Making your website accessible is no longer optional for businesses that want to remain competitive. Starting in 2025, the EU is mandating web accessibility compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards for US-based business doing business in EU countries - marking a significant turning point from accessibility being a "nice to do" for some to becoming a necessity for all. As occurred with privacy regulations, what begins in the EU generally makes its way across the pond to eventually becoming law on our own shores.
Thankfully, despite long-standing myths and misinformation, understanding compliance issues and undertaking changes to make your site accessible to all doesn't have to be unduly difficult and expensive. Learn best practices for auditing your site for compliance with WCAG accessibility standards (including the new WCAG 2.2 guidelines), why starting all new website projects with accessibility in mind is the best and least costly approach, why using accessibility overlay tools isn't good business, and examples of how several companies have approached accessibility improvements.
Key Take Aways
- An overview of the new WCAG 2.2 standards
- Why US companies doing business in the EU must know about the new European Accessibility Act that takes effect in 2025
- Why accessibility overlay tools don't make you compliant with WCAG standards
- Myths and misinformation about web accessibility
- The importance of comprehensive accessibility audits