The Dollars (and Sense) Behind an Accessible Holiday Campaign

Back to blog

The Dollars (and Sense) Behind an Accessible Holiday Campaign

Posted October 22, 2024

AudioEye

Posted October 22, 2024

Phone screen with a wrapped present that has an accessibility tag; snowy pine trees are behind the phone with dollar bills on the side.
Phone screen with a wrapped present that has an accessibility tag; snowy pine trees are behind the phone with dollar bills on the side.

Ready to see AudioEye in action?

Watch Demo

Statistics show that holiday shopping campaigns benefit from digital accessibility practices. While some myths and misconceptions keep marketers from prioritizing or even implementing digital accessibility, businesses experience higher revenue when people with disabilities can participate in promotions and sales during the holiday season - and beyond.

Marketers worldwide are preparing and creating their holiday campaign launches, and with good reason. According to the National Retail Foundation, the 6-8 week period between October and January accounts for roughly 20% of annual retail sales. Last year, these sales were projected to have reached a new high at 957 billion U.S. dollars. Marketing professionals can capitalize on the revenue potential this holiday season — and throughout the year — by including simple practices that make their campaigns more accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities.

Accessibility Facts and Figures for Marketing Professionals

It is easy to believe that people with disabilities are few and far between. However, 1 in 4 adults in the United States live with a disability. That means in any given demographic, 25% of your audience experiences a variety of disabilities — and it only takes a few adjustments to create accessible campaign materials. Digital accessibility practices make good marketing sense to the discerning professional who believes in working smarter, not harder, to deliver quality results to their audience and company. 


When it comes to understanding the holiday consumer, marketing professionals tend to leverage statistics like income levels and spending habits. In that vein, people with disabilities, along with their friends and families, control 13 trillion U.S. dollars in disposable income. That figure is 13.6 times greater than the projected holiday retail sales in 2023 mentioned at the beginning of this article (957 billion U.S. dollars for those counting at home). In short, 25% of your audience controls more disposable income than spent by all holiday shoppers last year. Prioritizing accessible campaign practices puts you on the right side of the equation to make this your best year yet.

Marketing Concerns and Accessibility Misconceptions

If accessible marketing is a clear no-brainer, why hasn’t it been more widely adopted by companies around the globe? The answer is unfortunate: lack of awareness and misconceptions surrounding accessible marketing practices have kept most businesses in the dark. In a recent HearSay Podcast with AudioEye’s Mike Paciello, Gerard Cohen shared the different misconceptions he has faced in his career as an accessibility expert for companies like Wells Fargo, Twitter, and Atlassian. Some of these misunderstandings included the lack of relevancy, complexity, and cost associated with digital accessibility. 


While an article by AudioEye addressed some of these misconceptions, cost is a particular objection marketers may face while advocating for accessible practices within their company. However, a 2022 Forrester Research report makes it clear that any cost associated with digital accessibility is well worth the investment. Forrester’s report suggests that every dollar invested in web accessibility and user design can yield an ROI of $100. Cost, it seems, belongs as a benefit and not a setback when it comes to digital accessibility. 


Considering the investment cost is always top of mind for any marketing professional. However, you can take several simple steps to make your holiday campaigns more accessible without spending another dime. These include practices such as using Camel Case hashtags, where each word in a hashtag is capitalized, or including emojis at the end of a phrase or sentence. Slight shifts like these benefit consumers using screen readers or people with cognitive disabilities. In fact, there is an entire Holiday Retail Guide released by AudioEye that details practical tips any marketer can use to create more accessible campaigns.

Adding It All Together

Let’s consider the implications of an accessible campaign in real dollars. For example, if a company earns $10 million in revenue each year, about $2 million (or 20%) of that revenue will specifically come from holiday sales during the 6-8 week period between October and December. With an accessible campaign, an extra portion of your audience is unlocked, and the impact on your bottom line is substantial. 


Adding accessibility to your holiday campaigns is a no-brainer! Use AudioEye’s 2024 Holiday Retail Guide to implement simple shifts that open the doors to more of your audience and increase your company’s yearly revenue. Don’t let digital accessibility become your New Year’s Resolution. Implement the insights from this guide and experience quantifiable growth and stability for years to come.

Ready to see AudioEye in action?

Watch Demo

Ready to test your website for accessibility?

Scan your website now.

Share post

Topics:

Keep Reading