The Accessibility Advantage

Melih Oztalay Accessibility Is Smart Marketing

Hello again, I hope your week is getting off to a great start. I know mine is because I'm blessed to be speaking with Melih Oztalay owner of Smart Finds Marketing on the latest episode of my podcast The Accessibility Advantage. He shared some of his journey as a business owner and marketing expert. He talked about building accessibility into the user experience. He touched on his expectations for the impact of the EAA, European Accessibility Act, on future US adoption of accessibility best practices. He made a passionate case for word press as an accessible platform with tools to create accessible content and for which lots of developers are familiar with. We talked a little about compound accessibility and how business owners can be assured the tools they are using are helping them create user friendly content that is also accessible. He finished with some great advice to business owners about building and maintaining their websites. If you want to hire me to improve accessibility in your organization, or if you want to come on the show and share your accessibility experience; then Please complete this short form. Afterwards, you will receive a link to book a short chat with me. On With The Show Recommended Companies My hosting is provided by Blubrry. They provide free hosting for me and a few other hosts who have a disability. I book most of my guests through Podmatch where I am their advisor for accessibility. And I love Less Annoying CRM for their commitment to accessibility that has lead to a cRM that people actually want to use. About Melih Today, my work sits at the intersection of AI, SEO, conversion optimization, and accessibility. I help companies build marketing systems that are resilient, human-centered, and ready for how people—and machines—actually consume information. My focus isn’t chasing trends; it’s helping businesses adapt intelligently without losing sight of the people they serve. My path into marketing wasn’t linear—and that’s probably what shaped how I think about it today. I’ve been in business and marketing for nearly four decades. Over that time, I’ve seen multiple waves of “the next big thing” come and go: early web, search engines, social media, mobile, automation—and now AI. Each wave created opportunity, but also confusion, shortcuts, and a lot of broken systems. What stayed consistent was this: businesses that focused on clarity, structure, and people—not just tools—were the ones that lasted. Accessibility entered the picture for me not as a compliance checkbox, but as a practical business realization. I kept seeing websites that technically worked but failed real humans—people with vision challenges, cognitive overload, motor limitations, or simply different ways of processing information. When we fixed those issues, something interesting happened: Conversion improved, engagement improved, SEO improved. The business performed better. That’s when it clicked that accessibility isn’t a niche concern—it’s foundational. It’s about designing digital experiences that work for more people, more consistently. In short, accessibility is in every business owner's best interest. Connect With Melih Website: https://smartfindsmarketing.com Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/smartfinds-marketing Facebook: www.facebook.com/smartfinds Instagram: www.instagram.com/SmartFindsmarketing Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/smartfinds Youtube: www.youtube.com/@MelihOztalay Sharing Is Caring When I bring someone on my podcast, it is because I want to help them share their knowledge and experience with more people. But, I can't do that without your help. As they say it doesn't matter how compelling the content is if no one ever hears it. So, I'm hoping you will share this post or the links in it with your friends, family members, and online communities. Besides sharing the link Me or Melih would really love a thoughtful comment. And as a host it really makes my day when someone takes the time to rate and review the show. I want to thank you for taking the time to watch or listen. I know you have lots of demands on your time. And you have precious few spare moments to spend. I really appreciate your spending them on me and my show. Hope you will join me again next time. Until then please take care out there, Maxwell

Sarah Johnson Speaks About How Content First Design And Accessibility Go Hand In Hand

Hello again, I hope your week has been going well. Today, I'm writing to share the latest interview from my podcast The Accessibility Advantage. This time I am blessed to speak with Sarah Johnson Founder and director of Content First Design. We had a great conversation about how accessibility and great user experience come together in content first design. She spoke of how her first exposure to the idea of content first design while trying to design an engaging interactive course on marketing. She spoke about the importance of strong consistent structure for both accessibility and good content design. She spoke to the importance of user research in content design, and confirmed my understanding that we can influence SEO, search engine optimization, and AIO, Artificial Intelligencenteligence optimization, through accessible content. She shared the methods that have helped her collect truly complete user information for past clients to show the importance of trust, clear instructions, listening to user concerns, using consistent language, and confirming their success. Then she did a unique beautiful thing. She asked me about some of my accessibility issues. And I was surprised to find I could teach her a couple things she didn't know about the challenges of screen reader users. She finished by talking about how good content is engaging content that over time can help convert attention into interest and then into income. On With The Show About Sarah About Sarah Sarah is a content design leader and teacher with over 20 years of experience, Sarah isn’t just a content designer—she’s one of the original architects of content-first thinking. Sarah transforms how teams think about content. Not as filler, but as infrastructure. She’s the author of Content-First Design, the playbook behind her approach to content-first design. Her forthcoming book, Meaning at Scale, will release later in 2026. She is the founder and director of Content First Design which offers content services built on actionable, data-driven insights. Her company presents workshops designed to enhance practical skills in areas such as content design, AI integration, and more. Connect With Sarah Website: www.contentfirstdesign.com Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/sajwriter Instagram: www.instagram.com/contentfirstdesign Youtube: www.youtube.com/@Content-firstDesign Recommended Companies My hosting is provided by Blubrry. They provide free hosting for me and a few other hosts who have a disability. I book most of my guests through Podmatch where I am their advisor for accessibility. And I love Less Annoying CRM for their commitment to accessibility that has lead to a cRM that people actually want to use. Sharing Is Caring I hope you will help me show my appreciation for Sarah by sharing this post and encouraging your friends, family members, and community to watch or listen to the episode. Please consider sharing the direct links to the podcast, her website, and her social media accounts. And we would both love it if you shared your opinions in the form of a blog comment or a rating & review on your favorite podcast player. If you want to work with me, or if you want to be a guest on the show; then please complete this short form. Thanks for joining us. I hope you will be with me again next time. Until then, take care out there, Maxwell

Interflo Founder Michael Leung Shares About His ground-Breaking Hearing Devices

Hello again, I hope you and the people you care about are doing well. This time on The Accessibility Advantage I'm bringing you a conversation with Michael Leung who is the founder of Inner Flo He shared about having a detached retina early in life and almost losing vision on one side. He talked about how his rehab exposed him to many older people which started him thinking about the challenges they live with. He recently found out that his vision has decreased and how working on this project is part of his long-term plan. He mentioned how a business background and having family members in the manufacturing arena helped him get started once his brain storming resulted in his first product. He discussed the benefits of his product which include low entry price, ease of use, lack of need for replacement batteries, and the fact that they are bone conduction. This means they go outside the ear instead of inside. It also means people don’t have the same problems with hygiene or adjusting them to fit their individual ear structure. We also talked about how the bone conduction design could help the visually impaired improve the auditory cues in their environment. Which could mae them safer when traveling. I was happy to hear him say that these headphones are not going to help everyone. He shared that there are probably about 15 percent of people who try them who will not be helped by them. He spent the rest of our time talking about the differences between the two models. And we finished by agreeing that his device is not a toy or a medical grade device. And it won’t help people who are deaf or have a true hearing disability. Due to legal concerns, I am not personally endorsing or recommending this product. Simply sharing it with you as a potential alternative. If you or a family member is in need of help with hearing loss, then I advise you to do your research and make the best decision that fits your hearing condition. On With The Show Support My Supporters The fine folks at Blubbry have been a long-time supporter of me and both my podcasts. They also do what they can to encourage and support others who have a disability or whose shows work to improve the lives of the differently abled. If you are considering starting a podcast, or you are wanting to switch hosting providers; then you should definitely give them a look. About Michael Michael Leung, founder of The Flo Group in Calgary is transforming the hearing experience with a revolutionary, affordable alternative to traditional hearing aids. He explains our open-ear bone conduction technology, paired with a built-in amplifier, helps people hear clearly—without the stigma or high cost. It also benefits the blind community by improving spatial awareness and safety. My journey here wasn’t easy. I lost my mother to cancer at 12, and her death shattered my world. She was my best friend, and her passing left a deep void. Without her, I struggled—falling in with the wrong crowd, battling anger, addiction, and depression through my 20s and 30s. Despite the setbacks, I pushed forward—working in hospitality, launching an investment firm, and eventually rebuilding after losing nearly everything. My turning point came when someone I loved reminded me that success is about purpose, not profit. That led to the birth of The Flo Group. Now, I’m focused on helping people—especially seniors, those with disabilities, and low-income families—access hearing solutions that truly improve quality of life. We’re breaking barriers, offering choice, and giving hope to underserved communities. This is only the beginning—but it’s the path I was always meant to take. Connect With Michael Website: www.theinnerflo.com Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-leung-462547298 Instagram: www.instagram.com/theflogroup TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@theflogroup Youtube: www.youtube.com/@theflogroup I appreciate your taking the time to watch or listen to my conversations. If you have learned something from them, or if you have simply been entertained; then please share them with your friends, family members, and online communities. If you feel moved to leave a comment, rating, or review; that would be even better. As most of us hosts don't hear from our audiences often enough. I look forward to you joining me next time. Until then take care out there, max

Disability A Market Too Big To Ignore

Hello again, I hope you have had a good week so far. I'm writing to share the latest episode of The Accessibility Advantage. In this episode I discuss the issue of just how powerful the disability community may be as a market for the sale of goods and services. I share many of the same thoughts that I share whenever I give talks on the subject of improving accessibility. First, I talk about just how large the community may be. Including people who don't currently identify as having a disability. Then, I address the value of our loyalty as consuemrs of products, services, and content. Third, I explain how vocal we can be in advocating for brands willing to make the effort to become more inclusive. I feel that showing people why they should care about accessibility in a way that goes beyond compliance is a first step. I didn't speak to search engine benefits or reaching the AI bots through accessibility this time. And I didn't cover the many ways improving accessibility will lead to improved user experiences for everyone including those who don't have a disability. On With The Show I' hope that as you learn just how much your business can benefit from improving accessibility that you will want to hire me to help you become more inclusive. Part of working with me can include content creation about your investment such as a future appearance on my podcast to talk about your business. Please send me an email, or book a short chat if you are interested. Thanks for your time. I hope you will join me on the next episode. Take care out there, Max

Overlays vs Automation: What’s the Difference, featuring Mike Paciello

Hello again! I hope you've all had a great week. I recently had a conversation that I think is going to improve the discussion we have around digital accessibility. This episode is sponsored by AudioEye and I'm so excited to have had the chance to speak with Mike Paciello, AudioEye's Chief Accessibility Officer. First, we covered a small part of Mike's more than 40 year career in the field of accessibility. I think we could have filled an hour with experiences from the multiple companies he's worked with and the initiatives he has been a part of. Next, we got into one of the most important issues: overlays vs. automation. Mike did a great job of explaining the differences between the two and clearly explained how overlays interfere with existing users' adaptive technology. Then we talked about AudioEye — how the platform is vastly different from an overlay. He explained AudioEye's three-pronged approach to accessibility. He first explained how AudioEye's automation catches 32 WCAG violations, which can automatically be fixed by the platform. He then explained that AudioEye offers Expert Audits where experts and individuals with disabilities dive deeper into content to find and fix accessibility issues. I'm familiar with these Expert Audits as I have participated in a few of them myself. I shared some of that experience during our conversation. Around the 16-minute Mark, Mike said something I loved about the relationship between accessibility and usability and vice versa. I'm a big believer in emphasizing how improving accessibility leads to improved user experiences. Mike discussed how through continued automation, education, and collaboration that we will get to a point where accessibility is treated just like any other aspect of localization. I was so impressed with this ready answer. I look forward to hearing what you learn from our conversation! Show Notes While this episode was not recorded live, it has not been edited. Just like episodes from the golden age of Tv it has several hiccups in it. Streamyard still doesn't offer an easy way to know when I am live, so you can hear Mike telling me we are recording. Sadly, I was so nervous about speaking with Mike that I forgot to sing my intro. And I never did get back to doing our audio descriptions. On With The Show On Youtube: