started.[[/p]]

[[p]]The language of accessibility can be overwhelming. Add that to everything else on your plate and it&rsquo;s easy to see why accessibility slips down the priority list. At the end of the day, though, accessibility affects everyone.[[/p]]

[[p]]In this blog, we&rsquo;ll break down that confusion, and you&rsquo;ll learn:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83791"]]Why is accessibility so important?[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83799"]]The digital accessibility regulation landscape[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83809"]]What is the cost of non-compliance?[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83813"]]How to become accessibility-compliant[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83827"]]FAQs about digital accessibility[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83857"]]Final thoughts[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Digital accessibility promotes inclusivity by providing equal access to information and, in some cases, services to people with disabilities. It also enhances digital design elements that allow anyone to use, engage with, and benefit from content.[[/p]]

A member of the Prosper Fingal Group. Source: Prosper Fingal Group

[[p]]Accessibility doesn&rsquo;t just serve and support those with disabilities. It also benefits:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Mobile users[[/li]]
	[[li]]People with slow internet connections[[/li]]
	[[li]]People in distracting environments (trains, loud public spaces, etc)[[/li]]
	[[li]]Injured people or those multitasking[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Ultimately, accessibility is accessible for some, but useable for all.[[/p]]

[[p]]And [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/digital-accessibility-for-marketers-part-3-email-social-content_seo" target="_blank"]]digital accessibility[[/a]] isn&rsquo;t just about compliance. It touches on two fundamental areas of business: reputation and conversions.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Top tip:[[/strong]] Read more about what [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/digital-accessibility-what-marketers-need-to-know" target="_blank"]]accessibility means for marketers[[/a]] and how to apply it effectively.[[/p]]

[[p]]Your brand experience should include everyone. When your digital products are inaccessible, you&rsquo;re effectively denying everyday users access to your goods or services, and this quickly damages public trust in your organization.[[/p]]

[[p]]Customers with accessibility needs, whether permanent, temporary, or situational, may choose competitors that offer a more inclusive experience. And with the speed and convenience of [[u]]social media[[/u]], negative reviews about inaccessible products or services can spread quickly.[[/p]]

[[p]]Accessibility is not just a nice to have, it&rsquo;s actually a revenue driver. By not making your digital content accessible, you&rsquo;re leaving money on the table.[[/p]]

[[p]]Take a look at some of the key stats that highlight the immense spending power of the &lsquo;purple pound&rsquo;:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://www.npr.org/2013/11/25/247220424/why-are-seniors-the-fastest-growing-demographic-on-social-media" target="_blank"]]People aged 65 and over are the fastest growing audience on the internet[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disability-and-health/articles-documents/disability-impacts-all-of-us-infographic.html" target="_blank"]]1 in 4 adults has a disability[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]]The disability community represents a $18 trillion-plus global spending influence[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]What&rsquo;s more, brands that prioritize accessibility report 20% more customer satisfaction, 15% increased market reach, and better [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-seo" target="_blank"]]SEO[[/a]] results and client retention. In the UK alone, retailers lose roughly &pound;17 billion each year due to inaccessible websites that cause disabled customers to abandon their carts.[[/p]]

[[p]]Accessibility is also becoming embedded in procurement and vendor selection, meaning organizations that fail to meet requirements may be excluded from major commercial opportunities.[[/p]]

[[p]]The EAA is only one piece of a growing regulatory landscape.[[/p]]

[[p]]New regulations are emerging worldwide, restricting market access for non-compliant brands. From the ADA in the US to strict enforcement approaches in Germany and Norway, legal pressure is increasing dramatically.[[/p]]

[[p]]Take a look at the key global regulations:[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://www.wcag.com/" target="_blank"]]The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines[[/a]] (WCAG) are an internationally recognized set of standards created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1999 to ensure digital content is accessible to people with disabilities.[[/p]]

[[p]]In the UK, public and private sector organisations are legally obliged to follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines under the Equality Act 2010.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]It outlines how websites, apps, and digital documents should be designed so that individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive, motor, or neurological impairments can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with them effectively.[[/p]]

[[p]]WCAG guidelines are organized around four core principles, known as POUR. Content must be:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]P[[/strong]]erceivable[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]O[[/strong]]perable[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]U[[/strong]]nderstandable[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]R[[/strong]]obust[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]The content must also be supported by testable success criteria at different conformance levels (A, AA, and AAA).[[/p]]

[[p]]WCAG affects a wide range of stakeholders, including web designers, developers, content creators, and organizations, but also anyone who relies on accessible digital experiences, including users with disabilities and older adults.[[/p]]

[[p]]The standard was implemented to promote equal access, reduce digital barriers, and support legal compliance as referenced by many global accessibility laws.[[/p]]

[[p]]The benefits also extend beyond accessibility, as WCAG compliance:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Improves overall usability,[[/li]]
	[[li]]enhances search engine optimization (SEO)[[/li]]
	[[li]]increases audience reach[[/li]]
	[[li]]reduces legal risk[[/li]]
	[[li]]contributes to a more inclusive digital environment for all users[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Beyond Europe, regulatory framework also continues to evolve. In the US, the [[a href="https://www.ada.gov/" target="_blank"]]ADA[[/a]], established in 1990, governs accessibility for:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Websites[[/li]]
	[[li]]Mobile apps[[/li]]
	[[li]]Digital tools across private and public sectors[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]The US is also known for being highly litigious, with settlements frequently reaching six figures, and lawsuits continuing to rise annually.[[/p]]

[[p]]The EAA legislation applies to broad range of products and services, including:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Ecommerce[[/li]]
	[[li]]Banking[[/li]]
	[[li]]Communications[[/li]]
	[[li]]Transport[[/li]]
	[[li]]Digital services offered to customers in the EU[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]It also applies to any company, regardless of its location, that trades products or provides services to those within the EU. This includes manufacturers, importers, and distributors. Think of it like GDPR: the EAA affects all products and services within the EU&rsquo;s jurisdiction.[[/p]]

[[p]]Other countries outside the EU, including UK companies, must comply if they sell to EU consumers. The Act mandates adherence to the EN 301 549 standard, which was once used primarily for public sector procurement, but is now also a benchmark for private-sector compliance.[[/p]]

[[p]]It is important to note, however, that enforcement varies within individual countries in Europe. Germany, for example, has adopted its own measures &ndash; which are even stricter &ndash; and have begun issuing fines up to &euro;250,000 per infringement.[[/p]]

[[p]]Meanwhile, Ireland distributes enforcement across multiple regulatory bodies rather than centralising it under one agency.[[/p]]

[[p]]The European Accessibility Act entered into application in 2025. Organisations are required to ensure that all covered digital products and services meet the accessibility standards set out in the Act. Transitional provisions exist for legacy products, but these only apply where the product remains unchanged.[[/p]]

[[p]]Any modification to the codebase including minor updates is treated as a new release and removes the transitional allowance. Once an update is made, the product falls fully under the EAA&rsquo;s accessibility requirements and must comply in full.[[/p]]

[[p]]It is also important to note that accessibility overlays do not meet regulatory expectations. These tools, which sit on top of a website and claim to &ldquo;fix&rdquo; accessibility automatically, are explicitly rejected by regulators.[[/p]]

[[p]]In many cases, overlays actually make matters worse by interfering with underlying code and breaking assistive technologies, creating a poorer experience for users rather than addressing the root issues.[[/p]]

[[p]]Despite the common misconception, building accessible products is far more cost effective than fixing accessibility issues after a product is already live. Retrofitting accessibility into an existing platform can require extensive redesign, redevelopment, and re-testing, which drives costs up significantly.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://www.taylorwessing.com/en/interface/2025/accessibility/the-european-accessibility-act-and-its-implementation?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank"]]Under the European Accessibility Act, the financial risk is also real. Each EU Member State sets its own penalties for non compliance,[[/a]] and fines can reach tens or even hundreds of thousands of euro depending on severity, repeated violations, and national enforcement rules. Several Member States also allow for consumer complaints and collective actions, which further increases legal exposure for organisations that continue to overlook accessibility.[[/p]]

[[p]]Across Europe and the US, accessibility related complaints have risen sharply since 2018, and organisations with unresolved issues are more likely to face repeated enforcement or litigation.[[/p]]

[[p]]Reputational damage is also hugely harmful and is often longer lasting. Thanks to social media, users who encounter barriers online often take to social platforms to share their experiences, meaning a single inaccessible interaction can quickly become public.[[/p]]

[[p]]One well-known budget airline experienced significant backlash when visually impaired customers were unable to book flights because of inaccessible digital boarding passes.[[/p]]

Ryanair boarding passes going digital. Source: iRadio

[[p]]Non-compliance also affects commercial opportunities. Procurement teams, especially in larger enterprises and public sector organisations, require Accessibility Conformance Reports before entering into partnerships or signing contracts. Without accessible products, companies may be excluded from bids entirely simply because their digital experiences do not meet required standards.[[/p]]

[[p]]The good news about accessibility? You can start simple, and you can start today.[[/p]]

[[p]]Your accessibility roadmap should include the following steps:[[/p]]

[[p]]The best way to begin your journey is by assessing the current state of your digital products, including your website(s), [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/social-media-strategy" target="_blank"]]social media[[/a]] profiles and other public-facing digital elements. You can ask your product and engineering teams the following:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]When was our last accessibility audit?[[/li]]
	[[li]]How do we currently monitor accessibility?[[/li]]
	[[li]]Do we test with both automated tools and humans? (automated tools alone catch an estimated 50% of issues)[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]While there are many free auditing tools available to help you in this process, full compliance requires automated scanning and manual testing in order to get the most comprehensive feedback possible.[[/p]]

[[p]]After you complete your audit, you&rsquo;ll receive a list of issues. This will serve as your backlog and will indicate what you need to start correcting to ensure compliance.[[/p]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s a good idea to start with &lsquo;low-hanging fruit&rsquo;, such as smaller but high-impact fixes that immediately improve user experience. This includes aspects of your website and platform such as:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Heading structure[[/li]]
	[[li]]Color contrast[[/li]]
	[[li]]Alt text[[/li]]
	[[li]]Labels[[/li]]
	[[li]]Font sizes[[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/optimize-content-for-ai-search" target="_blank"]]Semantic HTML[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]]Smart ARIA usage[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Addressing these elements can dramatically increase usability for people relying on [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/webinars/webinar-build-your-personalized-ai-marketing-assistant" target="_blank"]]assistive technology[[/a]], and often creates noticeable improvements across the board.[[/p]]

[[p]]An accessibility statement is a crucial part of journey, not only because many regulations require it, but also because it demonstrates transparency and accountability.[[/p]]

[[p]]The statement should outline your organisation&rsquo;s commitment to accessibility, the standards and guidelines you aim to meet, any known limitations you want to fix, and clear instructions for users who wish to report accessibility issues.[[/p]]

[[p]]You don&rsquo;t need to wait until every issue has been resolved to publish your statement. In fact, being open and transparent about your ongoing progress helps build trust and solidifies your dedication.[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Pro tip: [[/strong]][[a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/planning/statements/generator/#create" target="_blank"]]Accessibility statement generators[[/a]] are very helpful when it comes to drafting your own policy. Consider using one to help you build your company&rsquo;s accessibility framework.[[/p]]

Sample accessibility statement. Source: Kota

[[p]]Remember that accessibility isn&rsquo;t a one-and-done project. To ensure compliance, you must [[strong]]continuously[[/strong]] monitor your website, digital product, or platform for accessibility issues, especially if you launch new releases, updates, and content.[[/p]]

[[p]]You can use continuous monitoring tools to help prevent this by identifying problems as they arise, integrating directly into workflows, and enabling your teams to fix issues in real time.[[/p]]

[[p]]This approach saves time, reduces costs, and avoids the need for retrofits later. It also allows you to embed accessibility at the earliest stages of development.[[/p]]

[[p]]In many cases, the strictest elements of the EAA do not apply to smaller organisations. Charities and small business are usually exempt from full compliance if they have:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Fewer than 10 employees and/or[[/li]]
	[[li]]Revenue under &euro;2 million[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]However, these organizations should still publish an accessibility statement and maintain basic accessibility practices.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-make-your-digital-marketing-more-inclusive-for-neurodivergent-consumers" target="_blank"]]Neurodiversity[[/a]] issues intersect heavily with accessibility. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools that can assist with:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Analysing reading difficulty[[/li]]
	[[li]]Simplifying complex text[[/li]]
	[[li]]Supporting ADHD-friendly formatting[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]What tools can help me?[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]WAVE, Axe DevTools, and Google Lighthouse (for automated checking)[[/li]]
	[[li]]Accessibility Insights and Browser Stack (for manual testing aids)[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s key to gather feedback from users with accessibility needs and the process should be as simple and welcoming as possible. Organisations should offer multiple ways for users to get in touch, including through:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Phone numbers[[/li]]
	[[li]]Email[[/li]]
	[[li]]Chat boxes[[/li]]
	[[li]]Feedback forms[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Ensure each of these options are easy to find. Providing a clear CTA (call to action) encourages users to share issues they encounter, which allows teams to respond quickly and iteratively improve the experience. This is especially valuable for older audiences, who often prefer direct human contact.[[/p]]

[[p]]Accessible content is:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Better structured[[/li]]
	[[li]]Easier for search engines to crawl[[/li]]
	[[li]]Faster to load[[/li]]
	[[li]]More [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/three-ways-to-create-mobile-friendly-content" target="_blank"]]mobile-friendly[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Because of these factors, accessibility improvements tend to produce immediate [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-seo-geo-and-aeo" target="_blank"]]SEO benefits[[/a]].[[/p]]

[[p]]The best way to maintain accessibility while scaling is by embedding accessibility into everyday processes.[[/p]]

[[p]]You can do so by:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Integrating checks in workflows[[/li]]
	[[li]]Using real-time scanning[[/li]]
	[[li]]Enabling developer alerts[[/li]]
	[[li]]Training teams across design, engineering, content, and marketing[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Visit the following sources to stay informed about accessibility regulation developments:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/" target="_blank"]]W3C WAI[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://a11yweekly.com/" target="_blank"]]Accessibility Weekly[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://www.accessibilityassociation.org/" target="_blank"]]IAAP[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://www.deque.com/axe-con/" target="_blank"]]Axe-Con[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/union-equality-strategy-rights-persons-disabilities-2021-2030/european-accessibility-act_en" target="_blank"]]European Accessibility Act updates[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s important to remember that accessibility isn&rsquo;t just a legal box to tick, but a pathway to creating better products, ensuring stronger brand trust, securing higher conversion rates, broadening your organization&rsquo;s market reach, and having a more positive social impact.[[/p]]

[[p]]If you&rsquo;re not sure how to get started, simply start small, stay consistent, and prioritise real-world usability.[[/p]]

[[p]]Content is an effective way to attract, engage and influence your audience but there&rsquo;s an art to good content. DMI&rsquo;s industry aligned short [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/students/short-courses/content-marketing" target="_blank"]]Content Marketing certification[[/a]] will show you how to develop a holistic content marketing strategy to create high-quality text, video, and visual content using AI tools like ChatGPT and CapCut.[[/p]]

[[p]]You&rsquo;ll also learn how to build SEO-rich content aligned to Google&rsquo;s E-E-A-T principles and gain the skills to drive measurable impact across every stage of the content lifecycle to become an in-demand marketer. Sign up today![[/p]]

How to Get Digital Accessibility Right: Regulations and Implementation

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