Making Marketing Accessible to All

What’s the purpose of marketing if your messaging is inaccessible to a large portion of your potential audience?

For my thesis project, I explored the relationship between disabled customers and brands to uncover the opportunities that exist when professional communicators are willing to optimize for this growing need.

How is the need growing? Since the pandemic hit, many companies have had to adapt how they do business, moving the majority or all of their services online. This only exacerbates an existing problem: 97.4% of the world's top one million websites don't offer full accessibility, and this accessibility gap also extends to their digital marketing. With 61 million adults in the U.S. living with a disability, many of which impact their ability to read and interact with content, it’s troubling to see that many brands still see accessibility as a bonus, not a necessity.

For my thesis work, I've conducted primary survey research with disabled individuals to better understand their needs, wants, pain points, and areas of opportunity when it comes to how they engage with brands. Using this data, I’ve created a deliverable that will empower brands and equip communicators with the data they need to go beyond the basics, helping them create truly accessible content. With access to firsthand insight from disabled consumers and resources to win at accessibility, my hope is that my deliverable will equip marketers, solopreneurs and professional communicators to see the business need for prioritizing accessibility.