On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into effect, requiring websites and digital services to meet accessibility standards across the EU. This means agencies working with European clients—or those with global audiences—need to ensure their sites comply. Non-compliance could result in legal penalties, financial losses, and reputational damage. To learn more about EAA compliance, check out this guide written by our partners, AudioEye. But accessibility isn’t just a regulatory issue—it’s a fundamental human right. The United Nations has declared accessibility a human right. As such, web design agencies and designers must ensure that their creations are accessible to all. This is not only the right thing to do but also protects clients from lawsuits for failing to provide accessible online experiences. And yes...that happens. Between 2017 and 2024, over 4,000 lawsuits were filed annually against companies for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) non-compliance, according to reports from Accessibility Works and Clockwork Design Group. In 2024 alone, more than 4,000 lawsuits were filed in state and federal courts, continuing a consistent trend of high litigation volumes. While high-profile suits like those against Domino's, Fox News, Hasbro, Target, and even Beyoncé get all the attention in the media, 77% of the lawsuits in 2023 were actually filed against businesses doing less than $25 million in revenue. And, according to the Bureau of Internet Accessibility, the average settlement cost is roughly $25,000. As an agency, it's your responsibility to make sure your clients are aware of and meet these requirements. If a client has to pay $25,000 to settle an accessibility lawsuit, they're going to be looking for someone to blame. And guess who that's going to fall on? In today's article, we'll give you a complete checklist to run through when handling web accessibility for your clients. A deeper dive into web accessibility We know YOU already know what web accessibility is. Otherwise, you wouldn't have made it this far as an agency owner. That said, you have an additional responsibility to educate your clients on the importance of web accessibility and how it impacts their business. Web accessibility = "the ability to access" for everyone. Having an accessible website is about providing equal access and opportunity to people with physical and situational disabilities. It also extends to those with socio-economic restrictions on speed and bandwidth and people who prefer mobile devices over desktops and vice-versa. It doesn't just benefit people with disabilities . While features for auditory support or color contrast may be meant for users with disabilities, things like mobile optimization and clear navigation benefit everyone. Your clients' sales are on the line . According to the World Health Organization,1.3 billion people around the world experience a significant disability. Without an accessible website, as many as 1 in every 6 site visitors won't even have the opportunity to become customers. Failing to meet accessibility requirements costs them dearly . Not only will your clients potentially face lawsuits and settlements, but they'll also lose credibility and trust from customers if their website is inaccessible. When you factor in lost sales, diminished public image, and potential lawsuits, you're looking at a six-figure loss. Why is website accessibility so important for agencies? As an agency, it's your responsibility to make sure your clients are aware of and meet W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2). In addition to showing you care about creating inclusive online experiences, building accessible websites for your clients ensures they aren't at risk of legal action per the ADA. By extension, it shields your business from the potential legal consequences of delivering work that isn't in compliance with accessibility standards. If a client has to pay $25,000 to settle an accessibility lawsuit, they're going to be looking for someone to blame. And guess who that's going to fall on? (We’ll give you a hint, it’s you…) By prioritizing web accessibility for your clients, you can: Market your sites as "accessible" to future clients Enhance the user experience and maximize conversions Protect yourself and your clients from accessibility-based lawsuits Improve SEO performance through accessibility features Boost your agency's reputation and credibility You'll also be able to create new revenue streams for your clients. By making websites accessible, agencies help their clients reach a broader audience, including the estimated 25% of the US population with disabilities, who hold significant spending power. In the US alone, this group has discretionary spending around $175 billion. And for your agency, offering web accessibility services (e.g., accessibility audits, consulting, and remediation) allows you to diversify, differentiate, and provide additional value to clients. You can charge for these separately or bundled with other offerings. Be prepared to answer clients' questions regarding accessibility. Certainly, some of your current and future clients will ask about what you're doing to make sure their site is accessible. They'll want to know things like: The # of critical accessibility errors currently live on their site The tools you use to assess the UX for accessibility errors Which accessibility standard(s) your team evaluates against (A, AA, or AAA) How you approach web accessibility when designing an eye-catching website Your process for creating accessible content (alt text, captions, transcripts, etc.) How do you monitor accessibility over time How you collect and incorporate feedback from various user groups into future UX iterations Clients want to know that accessibility isn't a one-time consideration for your team. Demonstrating an effective mechanism for incorporating user feedback and designing for diverse needs and personas will put you ahead of 90% of the web design agencies out there. Be prepared to explain the importance of accessibility to clients who object. Of course, creating an accessible website can sometimes be more expensive. And if you're selling an accessibility package on top of your standard services, they might not see the real value in spending the extra money. They might say something like: "Nobody's ever complained about our site before." "People with disabilities don't buy what we sell." "We don't have the resources for this right now." "It's just going to make our site look boring." "We already use an AI-powered overlay." Clients who don't know the facts might make assumptions about their customers or how accessibility impacts their business. In reality: Most people aren't going to tell the site owner their site's inaccessible. They'll just leave. Or, the site could be so inaccessible nobody can even reach the "Contact Us" page or email form. Blind people might not purchase flying lessons for themselves, but they might for a friend. The potential loss from an accessibility lawsuit is significantly higher than the cost of creating an accessible site. And if they're an ecommerce client, they're disproportionately at risk. You can make a site accessible without changing the core design. According to UsableNet's abovementioned report, there were 414 lawsuits filed against companies using overlays or active widgets. The legal aspect: accessibility guidelines, regulations, and standards The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were first introduced by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative in 1999 with WCAG 1.0. This early version provided 14 guidelines based on fundamental principles of accessible design, such as providing text alternatives for non-text content and using colors that do not rely on color alone for meaning. Since then, WCAG has undergone several updates, and multiple other legal documents have been introduced to regulate website accessibility. Let's dive in. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (1998) Not long after WCAG 1.0 was released in 1999, the US government passed Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible. Section 508 standards were refreshed in 2017 to incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA criteria, aligning federal requirements with widely recognized web accessibility standards. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) While HIPAA primarily addresses the privacy and security of health data, its implications for web accessibility center around ensuring that electronic healthcare records and other online health information services are accessible to individuals with disabilities, under broader non-discrimination policies. WCAG levels: A, AA, AAA WCAG 2.0 guidelines are categorized into three levels of conformance to help organizations meet the needs of different groups and situations: Level A (minimum level): The most basic web accessibility features must be implemented. Failing to satisfy this level would make it difficult for many people with disabilities to access the content. Level AA (mid-range): Addresses the biggest barriers for disabled users, and is generally aimed at improving accessibility for all. It is also the level most often referenced in legislation and policies. Level AAA (highest level): The most complex level of web accessibility, level AAA improves the experience for users with a wider range of disabilities. This level is not required by most policies but is good practice to aim for if possible. POUR principles WCAG 2.0, released in 2008, introduced four key principles under which accessibility should operate: the POUR principles. This update expanded the guidelines to encompass all digital content and was structured around testable criteria, making it easier to implement and verify. The POUR principles outline four essential criteria to consider for accessibility: Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can easily see. Operable: UI components and site navigation need to be functional and easy to operate. Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. Robust: Content must be well-written and structured enough that a wide variety of users and assistive technologies can interpret it correctly. WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.2 each introduced specific improvements to the existing web accessibility guidelines to better address emerging needs, especially as digital technologies evolved. WCAG 2.1 enhancements Released in June 2018, WCAG 2.1 added 17 additional success criteria to WCAG 2.0. Key enhancements included: Mobile accessibility: New guidelines were introduced to improve access for mobile and touch-screen device users. This includes making functions accessible from a keyboard and ensuring that users can use devices in any orientation (portrait or landscape). Low-vision support: Improvements were made to support users with low vision, such as requirements for text spacing and non-text contrast, which help ensure legibility and readability. Cognitive disabilities: New criteria aimed to help users with cognitive, learning, and neurological disabilities, offering more ways to find content and making it easier to use inputs other than keyboard. WCAG 2.2 additions The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) or WCAG 2.2 were officially published as a W3C Recommendation on October 5, 2023. This update fine-tuned user interactions and contexts that were not fully addressed by WCAG 2.1. It added nine more success criteria to further support users with cognitive and learning disabilities, as well as users with low vision. Key introductions included: Findable help: This criterion requires that help be available on a website, such as human contact information, self-help options, and automated help, which is especially beneficial for users who may struggle with navigation or complex information. Consistent help: Ensuring that help options are available consistently across different web pages. Accessibility of personal information: Guidelines that help users with cognitive disabilities by simplifying the process of entering personal information and correcting mistakes. ADA compliance The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that all public entities and businesses that serve the public must be accessible, including online resources. This act covers a wide range of disabilities, including physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. Websites must be designed to provide equal access and equal opportunity for people with these disabilities. European Accessibility Act (EAA) As mentioned earlier in this article, the EAA will come into effect on June 28, 2025, and requires websites and digital services to meet accessibility standards across the EU, representing a significant milestone in digital accessibility legislation across the European Union. This comprehensive directive requires websites, mobile applications, eCommerce platforms, and digital services to meet specific accessibility standards. The EAA mandates that digital products and services be designed to be more accessible to people with disabilities, covering a wide range of digital technologies. Organizations must ensure their digital offerings are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, aligning closely with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. Non-compliance can result in significant financial penalties and legal consequences, making it crucial for businesses operating in or serving EU markets to prioritize digital accessibility. The complete website accessibility checklist for agencies 1. Ensure color contrast ratios. Color contrast ratio refers to the difference in light between text (or graphical elements like icons) and its background. High contrast makes content more readable for those with visual impairments, including people with color blindness or deteriorating vision conditions. To meet WCAG AA, the contrast ratio should be at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, graphics, and UI components (like form input borders). Our platform has recently introduced a built-in Color Contrast Ratio checker within the website builder. Located in the color picker of text elements, this feature provides instant feedback with a failed (red X) or passing score of AA or AAA, allowing agencies to verify color contrast without leaving the editor, and design with color contrast in mind from the start. Tips: When designing elements like buttons or graphical controls, test the foreground/background on those elements before implementing them on the website. Ensure that contrast remains sufficient even in dark mode or high-contrast settings, as some users may rely on these for better visibility. 2. Make sure your client’s website is keyboard accessible. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) emphasize keyboard accessibility as part of the "Operable" principle, which mandates that all web functionalities must be accessible by keyboard alone.  This allows anyone who can't use a mouse — due to physical disabilities, visual impairments, simply not having one, or personal preference — to navigate and interact with site content. Users should be able to navigate menus, activate links and buttons, fill out forms, and use custom interactive widgets without a mouse.

We’ve added four powerful new marketing and CRM app connectors you can leverage to seamlessly integrate and automate your business while enjoying streamlined processes and improved efficiency. Platform app connectors - a quick recap App connectors let you put your business on auto-pilot by connecting your sites with powerful integrations of their favorite platforms, using simple, zero-code app connectors. Here’s more info on connectors and how they work. Meet the new connectors for automating marketing and customer management Here are the four new app connectors worth exploring for enhancing your marketing efforts: HighLevel An all-in-one sales and marketing platform built for agencies and businesses to automate lead nurturing, customer follow-ups, and campaign management. 

"Crafting multi-channel stories that search engines and humans love," featured insights from industry veteran Casie Gillette. A discussion centered on the evolving landscape of content creation in the face of increasing AI influence and the importance of developing a multi-faceted approach that resonates with both search algorithms and human audiences. Gillette began by illustrating the limitations of traditional SEO-focused content strategies, sharing an example of a blog post that once ranked well and garnered significant traffic but was completely overshadowed by an AI overview in search results. This highlighted a crucial point: relying solely on a single blog post optimized for a specific keyword may no longer be sufficient in a search environment increasingly populated by AI-generated answers. In response to this shift, Gillette advocated for a paradigm shift towards a multi-channel content strategy. Instead of creating a singular asset and hoping it captures all relevant traffic, the focus should be on developing a core piece of content, such as comprehensive guides, and then strategically repurposing and adapting its information across various formats and platforms. She provided a compelling example of transforming an email capture guide into dedicated blog posts targeting longer-tail keywords, a short and engaging video for platforms like Reels and TikTok (remarkably featuring an AI-generated avatar), and social media updates designed to increase visibility. While the original guide might not achieve top rankings due to AI overviews, the combined efforts of these diverse assets led to increased keyword visibility, traffic from multiple channels, and, most importantly, demo requests from organic sources. This underscored the power of a cohesive content ecosystem where different formats support and amplify each other. A significant aspect of this new approach is the strategic utilization of AI tools to streamline content creation and repurposing. Gillette emphasized that it has never been easier to produce content in various formats, thanks to advancements in AI. She showcased how tools like GPT can be used to quickly generate new blog post ideas and outlines from existing long-form content like e-books. Furthermore, AI image generation tools like GPT , Grok , and Meta AI can rapidly produce visuals for blog posts and social media, significantly reducing the time and resources traditionally required. The session also highlighted the power of AI-driven video repurposing tools such as Opus Clip , which can automatically extract key moments and create short, engaging video clips optimized for different social platforms from longer recordings like webinars . Gillette even shared a surprising example of a blog post being autonomously transformed into a podcast using AI audio generation tools like Monica , demonstrating the expanding possibilities for reaching audiences through different mediums. She contributed valuable insights on evolving content strategy beyond simple keyword targeting. She emphasized the need to move away from solely focusing on high-volume keywords and instead adopt a more holistic strategy aligned with business outcomes. This involves understanding user intent and creating valuable content that truly meets their needs, rather than just trying to rank for specific terms. She echoed the importance of being present in relevant online communities, not just for promotion, but for genuine engagement and understanding audience pain points and interests. By actively participating in platforms like Reddit, content creators can identify unmet needs and tailor their content accordingly, potentially uncovering new avenues for visibility and engagement within the changing search landscape. The discussion also touched upon the enduring importance of topical authority in conjunction with a "search everywhere" optimization strategy. Building a comprehensive body of content around core topics remains crucial for demonstrating expertise to both search engines and AI models. This involves creating a network of interconnected content that delves deeply into various facets of a subject, catering to different levels of user understanding and intent. Furthermore, both Gillette and Clarke stressed the significance of understanding where your audience spends their time online and meeting them on their preferred platforms, even if those platforms are not traditionally considered primary SEO channels. Testing different platforms and content formats is essential to discover what resonates best with your target audience. In her concluding remarks, Gillette reiterated that the fundamental principles of good marketing remain vital. This is advice you’ll hear countless times throughout the full webinar, from nearly every speaker. While AI provides powerful tools and necessitates strategic adaptation, the core goal remains to create valuable, engaging content that connects with human audiences.  By embracing a multi-channel approach, leveraging AI for efficiency and creativity, and focusing on understanding and serving user needs across various platforms, content creators can navigate the evolving digital landscape and continue to thrive in the age of AI-enhanced search. The session served as a powerful reminder that while the tactics of SEO and content marketing may change, the underlying principles of providing value to human beings remain constant and are more critical than ever in building sustainable success.

In recruitment, visibility is everything. If candidates and clients can’t find your agency online, you might as well not exist. Yet, too many staffing firms still treat SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as an afterthought. The result? Lost candidates, wasted budgets, and competitors outranking you at every turn. Why SEO Matters in Recruitment Search algorithms will continue their furious rate of change. And make no mistake, chasing their every whim will be futile. Now is the time to get back to the fundamentals and refocus on your audience. Is your content written primarily to rank for a keyword? Start over. Write something your audience will read. Are you posting on Reddit just to get your content to rank in Google results? Figure out if that’s where your audience is actually spending their time, then decide if it’s the right channel. The Hidden Costs of Poor SEO Your Competitors Are Taking Your Market Share The recruitment industry is worth over $500 billion globally , and competition is fierce. If your agency isn’t ranking for relevant keywords like “best IT staffing agency” or “finance recruiters near me,” someone else is. And here’s the kicker: 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results . That means if you’re not there, Employers won’t find you and your competitors are closing deals that could have been yours. Fewer Candidates, Higher Cost per Hire Recruitment marketing isn’t cheap. Agencies spend thousands on paid ads, job board postings, and social media campaigns. But what if your website could attract candidates organically - without paying per click? A well-optimized recruitment website brings 50% more organic traffic , reducing reliance on expensive PPC campaigns. Without SEO, you’re locked into a never-ending cycle of ad spend just to stay visible. 3. Candidate Drop-offs and Poor User Experience  Google’s algorithm favors websites that provide fast, mobile-friendly, and well-structured experiences. A slow-loading career site can increase bounce rates by 32% after just three seconds of waiting. Candidates won’t stick around for a clunky, outdated website when they have dozens of other options. If your site isn’t optimized for search, it’s probably not optimized for user experience either - and that’s a direct hit to conversions. Weak Employer Branding and Trust Issues Think about it - if a job seeker Googles your agency and finds nothing, what does that say about your brand? In today’s digital world, 90% of candidates research a company online before applying . If your site lacks authority, ranks low, or doesn’t showcase testimonials, candidates (and clients) will move on. Strong SEO enhances credibility, positioning your agency as a trusted industry leader. How to Fix It (Before It Costs You More) Ignoring SEO isn’t just risky - it’s expensive. The good news? A few strategic changes can drive long-term gains. Optimize for Keywords That Matter – Identify and target keywords that candidates and clients are searching for. It’s not about stuffing “best recruitment agency” everywhere; it’s about intent-driven search terms that align with job searches and hiring needs. Fix Your Website’s Speed & Mobile Experience – Google prioritizes sites that load fast and work well on mobile. If your career site is sluggish, your rankings (and conversions) will take a hit. Invest in Quality Content – Agencies that regularly publish job market insights, salary reports, and industry trends see 55% more engagement than those that don’t. Blog content, case studies, and thought leadership pieces help establish credibility and improve SEO rankings. Leverage Local SEO – If you recruit in specific regions, make sure your site is optimized for geo-targeted searches. Local candidates searching for “staffing agencies near me” should be landing on your site - not your competitor’s. Where Shazamme Comes In At Shazamme, we specialize in SEO-optimized recruitment websites designed to get you found, fast. Our platform ensures that your job listings, blogs, and landing pages are structured for maximum visibility on Google and beyond. With seamless ATS and CRM integrations, advanced SEO tools, and a mobile-first design, we help staffing agencies stop losing candidates to poor SEO and start winning the digital race. The right candidates are out there searching for you - don’t let them find someone else instead. Let Shazamme make your recruitment website work for you. Book a demo today and let’s put your agency at the top where it belongs! https://www.shazamme.com/contact-us

Data Security For Recruitment Websites Must Be A Priority for 2025!