| Most web sites involve accessibility testing | | | | possible and make your site very friendly to |
| at some point in the web development stage. | | | | search engines. |
| But the best journey from a customer point of | | | | |
| view doesn't necessarily match the best | | | | We all want intuitive sites |
| journey from a commercial perspective. For | | | | |
| example, in the offline world, supermarkets | | | | An expert user will not object to a simple |
| place essentials such as milk and bread at | | | | intuitive site, without the latest technology |
| the back, forcing customers to walk past | | | | and use of graphics. Look at the highest |
| everything else, in the hope it will get them | | | | transactional sites, Google, Ebay, Amazon and |
| to buy more. | | | | Yahoo. The design looks stuck in the 90's but |
| | | | it works, because they are intuitive and easy |
| The accessibility debate has moved on from | | | | to use. They have spent fortunes on the |
| being simply about making a site easy for | | | | accessibility vs. income debate. Use them as |
| consumers to navigate, to making it more | | | | your R & D and take the best of what they are |
| persuasive from a commercial perspective. | | | | doing. |
| There is also the issue of advertising, which | | | | |
| is constantly evolving with new flashy | | | | Accessibility can add value |
| formats being developed all the time. | | | | |
| However, is accessibility incompatible with | | | | Good website accessibility is not a barrier, |
| good commerce? We outline below some of the | | | | to engaging in good commerce. You can provide |
| arguments that says, the two can be mutually | | | | the positive experience that the visitor |
| beneficial: | | | | expects and needs but present the information |
| | | | in a way that benefits you. For example, when |
| Accessibility is still a competitive | | | | we created the LSO website, we ensured the |
| advantage | | | | search feature worked comprehensively but was |
| | | | always geared around pushing the product |
| The majority of sites have accessibility | | | | first in a useful way. So whatever the |
| issues to one degree or another. This can be | | | | visitor searched for, whether composer, |
| poor navigation, poorly laid out sites or | | | | conductor, specific music, we always |
| poor functionality such as searches that | | | | presented related performances first, |
| don't return what you want. The first rule of | | | | followed by CDs then articles. |
| web development is Don't put any barriers to | | | | |
| entry to your products in front of | | | | Meet their needs, take their cash |
| prospective customers. If your site is more | | | | |
| usable than your competitors, you are more | | | | Good web site accessibility means providing |
| likely to attract, retain and transact with | | | | what the user wants, so without making it |
| visitors | | | | intrusive, use the information you have on |
| | | | them to present information that is more |
| Disability is an issue | | | | likely to make them transact with you. If you |
| | | | invest in good underlying technology, you can |
| There are over seven million people in the UK | | | | create meaningful relationships between your |
| who are disabled to some degree. Beyond this | | | | products, services, affiliates etc. You can |
| there are many more millions who are not used | | | | then relate this to the information you have |
| to using computers or specific features such | | | | on your visitors, based upon how they have |
| as drop-down menus. These are very valid | | | | transacted with you in the past, what they |
| audiences and prospective customers. Not only | | | | have searched on and past pages they have |
| will ensuring a site works for them by using | | | | visited. By linking past actions and your |
| variable text size; multiple ways of | | | | related products you can present specific |
| navigating a site; and ensuring your site | | | | products, goods and information to people |
| works in alternative browsers such as audio | | | | that is more likely to meet their specific |
| browsers; benefit them, you also ensure | | | | needs. |
| maximum exposure to the targets audience | | | | |