Today’s world of banking is rapidly moving to a digital platform. Banks are providing apps for just about everything including deposits, transfers and more. To stay competitive, you need virtual capabilities, and you need those capabilities to be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.
Many banks have accessibility statements on their websites. These statements may claim that they are consistent with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. But lapses in technology and other issues may cause breakdowns that the bank may not even be aware of.
If your bank website is not up to date on the latest compliancy requirements, it could alienate disabled and non-disabled clients. It could cause them to go to another bank.
A lack of compliance can also result in an ugly and expensive lawsuit. Financial companies that have received litigative action and complaints about non-compliant websites include major companies like Bank of America, H& R Block and Charles Schwab. In 2014, 12 banks were found guilty of violating New York’s State’s human rights law with inaccessible websites.
An ADA compliant website will also help you stay on top of the competition. For one, many ADA compliant measure will also boost SEO getting your site to the top of search engines.
A 162-person study from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania showed that three out of five people with vision disabilities were unable to use a financial website or app because of an accessibility barrier. The right compliance features can help you convert the clients that may be veering away from other institutions for their lack of inclusiveness.
As a financial institution, it’s vital you do what you can to ensure you are up on your ADA compliancy including getting regular compliancy audits. This article will provide information on how you get your site up to date.
Put Content in Priority Order
People with visual impairments often rely on screen readers to help them navigate the web. These screen readers read the website’s content according to an HTML hierarchy. That means the content on your website should follow a logical sequence with HTML heading structured according to a H1, H2, H3 (and so on) sequence. You will never want to skip from H2 to H4.Format for Screen Readers
Your banking website should be easy for visually impaired people to navigate. Therefore, you will want to format your pages so screen readers can skip directly to unique content.Keep in mind that drop down menus can get in the way of navigation. Make sure that tab and arrow keys can be used as an alternative. Enable interactive controls for slideshows so users can play or pause them without issue.
Add Alt Text to Images and Title Links
Alt text refers to the boxes of text that appear when you hover over a link or image. They let a visually impaired user know what the image is and/or where the link it is taking them. So, an example of a text link in banking may be ‘go to banking window’.Keep in mind that images and links aren’t the only types of elements that require alt text. Icons, charts, and graphs will also appear as an image on a screen reader. Alt text must be added to these as well.
Keep Text Readable
It’s essential for your text to be easy to read. There is no set standard when it comes to formatting text to ensure it’s accessible. A good rule is to keep fonts at 16pt with a line spacing of 1.5.There are several typefaces that have been designed for the web that can be easily scaled.
Balance Color Contrast
Color contrast should be well thought out. For example, you will never want to put light text on a light background or dark text on a dark background. This will make it difficult to read.You will also want to pay attention to your use of color. You may use a graph that delineates a certain value by color alone. But keep in mind that some people are colorblind and may not get a clear message of what’s going on.
If you use color contrast, instead of the shades themselves, to signify specific values, it will be more effective.
There are many online tools that will help you determine if your color contrast meets with ADA requirements.
Forms Should Be Compliant as Well
A banking website is sure to have plenty of forms. These forms must be kept compliant as well. They should contain clear instructions that can be read by screen readers. They should also send alerts if any information is left out.Another point to consider is that banking pages often time out for security measures. While this is a useful safety feature, it could be inconvenient to disabled users who need more time to fill out forms.
Banks must come up with the right balance to protect information while providing an ample window for disabled individuals to complete tasks.
Minimize Plug Ins
There are many plug ins that can be used to ensure your website is compliant. But if you use too many of them, they will slow down your site and keep you from being able to fully control each one’s source code.The way to go here is quality over quantity. Only use plugins that are ADA compliant and will have the biggest positive impact on your business.
Clear Calls to Action
As a financial institution, you will want users to invest in your products and services. The best way to do this is to include clear CTA’s that encourage them to ‘buy now’ or ‘subscribe today’. For best results, these should come in the form of colored buttons and clear text.Because CTAs are image oriented, they should be reader scannable. They should also be clear and easy to understand.
Ensure Keyboard Compatibility
Keyboard compatibility is essential for disabled people that are unable to use a mouse. It allows them to move between form windows, links and buttons using the tab key and other keystrokes. Ensure the tab order is logical to allow keyboard navigation around content and controls.ADA compliance is so important, especially for a financial institution. Now that you know the steps you must take, you will be in a good place to draw in clients while staying on the right side of the law. What improvements will you be making in the coming year?
