The field of web accessibility is plagued by myths and misconceptions. In an increasingly digital...
Why would I write a post that prevents us from attracting clients and working with you?
The easy answer is because I value honesty, trust, and good relationships over monetary gains.
Going against that will compromise the quality of service in a positive and productive manner and that will prevent both of us from implementing the most accessible online experience on your website.
For me, it's not worth, which is why it's important for us to get to know each other before getting too far ahead in the process.
Here are reasons why you shouldn't work with us.
1. You're looking for a quick or overnight solution
We believe in sustainable, long-term accessibility improvements that require time and commitment. If you're after a rapid, surface-level solution, we may not be the best match.
It's also not a realistic target to achieve. Like anything when running an online business, very few aspects will lead to immediate success, such as going viral on social media, ranking number 1 on Google, attracting celebrity endorsement.
2. You want to use an accessibility overlay
There's no negotiation on this. We won't have a promising relationship while guaranteeing the result to have an inaccessible website.
It's one thing to be unaware of the damage accessibility overlays cause to disabled users. But if you're fully aware and unwilling to remove it or insist on using it throughout the process, that's another matter.
Nearly 1,000 accessibility experts from various organisations have signed a petition to fight against overlays and to speak up when vendors use deception to market their products. Accessibility expert Adrian Roselli has done that and it resulted in legal threat against him that was eventually dropped.
3. You're not genuinely committed to digital inclusion
Our passion is creating inclusive digital experiences. If you're only interested in compliance without a real desire to improve accessibility, we are not aligned.
If we're not aligned, you won't meet compliance standards as you'll miss out on the benefits of making your website accessible.
4. You expect low costs or discounts and have an extremely limited budget
While we work hard to provide cost-effective solutions, quality accessibility work requires investment, like marketing, sales, branding, and everything else in a typical business. If you can't allocate resources, we may not deliver the results you need.
Those resources include ensuring relevant stakeholders from your organisation can free up their time for the project.
We won't be the cheapest service, but it will be a worthwhile investment for your business.
5. You're unwilling to change your website or digital products
Improving accessibility requires changes to design, content, and functionality. If you're resistant to these changes, our partnership won't work. It's impossible to focus on improvements without them.
There are some subjective changes like alt text. But if the changes required are clear-cut (e.g. using closed captions instead of auto-caption) and there are pushbacks, we won't work well together.
6. You expect us to handle everything without your team's involvement
We believe in collaborative partnerships. If you prefer a completely hands-off approach, our working style may not suit you. Your team must be involved due to their expertise in implementing changes.
Involving your team is valuable for the priceless learning experiences they can implement on your websites and act as accessibility advocates.
7. You need expertise in areas outside our specialisation
We focus on web accessibility for the tech and SaaS industries. If you need extensive work in other areas, we won't be the best fit.
We prefer to deliver the best web accessibility results rather than spreading ourselves thin with generic recommendations on e.g. how to run an e-commerce site. Our background in digital marketing and user experience ensures a holistic view when implementing accessibility on your websites instead of an "add-on."
8. You're looking for a one-off audit to quickly get the job done
We believe in building long-term relationships and providing continuous support. We do offer a stand-alone web accessibility auditing service, but if you're only interested in something quick and one-off to get it over and done with, our approach may not align with your needs.
Accessibility is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. Websites and digital products evolve, new content is added, and technologies change. A single audit, while valuable, provides a snapshot of your site's accessibility at a specific moment. Our approach emphasises continuous improvement and maintenance to ensure your digital presence remains accessible over time, adapting to your evolving needs and the changing landscape of web standards.
9. You have unrealistic expectations about the impact of accessibility on SEO
While accessibility can positively influence SEO, it's not a magic solution. If you're expecting dramatic ranking improvements solely from accessibility work, we need to adjust your expectations.
One benefit of working with PurpleByte is my SEO background. If you want direct improvements in organic search, seek expert help with a dedicated strategy.
I can't do that.
10. You don't care about the 'why' behind accessibility recommendations
We believe in educating clients about accessibility. If you're not interested in learning and just want us to implement changes without explanation, our approach may frustrate you (and us, as we care about our work).
Understanding the 'why' helps you make informed decisions, maintain accessibility standards, and innovate to enhance user experience.
11. You need immediate, 24/7 support
Let's get it straight; due to the size and nature of the business, we do not provide 24/7 support. If you require constant availability, a larger agency might be more suitable. We will not be providing immediate and ultra-fast responses when we are communicating.
It's understandable to require this for situations like a website outage or major cybersecurity issues (which we can't help with). But there's little reason to require 24/7 support on web accessibility; there will be clear and responsive communication.
12. You won't consider user testing with people with disabilities
We involve users with disabilities in the testing process. If you're uncomfortable with this approach, we may not be the right partner for you.
It's impossible to understand a website's accessibility without asking those who face online barriers. Focusing only on automated testing won't give you a complete view of your site.
13. You're looking for a company to certify WCAG compliance without thorough testing
Our goal is to create genuinely accessible experiences, not compliance certificates. If you're looking for the latter, we are not the right fit.
14. You expect to attract people or increase your revenue instantly
Similar to the first point, it's unrealistic for your business to see immediate results in traffic and revenue.
This is true if there are other business problems. For instance, if the website has an outdated design and difficult user experience, making it accessible won't make it user-friendly.
If you have products with poor reviews, accessibility won't help.
You can't make a bad idea seem good by dressing it up.
15. You expect all your conversion rate problems to be solved by accessibility improvements
Similarly, you can't expect your CRO to improve immediately.
This idea probably stems from the notion that accessibility will improve user experience, leading to better conversion.
While accessibility can impact conversions, it won't fix all your CRO issues. If you expect otherwise, we need to reset your goals and have a realistic outlook on its effect on conversions.
16. You're seeking a purely technical solution without considering content and design
We believe accessibility is holistic, encompassing technical implementation, content strategy, and inclusive design. If you're only focused on coding fixes, our approach may not align with your expectations.
For example, if you lack the features to manually add alt text to images, it requires technical expertise to implement that feature. That's one task done.
But you still need to 1) learn how to use it effectively, and 2) use it. You can't just have the technical implementation and ignore the writing side.
17. You're unwilling to consider the idea of constant accessibility training for your team
We advocate for building internal accessibility knowledge. If you're not willing to upskill your team, our partnership may not yield long-term benefits.
While we have a dedicated accessibility training service, we're referring to understanding the basics of accessibility, the 'why' as highlighted in point 10, being receptive when working together, and having a passion to learn more to ensure you consider it in future projects.
18. You need expertise in specific assistive technologies that we don't specialise in
While we're knowledgeable about common assistive technologies like NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, and TalkBack, if you need deep expertise in specialised or niche tech, we may not be the best fit.
We work with external testers who use assistive technologies daily. While we can check manually using these tools ourselves, no one knows how to use them better than daily users.
19. You're looking for a provider to implement solutions without explaining them
We empower our clients with knowledge. If you prefer an approach where changes are made without explanation, our educational and collaborative style may not suit you.
You'll benefit from the latter approach, as it will give you more than the basic skills to implement accessibility best practices on your own instead of paying us more.
As the saying goes, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."
We want to teach.
20. You need support for an unfamiliar technology stack or platform
We specialise in common tech stacks and platforms. If your digital products use unfamiliar and bespoke systems, another provider may be better.
21. You're only considering the user experience for people with certain disabilities
Our accessibility approach considers all disabilities. If you're focused on specific ones, our comprehensive view may not match your priorities.
It's unwise to focus only on certain disabilities, as you won't comply with WCAG, and that defeats the whole point of working together.
22. You won't reconsider your brand guidelines for accessibility reasons
Improving accessibility may require adjusting brand elements like colour contrasts or font types. If these are off-limits, we may struggle to achieve optimal results.
Accessibility hinges on understanding colour contrast. Using white text on a bright yellow background is difficult to read for anyone, especially for those who are blind or visually impaired.
Another issue is using difficult-to-read fonts, like handwritten ones that have a "personality" and "style."
If your branding is fixed, we will struggle to work together and you won't achieve your accessibility objectives.
23. You need support in languages we don't cover
If you need accessibility testing or content creation in languages we don't support (namely English), we may not meet your needs.
We can work on some of your web accessibility needs. It is difficult to navigate websites in languages you don't understand. The same mindset is required for websites that are not in English.
On the other hand, if you understand English, accessibility training may be better suited for you.
24. You're looking for a provider to assume full legal liability for compliance
We will do everything we can to meet WCAG standards, but cannot guarantee legal protection.
If you need a provider for this level of liability, we are not the right fit.
25. You're not open to reconsidering your development practices
This is the same as several points mentioned here about the need to be flexible and open to ideas.
Implementing sustainable accessibility often requires adjusting development workflows. If you're unwilling to consider changes, our approach may not work for you.
And as always, it may be impossible to be WCAG compliant.
26. You expect accessibility work to be completed without impacting your project timelines
Thorough accessibility implementation takes time. If you're unwilling to adjust project timelines, we may struggle to deliver quality results.
One advice is to ensure that you incorporate accessibility into your product roadmap from the start. It is just as important to accept that your project timeline will be impacted, but it will reap benefit in the long run.
27. You want us to work independently from your other digital partners
We have said it many times but we really do believe in collaborative approaches and need to liaise with your other digital service providers to achieve the best result.
If you prefer to keep your suppliers separate from the process, our integrated approach may not suit your working style.
Your providers should follow this list for the benefit of your business and, more importantly, for the disabled audience who wants to access it.
Final thoughts
This post is not aimed to discourage you from working together, but to be upfront as early as possible to ensure that we begin our relationship positively.
We hope to clarify the nature of accessibility work by understanding why we may not be the right fit for certain projects. It's comprehensive, ongoing, and requires genuine commitment.
But it's also rewarding for your business and customers.
If this sounds good, get in touch.
