US City Websites Need Improvements To Meet Resident Needs & Expectations

SAN DIEGO, KANSAS CITY, Mo. and ARLINGTON, Va., April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Monsido, a leading web governance provider, and OpenCities, a leading website and form builder, in collaboration with CommonLook, a leading provider of software for document accessibility, have released a report that looked at the websites of more than 700 cities across the US.

The report "Better Websites. For All." is a national benchmark that analyzes city websites based on their quality, performance and experience in meeting the needs of residents.

"City websites have long been a vital asset for residents, but the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent restrictions have underscored the need for an equitable and accessible alternative to in-person services. Yet consistently delivering a great website experience is far from the reality of most US cities. We hope this report shines a light on the work that needs to be done and provides a helpful framework for building success going forward," said Jillian Als, Marketing Director at Monsido.

The websites were analyzed for a variety of key performance indicators, including the presence of top tasks and mobile experience, website and document accessibility, and quality assurance issues, like broken links.

"Delivering an equitable website experience requires the right people, process and technology. This benchmark takes a holistic approach to understanding what elements are working, and what areas need improvement," says Josh Ditthardt, Director of Sales at OpenCities.

Key findings indicate that city websites are successful with mobile-readiness, navigation, and quality assurance. However, they fall short of the industry averages for website performance and readability. Accessibility also continues to be a challenge.

"Documents, especially PDFs on websites are often overlooked when it comes to digital accessibility. This limits the inclusivity of US City websites and can create a barrier for many residents, such as disabled or elderly individuals, to engage with the local city government. Documents need to be as accessible as website content," says Monir ElRayes, President & CEO at CommonLook.

View the full report here: https://monsi.do/3n40DJd 

About The Publishers

This report was published by Monsido and OpenCities, in partnership with CommonLook. Monsido, OpenCities and CommonLook are leading providers of digital solutions and technology for modern governments. Monsido is a fast-growing SaaS company that provides a one-stop Web Governance solution designed to give website visitors a superior browsing experience. OpenCities, a GovTech 100 company, provides the website, portal and form functionality modern governments need to digitize each step of their customer journey. CommonLook® has been a world-leading provider of software products and professional services enabling government agencies and corporations to meet their obligations for electronic document accessibility to achieve compliance with accessibility standards. For more information, visit our respective websites: www.monsido.com, www.opencities.com and www.commonlook.com.

SOURCE Monsido

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