Episode Summary
In this episode of Content Logistics, host Baylee Gunnell sits down with Mike Barton, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Content Marketing at AudioEye. Together, they explore what digital accessibility means for B2B marketers and why it matters far beyond compliance. Mike explains that making websites and digital experiences accessible isn’t just about following the rules—it’s about making content usable for everyone, which improves the experience for every visitor.
Mike shares how simple changes, like using plain language and clear navigation, benefit all users and can even become a competitive advantage. He discusses how accessible sites drive better SEO, help close enterprise deals, and build loyalty among customers who value an easy, frictionless experience. Mike also points out that the business case for accessibility is strong, especially as more organizations include accessibility in their buying criteria.
The conversation ends with practical steps for getting started, from scanning your site for accessibility issues to including people with disabilities in user testing. Mike reminds listeners that accessibility is a journey, not a checkbox. By taking small steps and building best practices into your process, you open your digital doors to more people and set your brand apart.
Guest Profile
Mike Barton
Key Insights
Accessibility Boosts Usability for Everyone
Designing digital experiences with accessibility in mind makes websites easier to use for all visitors, not just people with disabilities. Clear navigation, simple language, and straightforward forms remove barriers and reduce friction across the board. When you cut jargon and focus on clarity, everyone benefits—busy professionals, non-native speakers, and users on the go. These improvements often lead to higher engagement and longer visits because users can quickly find what they need. Accessibility also creates a more welcoming environment, which helps brands stand out in a crowded market. By making small, practical changes, marketing teams can create content that serves a wider audience and sets the stage for long-term loyalty.
Accessible Content Drives Business Results
Accessibility is more than a compliance checkbox—it’s a business opportunity. Making your website usable for everyone opens doors to new customers and can be a deciding factor in competitive deals, especially with large enterprises and government contracts. Accessible sites often see better search engine optimization (SEO) because they use clear structure and descriptive text, helping crawlers and artificial intelligence tools understand content. Loyal customers are another benefit: people who find it easy to use your site are more likely to return and refer others. When you prioritize accessibility, you support business growth, reduce legal risk, and gain an edge in the market.
Start Small: Simple Steps Create Lasting Change
Improving accessibility doesn’t require a complete overhaul. The best way to start is by scanning your website and identifying common issues—missing alt text, unclear link descriptions, and forms that don’t work with a keyboard. Fixing these basics can have an outsized effect, reducing barriers for a large segment of users. Training your team to build with accessibility in mind and inviting users with disabilities to test your site will help you spot gaps and make smarter updates. Think of accessibility as a journey—one that grows with your business. Small, consistent improvements build stronger habits, make your content more inclusive, and help you reach more people over time.
Episode Highlights
Accessibility Starts with Recognizing All Users
00:02:00
Accessibility means more than just compliance—it’s about making sure every digital experience works for everyone, including people with disabilities. Many teams don’t realize how often their own content and sites unintentionally exclude users who access the web in different ways. Recognizing this gap is the first step to building more inclusive digital products. When you expand your mindset and consider all segments of your audience, you create content that serves real needs and opens your business to a wider market.
“Part of that discussion should and needs to be people with disabilities who are accessing the internet with different tools and in different ways, but who are still accessing the internet and are still trying to do all the same things that we do on a daily basis.”
Accessibility Can Be a Deal Breaker in B2B
00:10:57
For B2B companies, accessibility is now a key requirement in many enterprise and government contracts. It’s no longer an afterthought or a box to check at the end of a project. Buyers want to know if your digital product works for everyone—and if it doesn’t, you may lose out to a competitor who made accessibility a priority. With growing regulations and buyer expectations, accessible design is now a factor that can win or lose you important deals.
“We’re seeing more and more that part of that process and part of the RFP is, is your digital experience, is your digital product accessible? Can all people use it? And when it comes down to two or three potential customers or prospects, a company is gonna go with the one that’s accessible, even if it often doesn’t have the same qualities and capabilities as another provider, but because it’s accessible, that can often be a deal breaker.”
Loyalty and Word-of-Mouth Grow with Accessible Sites
00:12:19
Accessible sites don’t just serve more users—they inspire loyalty and spark word-of-mouth referrals. For people with disabilities, finding a site that’s easy to use is rare, so they return, become advocates, and encourage others to do the same. This effect reaches beyond direct users, influencing friends, family, and wider networks. Companies that invest in accessibility tap into a large pool of loyal customers and potential revenue, giving them a lasting edge.
“When they find those sites, they’re much more loyal. Not only are they loyal customers, but they tell their other friends who might have disabilities, they tell their family, and the friends and family of those people with disabilities want to also support the companies that make it easy for their loved ones and their friends.”
Real Accessibility Progress Starts with Simple Checks
00:14:43
You don’t need to overhaul your entire website to make progress on accessibility. Start by running a free accessibility scan to see where you stand. Most issues come from missing image descriptions, unclear links, and forms that are hard to use without a mouse. Fixing these recurring problems benefits many users and is often easier than expected. This first step gives teams a clear starting point and helps build momentum for ongoing improvements.
“Find a free accessibility scanner… It’s very easy to use. You just put in your URL, it’ll scan your site and come back and tell you, here’s how many issues we found, here’s the types of issues that we found that were most common, and here’s how they would impact a person with a disability.”
