Look, I’m going to be straight with you. Most small business owners think of their website as a digital flyer. You put it up, you hope it looks half-decent, and you wait for the phone to ring.
But there’s a massive mistake I see businesses in Brisbane making every single day. They’re accidentally building walls around their business that stop a huge chunk of the population from actually giving them money.
I’m talking about accessibility. Now, don’t let that word put you to sleep. In the tech world, they call it WCAG compliance. In the real world, it just means: Can people actually use your site to buy from you?
If your site is hard to read, hard to navigate, or impossible to use for someone with a vision impairment or a shaky hand, you aren’t just being 'un-PC'. You’re literally flushing leads down the toilet.
Why This Actually Matters for Your Wallet
I get it. You’ve got a million things to do. You’re worrying about payroll, jobs on the go, and why the fuel prices are high again. Why should you care about how a screen reader sees your website?
Because money is money.
About 1 in 5 Australians live with some form of disability. That’s 20% of your potential market. If those people land on your site and can’t find your phone number because the text is too light, or they can’t click a button because it’s too small, they don’t call you. They call the bloke down the road whose site actually works.
Beyond just losing sales, there’s the legal side. We’re seeing more and more small businesses get hit with complaints because their digital storefront isn't accessible. It’s the same as having a physical shop without a ramp. If you wouldn’t block someone from entering your office, why are you blocking them from your website?
Focusing on making your site easy to use isn't just a 'nice to have' anymore. It’s basic business sense.
The Three Big Mistakes Costing You Calls
I’ve looked at hundreds of local business sites. Most of them fail the accessibility test in the same three ways.
1. Your Contrast is Rubbish
You know those trendy sites with light grey text on a white background? They look sleek to a 22-year-old designer with perfect vision. But for a 55-year-old homeowner looking for a plumber in the dark at 6:00 PM, that text is invisible.
If people have to squint to read your services, they’re gone. High contrast isn't just for accessibility; it’s for usability. Black text on a white background or white on dark blue. Don’t get fancy with it. Make it easy to read so they can find the 'Call Now' button.
2. Tiny Buttons and 'Fat Finger' Syndrome
We’ve all been there. You’re on your phone, trying to click a link, and you keep hitting the wrong thing because the buttons are too close together.
For someone with limited mobility or even just a tradie with big hands, a cramped website is a nightmare. This is why small website movements like spacing out your links and making buttons big enough to actually tap make such a massive difference to your bottom line.
3. Images That Tell No Stories
Google is smart, but it can’t 'see' your photos yet. It relies on the descriptions you (or your web guy) put behind the scenes. If you have a photo of a finished kitchen renovation but the code just says 'IMG_5432.jpg', you’re missing out.
People using screen readers need that description to know what you do. More importantly, Google uses that info to rank you. If you describe your images properly, you’re helping people and helping your SEO. It’s a win-win.
It’s Not Just About 'Compliance'—It’s About Speed
Here’s a secret: the stuff that makes a site accessible also makes it fast.
When you strip away the heavy, bloated junk that breaks accessibility, your site loads quicker. And we know that a slow website kills profit faster than almost anything else. People in Brisbane are impatient. If your site doesn't load in three seconds, they’re back on Google looking for your competitor.
By cleaning up your site’s structure to meet these standards, you’re accidentally making your site more 'Google-friendly.' Google loves sites that are easy to navigate and fast to load.
How Much Does This Cost?
I’m not going to lie to you and say it’s free. If your site was built ten years ago by your nephew, it’s probably a mess under the hood.
Fixing a broken, inaccessible site can take anywhere from a few hours of tweaking to a full rebuild if the foundation is rotten.
- The Quick Fix: Sorting out your colours, making your fonts bigger, and adding descriptions to your images. Usually a few hundred bucks and a couple of days. - The Deep Clean: Fixing the way the menus work and ensuring the site works perfectly on phones. This might cost a bit more, but it pays for itself the moment you stop losing those 20% of customers.
If an agency tells you it’ll cost $10,000 just to make your site 'compliant,' they’re probably taking you for a ride. But if they say it’s $500 to audit and fix the main issues, that’s an investment that actually protects your business.
What Should You Do First?
Don’t try to fix everything at once. You’ll go mad.
First, pull up your website on your phone. Try to navigate it using only your thumb while walking. Can you hit the buttons easily? Can you read the text without zooming in? If the answer is no, you’ve got work to do.
Second, check your contact info. Is it easy to find? Is it a 'click-to-call' link? If someone can’t easily call you, the rest of the site doesn't matter.
Honestly, most of this stuff is just common sense that’s been wrapped up in fancy jargon. At the end of the day, my job at Local Marketing Group is to make sure your phone rings. If your website is blocking people from calling you, we need to fix it.
Don’t leave money on the table because your website is 'too cool' to be readable. Make it simple. Make it fast. Make it work for everyone.
If you’re worried your site is scaring off customers, or you just want someone to take a look and give you a straight answer, give us a yell. We’ll tell you exactly what’s broken and how much it’ll cost to get it right. No jargon, just results.
Reach out to the team at Local Marketing Group and let’s get your site working as hard as you do.