Acquia Survey Reveals Brands are Paying the Price for Digital Accessibility Deficiencies
According to the DXP's new study, more than 60% of survey participants say they would consider switching to a competitor due to persistent accessibility challenges. By prioritizing digital accessibility, brands have an opportunity to not only help their customers but also earn their loyalty.
May 16th is Global Accessibility Awareness Day. It's a moment to reflect on how far we've come in our quest to build a more accessible world and discuss the continued work ahead.
On the digital side of the ledger, there's still a lot to do.
In honor of the 13th annual GAAD (we love our “shortcodes” in CMS, and this is a helpful one), Acquia – a leader in open digital experience software – just released its 2024 Survey Report: Consumer Perspectives on Digital Accessibility. The analysis reveals how website users with disabilities perceive the state of digital accessibility and how their experiences impact brand reputation and loyalty.
This report contains some shocking stats. For starters, 89% of participants say they encounter accessibility issues that make it challenging to interact with websites or other digital experiences offered by brands. In addition, 62% say they would consider switching to a competitor with better accessibility features.
“It’s clear that digital experiences are not meeting the accessibility expectations of those who need them. This is a critical business issue that requires more attention,” said Jennifer Griffin Smith, Chief Market Officer at Acquia. “Digital accessibility is an essential pillar of digital experience design and management that should not be overlooked or shortchanged. Creating equal, accessible opportunities for all is a value all marketers and organizations should strive for.”
The online survey was conducted in April 2024 by Researchscape and is composed of responses from 1,265 adults across the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia who identified as having a disability.
Neglecting digital accessibility is impacting brands
The Acquia survey found that not only are disability issues widespread, but so are the impacts.
For example, when encountering accessibility issues on digital platforms, 45% of respondents describe the experience as either “very” or “extremely” frustrating. It's not a leap to assume that brand reputation is negatively impacted when users encounter these digital accessibility challenges.
Survey participants also report a myriad of feelings in response to accessibility issues. 71% express frustration, while 58% say they feel “disappointed” and 24% register as “angry.” Nearly 1 in 5 say they feel excluded.
When asked what steps they are most likely to take when experiencing these issues, 34% said they would complain directly to the brand, and 31% of respondents said they would talk about the accessibility issue with their family and friends. However, 20% leverage social media to share their experiences, creating a ripple effect of negative brand perception that extends far beyond the disabled individuals who experience these problems first-hand.
In terms of a direct impact on brands and their bottom lines, 51% of respondents stated they would most likely seek alternative options that are more accessible, and 42% said they would discontinue using the brand’s services.
Prioritizing digital accessibility can build confidence and trust
The survey's participants codify what we already know: more work needs to be done to improve digital accessibility for all users, and brands can reap the benefits on multiple levels – if they take swift action. To that end, 93% of consumers surveyed say that it's important that the brands they engage with prioritize digital accessibility.
However, consumers want progress over platitudes, and many respondents expressed skepticism about the true intentions of companies when messaging around digital accessibility. In the past year, only 27% of respondents said they believe that brands are taking accessibility seriously and making meaningful improvements.
It gets worse from there: 33% believe companies are just “doing the basics” to check the regulatory compliance box. 28% believe that while companies talk about accessibility as a marketing tactic, not much action has been taken – and 12% believe that companies aren’t thinking about or doing anything to improve digital accessibility.
“Ultimately, we’re talking about a large proportion of the population who would like to access, enjoy, and get value from digital experiences," Jennifer Griffin Smith concluded. “As digital marketers, we should not be excluding anyone from engaging with or participating in our digital content. This is an enormous opportunity to grow your customer base, increase revenue and, above all else, improve customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.”
To view more details from the study, visit https://www.acquia.com/accessibility-report-2024
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