EP45 The REAL impact of Ignoring Accessibility Online with Maxwell Ivey Jr
March 15, 2022
Maxwell Ivey Jr joins me on Talking With Experts Podcast this week to talk about the benefits and the importance of running a business that has accessibility at the forefront of your mind. As a fully blind man, Maxwell has experienced what it's truly like to navigate the online space and has some real life experience of struggling with accessibility online too. This week he shares how to improve your accessibility from an SEO perspective and so much more...
Maxwell is a totally blind man is an expert in overcoming adversity, building community, finding the positive, sharing by singing, overcoming fears, and teaching others. In this week's episode he talks about the importance of accessibility from his lived perspective as a fully blind man. We discuss what isn't spoken about when it comes to accessibility and disabled users and the advantages of understanding the needs of our disabled and visually impaired peers from a business standpoint. As entrepreneurs, ignoring a loyal customer base is not something that should be overlooked.
TL:DR;
1. Decide to find solutions instead of making excuses.
2. Be willing to ask for help and accept help when offered.
3. Be determined to find the positive in all aspects of my life.
4. Ask someone who uses extra accessibility if your website is accessible to them, gain their loyalty by tailoring your website to their needs and capitalise on a wider audience.
5. Add alt text to everything you can on your website and DON'T label it the same or you'll confuse your visually impaired users.
TL:DR;
1. Decide to find solutions instead of making excuses.
2. Be willing to ask for help and accept help when offered.
3. Be determined to find the positive in all aspects of my life.
4. Ask someone who uses extra accessibility if your website is accessible to them, gain their loyalty by tailoring your website to their needs and capitalise on a wider audience.
5. Add alt text to everything you can on your website and DON'T label it the same or you'll confuse your visually impaired users.
There are an estimated 253 million people who are affected by some form of blindness and visual impairment. Are you going to ignore this audience of loyal customers...?
See you next week!
Chris Cownden
Chris Cownden