How to Make the Business Case for Accessibility

Yichan Wang, a digital designer who regularly guides clients toward ADA-compliant web designs, has compiled a practical toolkit for accessibility advocacy. The collection draws on recurring conversations from nearly every new project she takes on, offering strategies and ready-to-use scripts for convincing colleagues and clients to invest in accessible interfaces.

Wang is careful to note that there is no single winning argument for selling accessibility. Persuasion through cajoling or terseness rarely works. Instead, the goal is to build partnerships that shift team habits and cultivate genuine empathy. Accessibility can be influenced at any project stage, and framing it as a collaborative effort rather than a debate tends to produce better outcomes.

Positioning Yourself as the Expert

How you present yourself in client conversations sets the tone for everything that follows. Wang recommends establishing credibility early while tailoring your message to the client’s existing knowledge level. For those new to accessibility, offer a concise overview covering definition, evaluation methods, and business impact. For more experienced clients, anchor the discussion in WCAG requirements to keep conversations substantive and grounded.

Rather than presenting accessibility as a moral obligation, align it with what the client already wants to accomplish. Nobody responds well to being told what to do, and accessibility is rarely in conflict with business objectives. Connecting the two helps clients see the inherent benefits rather than a checklist of demands.

Making Accessibility a Project Requirement

Define accessibility goals early — ideally when project scope and requirements are being established. This ensures accessibility gets considered at the decision-making stage where outcomes, architecture, and deliverables are being set. Designers who own personas and user stories can weave accessibility into these artifacts naturally by framing interactions in an "as-when-then-so" format:

As a user, when I __________, then I expect that __________, so I can _________.

Expected user outcomes typically align with accessible experiences, making this format a natural fit for introducing accessibility considerations. For deeper guidance, Wang points to Federico Francioni’s work on inclusive personas and Microsoft’s Inclusive Design guidelines.

Building a Resource Library

Wang maintains a curated collection of resources for clients who want to learn more. Anecdotes — positive outcomes from accessibility investments or penalties for non-compliance — are especially persuasive. Microsoft’s inclusive design video series offers brief, accessible introductions to core concepts, including interviews with professionals and real-user case studies.

For first-time learners, Wang favors resources with approachable language. web.dev’s "Learn Accessibility" is structured as a 21-part course, but its small, digestible chunks make it manageable — and the glossary alone can help demystify key terms. The Inclusive Design Principles site provides an excellent overview of guiding concepts. The A11Y Project is Wang’s pick for planning phases, since it emphasizes actionable strategies that help scope work; she recommends reviewing resources together with clients rather than sending them off with an overwhelming list. Other useful references include:

  • WebAIM Resources
  • An accessibility resources GitHub repository by Ian Routledge
  • Web Accessibility: The Ultimate Guide by Kristen Baker

Using User Research to Build Empathy

Client-specific user research is far more persuasive than generic statistics. Wang tries to understand users’ expectations, browsing technology, and geographic location to paint a fuller human picture. This approach plants seeds of empathy early in the design process.

Web analytics help identify who users are and how they interact with a site, but they come with caveats around accuracy. More importantly, there is no reliable way to detect assistive-technology usage in analytics traffic — which is positive for privacy but means real user testing is essential. The A11Y Project links to screen-reader testing resources, including a Smashing Magazine article on manual accessibility testing by Eric Bailey.

Analytics can still inform accessibility work in other ways. Segmenting traffic by age, for example, can highlight low-vision accommodation needs. Geographic data can reveal performance gaps for users on low-powered devices. WebAIM’s 2018 survey of users with low vision offers additional insight into this demographic.

Planning for Gaps

Few projects fully hit their accessibility targets. Late deadlines and rushed work typically degrade quality, and accessibility often suffers first. Wang tracks these gaps throughout a project and documents them so there’s a ready roadmap for future improvements — scoped, backlogged, and ready for sprint planning.

For large sites with many issues, she stresses that partial compliance is not real compliance. A phased approach — incremental changes that fit within current scope and budget — is often the most realistic path forward. And passing a WCAG success criterion does not guarantee true accessibility; it’s a good sign, but there is always room to improve.

Answering the Fundamentals Before the Arguments Start

Most accessibility pushback isn’t rooted in disagreement. It’s rooted in missing context. When a colleague or client questions an accessibility requirement, they usually lack the same background information that shapes a designer’s perspective. Keeping clear, concise answers to the most common accessibility questions ready can turn opinion-driven debates into substantive conversations.

What “Web Accessibility” Actually Covers

Web accessibility means making online content available and usable for anyone with a disability—whether permanent or temporary. The goal is removing friction that prevents people from accessing content or completing tasks. This typically involves following a set of guidelines specifically designed to eliminate those barriers. The benefits extend beyond people with diagnosed disabilities. Larger touch targets help someone navigating a phone with wet hands, and sufficient color contrast helps anyone viewing a screen in bright daylight. Accessibility serves everyone.

Who Writes the Rules and Who Enforces Them

The guidelines most teams reference are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), maintained by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), a working group within the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The W3C’s broader mission covers standards for HTML, CSS, internationalization, privacy, security, and many other technical areas.

In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides the legal foundation. Enforcement falls to the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, an agency established under the Civil Rights Act of 1957. The stakes of non-compliance are significant: first-time ADA violations can draw fines up to $75,000, and subsequent violations up to $150,000. Legal activity around digital accessibility has climbed sharply, with more than 4,500 lawsuits filed in 2023 against sites failing to meet WCAG AA 2.1—about 500 more than the previous year. Disability prevalence underscores the scale of the issue: approximately 27% of the U.S. population lives with a disability. WCAG centers on three primary categories:

  1. Cognitive or learning disabilities,
  2. Visual impairments,
  3. Motor skills limitations.

Beyond legal pressure, designing for these groups also happens to improve experiences for everyone.

Testing Accessibility: Automation Plus Judgment

Accessibility can be measured. Many auditing tools evaluate sites against WCAG success criteria in what is called a standards-based evaluation.

Yet automated scanning has a critical limitation. Tools detect HTML errors and flag insufficient color contrast, but they cannot replicate the experience of a real person using assistive technology. Testing in actual browsers with actual users remains the definitive method for evaluating accessible design. Automated tools are still worthwhile components of a testing suite—they frequently reveal overlooked areas, and even false positives force a closer look at potentially problematic code. Readily available automated options include:

These represent only a fraction of what exists. The WAI compiles an extensive list of additional tools, and checklists are useful guardrails for tracking progress. However, automated testing is not a one-to-one replacement for testing with real users, and nothing about the audit process changes that fundamental point.

Making the Business Case for Accessibility

When pitching accessibility to clients, the strongest arguments are often those framed around their own business interests. This keeps the conversation focused and demonstrates that accessibility practices can directly support commercial goals. Speaking in business terms is not a compromise; it is a practical way to build a convincing case.

Evidence From Companies That Have Done It

Case studies can be the most persuasive tool available. Offering examples of companies that have committed to accessible practices and come out ahead helps stakeholders visualize success. Whenever possible, use case studies from a similar industry or market for an apples-to-apples comparison. Well-known brands also provide compelling general examples.

For instance, This American Life and Tesco have both demonstrated benefits like increased organic search traffic, enhanced user engagement, and reduced site load times after prioritizing accessibility. For a comprehensive guide on framing these benefits, the W3C's resource on building the business case for accessibility is a good starting point.

What To Say To Your Client

Let me share how focusing on accessibility can directly benefit your business. For instance, in 2005, Legal & General revamped their website with accessibility in mind and saw a substantial increase in organic search traffic exceeding 50%. This isn't just about compliance; it's about reaching a wider audience more effectively. By making your site more accessible, we can improve user engagement and potentially decrease load times, enhancing the overall user experience. This approach not only broadens your reach to include users with disabilities but also boosts your site's performance in search rankings. In short, prioritizing accessibility aligns with your goal to increase online visibility and customer engagement.

Further Reading

The Broader Audience Argument

The "curb-cut effect" is a powerful concept to move the conversation beyond thinking of accessibility as an issue that only affects a minority. It refers to how features designed for accessibility end up benefiting a broader audience. Curb cuts, originally meant for wheelchair users, are now used daily by parents with strollers and travelers with suitcases.

Digital equivalents are everywhere: voice control, auto-complete, and auto-captions — all initially created to enhance accessibility — have become widely used by all users. This effect also extends to situational impairments, such as using a phone in bright sunlight or with one hand, which greatly expands the scope of who benefits from accessible design. Major companies have found that investing in accessibility can spur innovation.

What To Say To Your Client

Let's consider the 'curb-cut effect' in the context of your website. Originally, curb cuts were designed for wheelchair users, but they ended up being useful for everyone, from parents with strollers to travelers with suitcases. Similarly, many digital accessibility features we implement can enhance the experience for all your users, not just those with disabilities. For example, features like voice control and auto-complete were developed for accessibility but are now widely used by everyone. This isn't just about inclusivity; it's about creating a more versatile and user-friendly website. By incorporating these accessible features, we're not only catering to a specific group but also improving the overall user experience, which can lead to increased engagement and satisfaction across your entire customer base.

Further Reading

Overlapping With SEO Objectives

Another effective angle is the direct overlap between accessibility and search engine optimization. Practices like structured sitemaps, proper heading outlines, image alt text, and unique link labels improve the experience for human users and give search crawlers clear context about page content. Clients who care about SEO are effectively getting a two-for-one deal when they commit to accessibility.

What To Say To Your Client

Focusing on accessibility can boost your website's SEO. Accessible features, like clear link names and organized sitemaps, align closely with what search engines prioritize. Google even includes accessibility in its Lighthouse reporting. This means that by making your site more accessible, we're also making it more visible and attractive to search engines. Moreover, accessible websites tend to have cleaner, more structured code. This not only improves website stability and loading times but also enhances how search engines understand and rank your content. Essentially, by improving accessibility, we're also optimizing your site for better search engine performance, which can lead to increased traffic and higher search rankings.

Further Reading

Brand Image and Cost Efficiency

Two final arguments both appeal to long-term thinking. First, accessibility is a brand differentiator. The ease of use that comes with accessible design reflects a commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility. In a competitive market, this can position a brand as thoughtful and inclusive, appealing to a broader, more diverse customer base. Second, proactive accessibility is far cheaper than retrofitting. Building it in from the start avoids the high costs of later audits, redesigns, and redevelopment, not to mention expensive legal repercussions from non-compliance.

What To Say To Your Client

Implementing web accessibility is more than just a compliance measure; it's a powerful way to enhance your brand image. In the competitive landscape of e-commerce, having an accessible website sets your brand apart. It shows your commitment to inclusivity, reaching out to every potential customer, regardless of their abilities. This not only resonates with a diverse audience but also positions your brand as socially responsible and empathetic. In today's market, where consumers increasingly value corporate responsibility, this can be a significant differentiator for your brand, helping to build a loyal customer base and enhance your overall brand reputation.

What To Say To Your Client

Retrofitting a website for accessibility can be quite expensive. Consider the costs of conducting an accessibility audit, followed by potentially extensive (and expensive) redesign and redevelopment work to rectify issues. These costs can significantly exceed the investment required to build accessibility into the website from the start. Additionally, by making your site accessible now, we can avoid the legal risks and potential fines associated with ADA non-compliance. Investing in accessibility early on is a cost-effective strategy that pays off in the long run, both financially and in terms of brand reputation. Besides, with the SEO benefits that we get from implementing accessibility, we're saving lots of money and work that would otherwise be sunk into redevelopment.

Further Reading

Turning Pushback Into Product Direction

When clients resist accessibility work, their objections tend to follow a pattern. Keeping a library of responses to those recurring arguments makes it easier to move the conversation from "why" to "how." The following points cover the most common pushback, with space to adapt them to a particular project's context.

The Invisible User Base

"Our users don't need it."

Statistically, 27% of the U.S. population does have some form of disability that affects their web use. [Insert research on your client’s target audience, if applicable.] Besides permanent impairments, we should also take into account situational ones. For example, imagine one of your potential clients trying to access your site on a sunny golf course, struggling to see the screen due to glare, or someone in a noisy subway unable to hear audio content. Accessibility features like high contrast modes or captions can greatly enhance their experience. By incorporating accessibility, we’re not only catering to users with disabilities but also ensuring a seamless experience for anyone in less-than-ideal conditions. This approach ensures that no potential client is left out, aligning with the goal to reach and engage a wider audience.

First-Mover Advantage

"Our competitors aren't doing it."

It’s interesting that your competitors haven’t yet embraced accessibility, but this actually presents a unique opportunity for your brand. Proactively pursuing accessibility not only protects you from the same legal exposure your competitors face but also positions your brand as a leader in customer experience. By prioritizing accessibility when others are not, you’re differentiating your brand as more inclusive and user-friendly. This both appeals to a broader audience and showcases your brand’s commitment to social responsibility and innovation.

The Real Cost of Delay

"We'll do it later because it's too expensive."

I understand concerns about timing and costs. However, it’s important to note that integrating accessibility from the start is far more cost-effective than retrofitting it later. If accessibility is considered after development is complete, you will face additional expenses for auditing accessibility, followed by potentially extensive work involving a redesign and redevelopment. This process can be significantly more expensive than building in accessibility from the beginning. Furthermore, delaying accessibility can expose your business to legal risks. With the increasing number of lawsuits for non-compliance with accessibility standards, the cost of legal repercussions could far exceed the expense of implementing accessibility now. The financially prudent move is to work on accessibility now.

Silence Isn't Satisfaction

"We've never had complaints."

It’s great to hear that you haven’t received complaints, but it’s important to consider that users who struggle to access your site might simply choose not to return rather than take the extra step to complain about it. This means you could potentially be missing out on a significant market segment. Additionally, when accessibility issues do lead to complaints, they can sometimes escalate into legal cases. Proactively addressing accessibility can help you tap into a wider audience and mitigate the risk of future lawsuits.

Design Constraints, Not Sacrifices

"It will affect the aesthetics of the site."

Accessibility and visual appeal can coexist beautifully. I can show you examples of websites that are both compliant and visually stunning, demonstrating that accessibility can enhance rather than detract from a site’s design. Additionally, when we consider specific design features from an accessibility standpoint, we often find they actually improve the site’s overall usability and SEO, making the site more intuitive and user-friendly for everyone. Our goal is to blend aesthetics with functionality, creating an inclusive yet visually appealing online presence.

When Clients Push Back: Talking Points for Tricky Requests

Even with a solid accessibility foundation established at the start of a project, you will inevitably face requests that run counter to inclusive design. Clients often bring features they have admired elsewhere—unfocusable carousels, complex auto-playing animations, or content that lacks basic semantic structure. The key is to acknowledge the appeal of their inspiration while clearly articulating the usability problems it creates. The goal is not to reject their idea but to adapt it into something that achieves the same visual or functional effect without excluding users. A balanced response might sound like this:

That’s a really neat feature, and I like it! That said, I think it’s important to consider how users interact with it. [Insert specific issues that you note, like carousels without pause buttons or complex animations.] My recommendation is to take the elements that work well &mdahs [insert specific observation] — and adapt them into something more accessible, such as [Insert suggestion]. This way, we maintain the aesthetic appeal while ensuring the website is accessible and enjoyable for every visitor.

Revising Client-Supplied Content

Often, the accessibility gaps come not from a feature request but from the content itself. Clients may deliver page titles that don't match navigation links, vague call-to-action labels, unlabeled form fields, or brand color pairings that fail contrast checks. Each of these requires a tailored conversation.

Page titles. A client might want a long, descriptive title on the page itself while keeping the navigation link short. This is reasonable, but the mismatch can confuse users, especially screen reader users who rely on consistent announcements to confirm their location. The fix is to find a middle ground that respects both needs. You can suggest keeping the same key terms in both the title and the link, so the relationship is clear. Alternatively, keep the title succinct and mirror the navigation label, then add a descriptive subtitle or tagline directly on the page for extra context. Either approach preserves navigational clarity while allowing for the detail the client wants.

Link labels. Generic calls to action like “Read More” or “Click Here” are a frequent problem. These phrases provide no context about the destination, and for screen reader users who tab through links, hearing the same vague label repeatedly is frustrating. When you see this in a design, point out the issue and offer concrete alternatives.

I’ve noticed some of the link labels say things like “Read More” or “Click Here” in the design. I would consider revising them because they could be more descriptive, especially for those relying on screen readers who have to put up with hearing the label announced time and again. We recommend labels that clearly indicate where the link leads. [Provide a specific example.] This approach makes links more informative and helps all users alike by telling them in advance what to expect when clicking a certain link. It enhances the overall user experience by providing clarity and context.

Form fields. Accessible forms depend on clear labels that state the purpose of the input, whether it is required, and the expected format. For example, asking for a phone number without specifying a format opens the door to incorrect entries and user frustration. It is also worth remembering that the relationship between the <label> and the <input> must be programmatically tied, not just visually adjacent. Explain to the client that well-labeled forms reduce errors and improve completion rates, benefiting everyone.

It’s important that each form field is clearly labeled to inform users about the type of data expected. Additionally, indicating which fields are required and providing format guidelines can greatly enhance the user experience. [Provide a specific example from the client’s content, e.g., we can use ‘Phone (10 digits, no separators)’ for a phone number field to clearly indicate the format.] These labels not only aid in navigation and comprehension for all users but also ensure that the forms are accessible to those using assistive technologies. Well-labeled forms improve overall user engagement and reduce the likelihood of errors or confusion.

Brand palettes. A client’s brand color may look great in print but fail on screen, especially when used as a button color on a white background. The solution is often to create an adjusted tint or shade of the brand color intended specifically for digital interfaces. Tools like Atul Varma’s Accessible Color Palette Builder or the UX Lift alternative can help demonstrate the problem and generate viable options. Frame this as an expansion of the palette, not a replacement.

We recommend expanding the brand palette with color values that work more effectively in web designs. By adjusting the tint or shade just a bit, we can achieve a higher level of contrast between colors when they are used together. Colors render differently depending on the device and screen they are on, and even though we might be using colors consistent with brand identity, those colors will still display differently to users. By adding colors that are specifically designed for web use, we can enhance the experience for our users while staying true to the brand’s essence.

Introducing Accessible Features Clients Didn’t Ask For

Proactive advocacy means suggesting accessible features before problems arise. Sitemaps, pause buttons, and well-designed carousels are all features that many clients overlook, and a little persuasion early on can save significant rework later.

Sitemaps. Clients often view sitemaps as ugly necessities. The argument for including one is twofold: it greatly simplifies navigation for screen reader users, and it acts as a directory for search engines, improving indexing and discoverability. To counter the aesthetic objection, point to how major companies like Apple and Microsoft integrate sitemaps into their sites with minimal, consistent design, and if possible, show a competitor’s approach.

I understand your concerns about the visual appeal of sitemaps. However, it’s important to consider their significant role in both accessibility and SEO. For users with screen readers, a sitemap greatly simplifies site navigation. From an SEO perspective, it acts like a directory, helping search engines effectively index all your pages, making your site more discoverable and user-friendly. To address the aesthetic aspect, let’s look at how major companies like Apple and Microsoft incorporate sitemaps. Their designs are minimal yet consistent with the site’s overall look and feel. [If applicable, show how a competitor is using sitemaps.] By incorporating a well-designed sitemap, we can improve user experience and search visibility without sacrificing the visual quality of your website.

Carousels and pause buttons. Clients frequently request home page carousels without understanding their drawbacks: low engagement, increased load time, content pushed below the fold, and auto-advancing features that can be distracting or nauseating for some users. Before committing to a carousel, explore whether the goal can be met with a hero image with a strong call-to-action or a grid layout that surfaces several key messages at once. If a carousel is non-negotiable, the conversation must pivot to the set of accessibility requirements it must meet from the start, which most clients are not aware of. Any animation that starts automatically, lasts more than five seconds, and is presented in parallel with other content requires a pause button, per WCAG Success Criterion 2.2.2. The same logic applies to full-screen background videos without controls.

I see the appeal of using a carousel on your homepage, but there are a few considerations to keep in mind. Carousels often have low engagement rates and can slow down the site. They also tend to move key content below the fold, which might not be ideal for user engagement. An auto-advancing carousel can also be distracting for users. Instead, we could explore alternative design solutions that effectively convey your message without these drawbacks. [Insert recommendation, e.g., For instance, we could use a hero image or video with a strong call-to-action or a grid layout that showcases multiple important segments at once.] These alternatives can be more user-friendly and accessible while still achieving the visual and functional goals of a carousel.

When a full-screen auto-playing video is the client’s vision, reassure them that pause buttons do not have to be intrusive. They can be designed as sleek, elegant overlays that only appear when needed, much like a sound toggle on a video. The key is to meet the WCAG requirement while preserving the immersive visual experience.

I understand your desire for a dynamic, engaging homepage with a full-screen video. However, it’s essential for accessibility purposes that any auto-playing animation that is longer than five seconds includes a pause button. This is not just about compliance; it’s about ensuring that all visitors, including those with disabilities, can comfortably use your site.

The good news is that pause buttons can be designed to be sleek and non-intrusive, complementing your site’s aesthetics rather than detracting from them. Think of it like the sound toggle buttons on videos. They’re there when you need them, but they don’t distract from the viewing experience. I can show you some examples of beautifully integrated pause buttons that maintain the immersive feel of the video while ensuring accessibility standards are met.

For guidance on getting carousel behavior right, consult resources like Usability Guidelines For Better Carousels UX and A Step-By-Step Guide To Building Accessible Carousels.

Making the Case Stick

No single approach will work for every client. Success comes from adapting your argument to the listener: show your expertise by matching the depth of the technical explanation to their level of familiarity; align accessibility with their stated goals like SEO and brand reputation; define accessibility as a formal part of the project scope with clear evaluation criteria; and keep a library of resources, success stories, and examples of non-compliance costs at hand. Wherever possible, use targeted user research to demonstrate the wide impact of design decisions, and for large-scale projects, suggest incremental, manageable changes rather than a daunting overhaul. The tools and scripts below are meant to be copied, adapted, and used as the foundation for your own conversations. The aim is not just to win an argument but to build a partnership where accessibility is a first-class feature from the very start.

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