Website Design New York: Strategy #10
Strategy #10: Prioritize Accessibility to Expand Your Reach
In a city as diverse and fast-moving as New York, your website needs to be more than attractive—it needs to be accessible to all users. Whether someone is browsing your site from a phone on the subway, using a screen reader, or dealing with cognitive impairments, accessibility makes sure no visitor is left behind.
Ignoring accessibility doesn’t just exclude people—it risks your reputation, limits your potential reach, and can even lead to legal issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Strategy #10 focuses on building inclusive web experiences that open the door to more users and better outcomes.
What Does Web Accessibility Mean?
Accessibility means designing your site so that all users—regardless of ability—can navigate, interact with, and understand your content. This includes those with visual impairments, hearing loss, mobility challenges, neurological differences, and more.
It’s not just about screen readers. It’s about color contrast, keyboard navigation, captioned videos, clear layouts, and intuitive interactions.
Why Accessibility Is Essential in NYC
New York is a melting pot of cultures, backgrounds, languages, and abilities. If your website only works for a specific type of user, you’re missing out on a massive segment of the market. Accessibility enhances:
If you're targeting clients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island, chances are you're reaching a wide demographic—many of whom will benefit from better digital accessibility.
Core Accessibility Best Practices
Here are essential steps every New York business should follow to make their site more accessible:
Each of these steps makes your site more usable to a wider audience, and signals to Google that your content is well-structured and user-focused.
Legal Risks of Ignoring Accessibility
ADA website lawsuits are rising—especially in major urban markets like New York. Businesses large and small have faced lawsuits simply because their websites weren’t accessible to users with disabilities.
While no clear national standard has been finalized, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA is currently the most widely accepted benchmark. It’s smart business to follow these principles now, before you're forced to.
Accessibility Also Improves SEO
Google’s algorithm rewards usability. Many of the best practices for accessibility—clear navigation, descriptive links, proper heading structure—are also SEO best practices.
Accessible websites tend to have better bounce rates, longer session durations, and higher engagement—all metrics that Google pays attention to when ranking your site.
Make It a Standard, Not an Afterthought
Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix. It should be baked into the design and development process from the start. Ask your web designer or agency what standards they follow. If they can't confidently speak to accessibility, you're likely not getting what your NYC business needs.
At Orbital Marketing Agency, accessibility is a baseline—not an upgrade. We believe in inclusive design that reaches more people and delivers better business results.
Tools to Check Your Website’s Accessibility
Want to see how your site performs now? Try these free tools:
These tools help you spot basic accessibility issues like missing alt tags, contrast problems, or inaccessible form fields.
Final Thoughts
Strategy #10 isn’t just a moral obligation—it’s a smart strategy for growth, compliance, and long-term success. In a city like New York, where your audience is as diverse as it is demanding, accessibility can be the key to standing out and earning trust.
Make your website welcoming to everyone. The result? Higher traffic, better SEO, fewer legal risks—and a stronger brand.
Schedule Your Free Custom Website Demonstration to see exactly how we’d build your website for accessibility, SEO, and growth—without compromising on design. Let’s make your business more inclusive and more successful.
In a city as diverse and fast-moving as New York, your website needs to be more than attractive—it needs to be accessible to all users. Whether someone is browsing your site from a phone on the subway, using a screen reader, or dealing with cognitive impairments, accessibility makes sure no visitor is left behind.
Ignoring accessibility doesn’t just exclude people—it risks your reputation, limits your potential reach, and can even lead to legal issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Strategy #10 focuses on building inclusive web experiences that open the door to more users and better outcomes.
What Does Web Accessibility Mean?
Accessibility means designing your site so that all users—regardless of ability—can navigate, interact with, and understand your content. This includes those with visual impairments, hearing loss, mobility challenges, neurological differences, and more.
It’s not just about screen readers. It’s about color contrast, keyboard navigation, captioned videos, clear layouts, and intuitive interactions.
Why Accessibility Is Essential in NYC
New York is a melting pot of cultures, backgrounds, languages, and abilities. If your website only works for a specific type of user, you’re missing out on a massive segment of the market. Accessibility enhances:
- User experience for all visitors
- Search engine optimization (accessible content is easier to index)
- Your brand image as inclusive and professional
- Legal compliance with ADA and WCAG guidelines
If you're targeting clients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island, chances are you're reaching a wide demographic—many of whom will benefit from better digital accessibility.
Core Accessibility Best Practices
Here are essential steps every New York business should follow to make their site more accessible:
- Use Alt Text for Images: Every image should have descriptive alt text so screen readers can communicate its purpose.
- Ensure Keyboard Navigation: All key functions (menus, buttons, forms) should work without a mouse.
- Improve Color Contrast: Use high-contrast text/background combos to aid visibility for visually impaired users.
- Use Clear Headings and Labels: Structure your site with proper H1–H4 headers and label all form fields.
- Provide Text Alternatives for Multimedia: Include captions for videos, transcripts for audio, and visual indicators for important info.
- Avoid Auto-Playing Media: Give users control over video/audio playback to prevent confusion or sensory overload.
- Ensure Responsive Design: Your site should be easily usable on all devices, including tablets, smartphones, and assistive devices.
Each of these steps makes your site more usable to a wider audience, and signals to Google that your content is well-structured and user-focused.
Legal Risks of Ignoring Accessibility
ADA website lawsuits are rising—especially in major urban markets like New York. Businesses large and small have faced lawsuits simply because their websites weren’t accessible to users with disabilities.
While no clear national standard has been finalized, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA is currently the most widely accepted benchmark. It’s smart business to follow these principles now, before you're forced to.
Accessibility Also Improves SEO
Google’s algorithm rewards usability. Many of the best practices for accessibility—clear navigation, descriptive links, proper heading structure—are also SEO best practices.
Accessible websites tend to have better bounce rates, longer session durations, and higher engagement—all metrics that Google pays attention to when ranking your site.
Make It a Standard, Not an Afterthought
Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix. It should be baked into the design and development process from the start. Ask your web designer or agency what standards they follow. If they can't confidently speak to accessibility, you're likely not getting what your NYC business needs.
At Orbital Marketing Agency, accessibility is a baseline—not an upgrade. We believe in inclusive design that reaches more people and delivers better business results.
Tools to Check Your Website’s Accessibility
Want to see how your site performs now? Try these free tools:
- WAVE Web Accessibility Tool
- Lighthouse (via Chrome DevTools)
- axe DevTools by Deque Systems
These tools help you spot basic accessibility issues like missing alt tags, contrast problems, or inaccessible form fields.
Final Thoughts
Strategy #10 isn’t just a moral obligation—it’s a smart strategy for growth, compliance, and long-term success. In a city like New York, where your audience is as diverse as it is demanding, accessibility can be the key to standing out and earning trust.
Make your website welcoming to everyone. The result? Higher traffic, better SEO, fewer legal risks—and a stronger brand.
Schedule Your Free Custom Website Demonstration to see exactly how we’d build your website for accessibility, SEO, and growth—without compromising on design. Let’s make your business more inclusive and more successful.