If you’re running a small to mid-size digital agency, you’re used to juggling a lot. Creative direction, project management, client communications, SEO strategy, user experience—the list goes on. And somewhere in that mix, web accessibility often gets lost in the shuffle.

Not because it isn’t important. But because it’s not always obvious where it fits. Should you bring it up during the proposal phase? Wait until design reviews? Or tackle it after launch if an issue comes up?

Here’s the thing: the best time to introduce agency accessibility solutions isn’t “someday.” It’s early. Really early. And the earlier you bring it into the conversation, the easier it becomes to integrate—not just for your client, but for your team, too.

Let’s walk through how accessibility fits naturally into each phase of your process—and how to talk about it in a way that builds trust and positions your agency as a smart, forward-thinking partner.

Start the Conversation About Agency Accessibility Solutions

Accessibility belongs in the earliest conversations you’re having with a client—ideally, during discovery or project planning. When you’re already talking about audience personas, site goals, and technical scope, you’re laying the groundwork for how the entire site will function. This is the perfect opportunity to ask questions like:

• “Do any of your users rely on assistive technology like screen readers or voice navigation?”
• “Are there any compliance requirements or accessibility goals we should be aware of?”
• “Have you ever received feedback from users about accessibility challenges?”

These questions show your client that you’re thinking holistically about their audience. More importantly, you’re helping them see accessibility as a core part of usability and performance—not just a legal concern.

Pro move: include accessibility as a dedicated line item in your proposals. Whether it’s a basic audit, foundational best practices, or a plan for ongoing improvements, showing it in writing reinforces that it’s not optional or extra—it’s essential.

Revisit It During Design Reviews

Design is often where accessibility either starts strong—or goes sideways.

Color palettes, typography, button sizes, spacing—all of these choices affect users with low vision, motor impairments, or cognitive conditions. If you wait until development to flag issues like poor contrast or illegible fonts, you’ll either eat the cost of rework or risk pushing an inaccessible product live.

Instead, build in design checkpoints where agency accessibility solutions are part of the feedback loop. Help clients understand how design decisions translate to real-world usability. For example:

• A gorgeous but pale color scheme might look sleek on a high-end display, but disappear for users with low vision.
• Overly custom cursors or animations may cause issues for people with cognitive sensitivities or motion triggers.
• Fonts without clear letterforms can reduce readability for users with dyslexia or processing disorders.

You’re not just protecting the project from costly changes later—you’re showing the client that good design and accessible design aren’t mutually exclusive. They’re one and the same.

Simple framing tip: “When we design with more users in mind, we increase engagement and reduce support friction. It’s a win for everyone.”

Build Accessibility into Development (Not After)

By the time you hit development, things are moving fast—templates are being coded, features implemented, content loaded. This is where your accessibility groundwork either holds or starts to crack.

Make sure your dev team is on board with basic accessibility practices: semantic HTML, proper heading structure, image alt text, and keyboard-friendly components. These aren’t just nice to have—they’re baseline standards.

And keep your client in the loop, even if you’re not getting deep into technical details. It builds confidence to say:

“We’re coding with accessibility in mind—clean structure, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard navigation all included. If we run into any areas that need custom attention, we’ll flag them and talk through next steps.”

This is also a good time to set expectations around scope. Interactive elements, third-party plugins, or advanced UI components might require extra time to test or fix. It’s better to raise those flags now than scramble after launch.

And yes, it’s still a great place to talk about your agency accessibility solutions and how they support long-term site performance and compliance.

Post-Launch Is Just the Beginning

A successful launch doesn’t mean your work is done—and when it comes to accessibility, it often signals the start of new conversations.

This is when real users interact with the site. It’s also when clients might hear from a frustrated customer, an internal stakeholder with a disability, or worse—receive a demand letter related to ADA compliance.

If you’ve already laid the foundation, your client is more likely to come back to you, not panic-Google another vendor.

Stay proactive. Offer optional post-launch agency accessibility solutions like:

• Quarterly accessibility reviews
• Ongoing monitoring
• Manual and automated testing
• Remediation support and training for content editors

Even light support here builds long-term trust and positions your agency as a reliable, growth-minded partner.

Key message to share: “Accessibility isn’t a one-and-done task. As your site evolves, we’re here to make sure it continues to work for everyone.”

When Legal Risk Enters the Chat

Sometimes, accessibility becomes a priority only after a client gets a legal scare. It’s not ideal—but it’s increasingly common.

In the U.S., accessibility lawsuits have surged in recent years, many of them targeting small and mid-size businesses. And many of those cases are driven by law firms looking for fast settlements, not actual user advocacy.

If a client comes to you in a panic, your role is to stay calm and solutions-oriented. Let them know:

• You’ve handled situations like this before.
• You can help them assess the site’s current status with a thorough audit.
• You’ll work with them to document a remediation roadmap.
• You have trusted partners (or in-house experts) who can assist if the legal stakes escalate.

Your ability to guide them through this process—not with fear, but with structured, proven agency accessibility solutions—can turn a stressful moment into a stronger long-term relationship.

Helpful tone: “You’re not the first to face this, and you’re not on your own. Let’s take smart steps together.”

Make Agency Accessibility Solutions the Default

Ultimately, accessibility should be a standard part of how your agency delivers quality websites—not a surprise line item or reactive fix.

By talking about agency accessibility solutions early and revisiting them often, you’re helping clients:

• Avoid costly legal issues
• Reach broader audiences
• Improve overall usability and performance
• Build reputations as inclusive, thoughtful brands

You don’t have to be an accessibility expert on day one. But you do need to know when—and how—to start the conversation.

Because accessibility isn’t just good practice. It’s good business. And it shows that your agency isn’t just building websites—you’re building experiences that work for everyone.

Ready to Make Accessibility Part of Your Process?

At 216digital, we help agencies like yours turn accessibility into a strategic advantage. From audits to remediation, monitoring to team training, we offer flexible solutions that scale with your projects and support your client relationships.

Schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital, and let’s make every build a little more inclusive—together.