Accessibility ROI: Conversions, Usability & Legal Risk

The 3-line business case

1. Reach: 1 in 5 people have a disability; many more prefer accessible UX (bigger text, higher contrast, no motion).

2. Conversion: Fewer blockers → more completed tasks (demo requests, checkouts, sign-ups).

3. Risk: Clear standards (WCAG 2.2 AA) + good-faith improvements lower legal and reputational risk.

Where the ROI comes from (with levers you can pull)

1) Funnel lift

• Fix: forms (labels, error clarity, autocomplete), contrast, keyboard nav.

• Impact: +3–20% on key conversions (typical observed ranges across sectors).

• Proof to track: form completion rate, cart/checkout completion, demo requests.

2) Engagement lift

• Fix: readable type, headings/structure, alt text, captions/transcripts.

• Impact: longer sessions, lower bounce/return-to-SERP.

• Proof to track: time on page, scroll depth, % returning visitors.

3) Support cost reduction

• Fix: clearer flows and content, on-page assistive controls.

• Impact: fewer “can’t read/can’t find” tickets.

• Proof to track: ticket volume per 1k sessions; “how-to” queries.

4) Risk reduction

• Fix: publish an Accessibility Statement, prioritise AA fixes, keep CI checks.

• Impact: fewer compliance complaints; stronger procurement posture.

• Proof to track: legal/compliance escalations; procurement pass rate.

Quick model to estimate ROI (copy/paste)

Tip: start with a conservative ΔCR (0.2–0.5%) for quick wins, then update with your measured results.

Prioritise work for maximum ROI

1. Templates first: Home, product/service, pricing, forms/checkout, top blog posts.

2. Fast wins: Headings order, link text, alt text, visible focus, AA contrast tokens.

3. Form fixes: labels, error messages, validation timing, autocomplete; error summary + focus.

4. Motion & comfort: respect prefers-reduced-motion, pause carousels, text-size support.

5. Documents & media: captions/transcripts; tagged PDFs or HTML equivalents.

Roadmap (6 weeks to measurable impact)

• Week 1–2: Audit templates; ship contrast + focus tokens; fix headings/link text.

• Week 3–4: Fix forms (labels, errors, autocomplete); patch modals/menus focus handling.

• Week 5: Add captions/transcripts to top videos; replace/retag priority PDFs.

• Week 6: Install Adjustable; publish/update Accessibility Statement; annotate Analytics.

What to measure (and annotate in Analytics)

• Conversion outcomes: demo/bookings, sign-ups, add-to-cart, checkout completion.

• Behaviour: bounce, session duration, scroll depth, return-to-SERP rate.

• A11y KPIs: contrast failures, keyboard traps, unlabeled inputs (trend to zero).

• Support signals: accessibility-related tickets per 1k sessions.

Annotate the dates you deploy fixes and when you enable Adjustable to link improvements to actions.

Compliance & legal (practical stance)

• Target WCAG 2.2 AA across templates and key journeys.

• Publish and maintain an Accessibility Statement (scope, standards, contact, remediation plan).

• Keep CI checks for regressions; schedule a quarterly review of complex components.

• Document known third-party limitations and timelines.

How Adjustable increases the upside (after structural fixes)

• Text to Speech: turns long pages and product specs into audio—higher content completion.

• Language Translation: unlocks international sessions without duplicate content.

• Accessibility Profiles: one-click presets (e.g., “Readable”, “Low Vision”) reduce friction.

• Text Options & Page Options: text-size, spacing, page scaling, hide images/animations, highlight links.

• Reading Ruler, Cursor Adjustment, Screen Mask: improve focus for long reading and forms.

• Dictionary: instant definitions for technical content.

• Light/Dark/Colour modes: comfort in varied lighting.

• Configurable placement (toolbar or widget) so it never blocks CTAs.

Try Adjustable

Common objections (and how to answer)

• “We’ll do this later.”
  Lost conversions and avoidable support costs accumulate now. Start with quick wins and a 6-week plan.

• “It’s expensive.”
  Start with tokens + forms: minimal code, big payoff. Use the ROI model to show monthly gains.

• “A toolbar makes us compliant.”
  Toolbars help users, not compliance by themselves. Combine structural fixes + Adjustable for real outcomes.

Copy-paste checklist (Markdown)

FAQs

How soon will we see ROI?
Often within one or two release cycles for funnel fixes (forms, tokens, focus). Track per-page conversion and annotate deployments.

Which fixes typically move conversion most?
Form clarity (labels, errors, autocomplete), AA contrast, visible focus, and keyboard-operable dialogs/menus.

What about legal risk outside the UK?
Standards vary, but WCAG 2.2 AA is the common benchmark. Transparent statements and ongoing improvements reduce exposure.

Next steps

• Baseline your KPIs and pick five pages that drive revenue.

• Ship tokens + form fixes and instrument the funnel.

• Install Adjustable to widen access while you continue structural work.

• Publish/update your Accessibility Statement, then review results in 30 days.