Fawkes Digital Marketing Blog Article
Every business with a website—no matter how big or small—needs to take ADA compliance seriously.
In the same way you'd install ramps for wheelchair users at your physical location, your website must also be accessible to people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that digital spaces offer equal access. Yet too many companies still treat accessibility as an afterthought—or worse, a checkbox solved with a single plugin.
And it's costing them dearly.
Lawsuits for website accessibility have skyrocketed in recent years, and small business owners are becoming the easiest targets.
Accessibility isn't just a moral obligation—it's the law. Under Title III of the ADA, any business considered a "public accommodation" must ensure their online presence is accessible to people with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor disabilities.
This means that if your site:
...then you have a legal duty to make it accessible.
Lawyers are actively searching for non-compliant sites—especially small businesses that can't afford a lengthy legal defense. These lawsuits often end in quick settlements, and plaintiffs' attorneys see them as "easy money."
But the cost goes beyond money.
When a business is sued for ADA violations, it's not just about fines or settlements. The damage to your brand reputation can last for years.
In extreme cases, a single lawsuit can drain your finances and force your site offline. For eCommerce businesses, that means sales halted, trust lost, and a permanent dent in credibility.
You've probably seen the marketing:
These promises sound great—but they're misleading.
Automated accessibility tools and plugins provide partial coverage at best. They can adjust colors, add keyboard navigation, or simulate screen reader behavior—but they don't fix your code, your structure, or your content.
Even worse: having a plugin installed can make your legal risk higher, not lower.
Accessibility can't be achieved by adding one line of JavaScript. It requires thoughtful design, coding practices, and content management.
A truly accessible website is one that follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2), which set the standard for compliance.
Here's what that means in practice:
Achieving this means working with your developers, designers, and content managers to ensure accessibility from the ground up—not patched on afterward.
According to industry tracking reports, over 4,000 federal ADA website lawsuits were filed in 2024 alone—and that number continues to rise. The majority target small and mid-sized businesses, especially in retail, restaurants, and service industries.
Many of these lawsuits start the same way:
Even if your business settles quickly, it often costs $5,000–$25,000 in legal fees—and doesn't fix the problem.
When you make your website accessible, you're not just reducing legal risk—you're expanding your audience and strengthening trust.
An ADA-compliant website:
Accessibility isn't an expense—it's an investment in your brand's future.
At Fawkes Digital Marketing, we don't just "install a plugin" and walk away.
We perform real accessibility evaluations, fix your site structure, improve color contrast, rewrite inaccessible content, and train your staff to maintain compliance.
Our approach ensures you're not just ADA "compliant," but ADA confident—able to serve every customer with dignity and care.
Here's how to get started today—no matter your budget:
ADA compliance isn't just about avoiding lawsuits—it's about building a web that works for everyone.
Businesses that care about accessibility show they care about people. And those that ignore it? They risk everything—from reputation to revenue.
It's a core part of good business and Fawkes Digital Marketing is here to make it simple, sustainable, and stress-free.