ADA audit is what every business owner should do to diversify their brand online. This is necessary to ensure equal access and usability of your web resource for all people, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.
ADA compliance audit will positively affect the promotion of your brand, which will be able to take more advantageous positions in the search results, as it is predicted to become one of the Google ranking factors.
This article provides detailed guidance on how to audit the website for compliance with ADA requirements, as well as where to order ADA audit services, so you can ensure compliance with legislation and create a more accessible online environment.
The Necessity of Website Accessibility
ADA or the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that all websites, various Internet platforms, and mobile apps be accessible to all users without exception.
Web accessibility audit report is a comprehensive review of a website for compliance with the accessibility standards set out in the recommendations of this document. It includes an assessment of various aspects of the website, including its design, content, and functionality, to identify and remove any barriers that may prevent access for persons with disabilities.
How to check if a website is ADA-compliant?
You can:
- Use various automated tools for these tasks.
- Perform manual testing. This includes navigating by keyboard, using auxiliary devices such as screen readers, checking for alternative text in multimedia elements, etc.
Key Elements of an ADA Compliance Website Audit
ADA compliance website audit includes checking:
- Site structure and navigation, keyboard availability, so visitors can easily navigate it and interact with its content. The content should be easily accessible to all categories of users;
- Colors and contrast, as well as the size and type of font ensure readability, especially for people with vision problems.
- Forms, interactive elements, and multimedia components accessibility to users with disabilities, including those using screen readers or voice recognition software.
Doing all this by your inhouse dev team is quite a difficult task, so we recommend ordering ADA audit service by hiring professionals in this field.
Conducting a Comprehensive ADA Audit Using Automated Tools
How to do an ADA audit. You can use various online tools that check keyboard availability, font size, color contrast, and more.
This includes the following ADA audit tools: WAVE, WebAIM’s WAVE Evaluation Tool and AChecker, etc.
However, such verification has its drawbacks: with it, you will be able to identify no more than 30-40% of the problems. That’s why you should also perform manual testing.
Ensuring There Are No Blockers with the Manual Audit
Manual ADA compliance website audit commonly includes:
- 2 browsers (VoiceOver + Safari, VoiceOver + Chrome)
- 1 screen reader program
This test takes more time, but as a result, you will receive a web accessibility audit report with a list of problems discovered and their solutions.
Importance of Professional ADA Audit Services
Quality ADA audit cannot be performed without experience in the field of accessibility.
That is why it is better to entrust such work to a professional ADA compliance consultant:
- Experience and knowledge
Digital agencies providing ADA audit services have the necessary knowledge and experience to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the web resource for compliance with the ADA standards.
- Risk reduction
By involving professionals, you can reduce the risk of non-compliance with ADA, which in turn can lead to legal problems and financial penalties.
- Customized solutions
Professionals who perform ADA audit can provide customized solutions based on specific requirements and problems of the website or mobile application.
Cost Considerations in ADA Audits
ADA audit cost can vary depending on the complexity and size of your website/application.
The more pages you need to check, the longer it takes (and probably the larger ADA audit report with the accessibility issues you get).
Steps to Take After Completing an ADA Audit
Now when you know how to do an ADA audit, it’s time to talk about the next step.
Typically, an ADA compliance website audit contains not only a list of accessibility issues but also possible ways to fix them.
Implementing the Necessary Changes
Here are some general steps to fix the problems found in the web accessibility audit report:
- Review the availability report to understand the issues that have been identified. These may include problems of color contrast, lack of alternative text for images, problems with navigation, etc.
- Prioritize issues based on their impact on web resource availability.
- Update code and content. Ideally, entrust this work to experienced web developers.
- After making changes, be sure to test the website to ensure that the fixes have been implemented successfully and have not caused any unforeseen problems.
Continual Accessibility Monitoring and Checks
Accessibility is a continuous process. Regularly perform ADA compliance monitoring for accessibility issues and perform periodic inspections to ensure consistent compliance with accessibility standards.
For example, any problems encountered should be dealt with in the source code of the site, and, preparing for the publication of new content, should be done taking into account its accessibility on the Internet.
Conclusion: Ensuring Accessibility for All
By performing an ADA audit, you will make your web resource available to all users, including people with disabilities, and thus improve the position of your site in search results. This, in turn, will contribute to the recognition of your brand and sales growth.
You can order an ADA compliance audit at Zwebra – a trusted digital agency, which has vast experience in the field and knows exactly how to fix all the problems of website availability:
- First, the team performs a quick review of the site and provides a free evaluation of all further work related to its audit.
- Then the specialists perform the site audit with the help of automated tools and manual testing. Once the audit is done, you will receive a detailed report with a list of upcoming works to improve accessibility.
- You can also contact Zwebra to fix all accessibility issues ranging from color contrast to accessible website design.
Just what you need for further successful development of your brand!
