For banks and credit unions, your bank’s website is your digital front door. A well-designed website with up-to-date, thorough content, beautiful design, and tight security are all critical to the success of bank marketing.
But don’t overlook one lesser known, but very vital, area of bank marketing: website accessibility.
Our bank's branches have facilities accessible to people with disabilities because it's legally required and you could lose customers. Your website is no different. With poor website accessibility, you’re not just risking losing customers, you’re risking lawsuits, your reputation, and falling behind your competitors.
Is Accessibility a Problem?
More than 70 million adults in the U.S. reported having a disability in 2022. In Illinois, more than 1 in 9 (11.9 percent) people are considered disabled. These people are active members of society: working, shopping, — and banking. Don't let your bank miss out on these customers because they get frustrated with your website.
Beyond those with chronic disabilities, don't forget about short-term “disabilities”, such as a broken hand, misplaced glasses, or someone holding a baby. These instances can also affect a person’s ability to use a website. Make sure your website is usable for all users.
Our mantra at Web Solutions is that website accessibility is not just necessary, it’s just the right thing to do.
LRS Web Solutions audits has been helping websites with accessibility since 2017.
Website Accessibility For Banks
Website accessibility is a “behind the scenes” task, and somewhat of a thankless task – if your bank's website is accessible, no one is likely to notice. (And that’s a good thing.)
But they will notice if the website is not accessible – and the ramifications are costly, both to hurt your brand – and your budget if a lawsuit occurs.
Customers want a bank that protects their money and offers financial advice, and they want the bank's website to respond quickly, be easy to use and obvious to find what they need. Checking your website's accessibility is one step to ensure that those things happen.
Ensuring website accessibility builds trust with your customers, protects from lawsuits, and opens your digital door wider than ever before.
At Land of Lincoln Credit Union, we believe every member deserves a seamless digital experience, regardless of ability. Investing in accessibility has strengthened our brand, reduced customer service friction, and shown our community that we’re committed to inclusion. It’s not just the right thing to do—it’s smart business.”
Land of Lincoln Credit Union
The Case for Website Accessibility
While you may be focused on making sure your website is secure, which is also a critical need for bank websites, don’t overlook accessibility issues, which are quietly but quickly gaining prominence as another necessary detail to address and keep current.
We’ve all heard about security breaches, but ADA lawsuits are gaining notoriety. Don’t let your bank get caught with an accessibility issue. Failure to address them can result in lawsuits.
2,014 were lawsuits filed in the first six months of 2025, up 37% year-over-year. Cases in Illinois have soared.
2,014 were lawsuits filed in the first six months of 2025, up 37% year-over-year. Cases in Illinois have soared.
The Bright Side: Benefits to Your Bank
On the bright side, ensuring your bank website’s accessibility doesn’t just protect your website from lawsuits: it also has significant benefits for customer satisfaction, user experience, search engine optimization, and customer growth. It promotes trust, loyalty and digital growth and sophistication, helping your bank appeal to users young and old.
With an accessible bank website, you’re not just in compliance, you’re serving your entire community and protecting your bank’s reputation. You’ll also cut down on calls from cranky customers.
Studies show that accessible websites see a 20% increase in traffic and user engagement according to Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). For your bank, this can lead to more account openings, loan applications, and long-term loyalty.
Don’t unwittingly exclude people with disabilities from choosing your bank. With a strong digital presence and a strong accessibility your bank will be the one to choose.
“I’ve seen firsthand how small fixes like proper contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support can transform a frustrating experience into an enjoyable one. It’s rewarding to see a site’s accessibility score improve. Plus, by fixing these issues before they become widespread, banks and other companies can avoid calls and emails from frustrated customers.”
Sean Collins, Senior Web Developer, LRS Web Solutions
A Smart Investment
Maintaining website accessibility does come with annual costs, but it's worth the investment. Here are some of the benefits of budgeting for an inclusive website:
BENEFIT
| DETAILS |
|---|
| Avoid Legal Fees | Investing in website audits can avoid tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands that could be spent in legal fees. |
| Improve SEO and Website Technical Health | You could see an increase new users, organic traffic |
| Retain Customer | Inclusive websites can improve customer retention 5-10% |
| Improve Efficiency | An accessible website can mean fewer support calls, improving employee productivity |
| Brand Reputation | Showcase your bank's commitment to all users. The value is immeasurable |
Top Accessibility Priorities for Bank Websites
So what makes a website accessible and how do you check? At LRS Web Solutions, our website accessibility audits cover a multitude of issues to meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards, including these as top priorities:
1. Accessible Website Navigation That Is Compliant With ADA Standards
Customers using screen readers or keyboard-only navigation should be able to access all parts of your website. This demonstrates inclusiveness and can help you build trust with customers and avoid lawsuits.
2. Text Contrast and Text Resizing
Vision-impaired customers need good contrast and the ability to resize text if needed. This shows your bank keeps the users in mind (especially older customers) and builds trust and loyalty.
3. Accessible Online Banking Tools
The best bank websites have online banking tools such as login links, forms, calculators and rate management features. While helpful for many, they may frustrate users if they have a disability if they can’t use them easily. Maintain customer satisfaction by ensuring customers can happily find what they want to access.
4. Mobile Usability
Make sure that the mobile version of the bank is just as accessible as the desktop version, especially if your bank doesn’t have its own app. Your website analytics can tell you how many people use your site via a mobile device, and what pages are viewed most often. More people are prefering mobile banking on-the-go.
5. Continuous Testing and Feedback
Accessibility is not a one-time effort. We recommend a minimum of annual accessibility testing to ensure ongoing compliance. If you website content changes often, consider scheduling more regular website accessibility audits with LRS Web Solutions. Regular scans and remediation reflect your institution's commitment to accssibility.
.png)
How LRS Web Solutions Can Help
Now, you may feel overwhelmed by website accessibility. But don't worry. At LRS Web Solutions, we have years of experience working with bank website accessibility. Working with a leading accessibility vendor, we can review your website and provide reports and guidance on the areas your bank’s website needs to address. We also can apply the fixes for you and monitor it monthly, quarterly, or annually. Learn more about our accessibility services.
Talk with Account Executive Jen Barkus to request a free scan of your bank website’s accessibility. There’s no obligation – our goal is keeping customers – established and new – coming back to your bank.
Start with a Free Accessibility Scan
Discover where your website stands and what to improve.
Sources:
https://shftrs.com/articles/20-essential-trends-and-insights-about-digital-accessibility-testing-in-2024
Aging and Disability Care Factsheet: Illinois Shengwei Sun (National Women’s Law Center) and Yeen Lama (Caring Across Generations), Care Can’t Wait Research/Case-making Committee The U.S. Caregiving Crisis August 28, 2023
ada.gov
developers.google.com
pew research.org
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2025-mid-year-report-ada-website-accessibility-lawsuits-surge-37-as-litigation-expands-nationwide-302541655.html