Yelp is rolling out updates to its app, including adding an accessibility identifier for businesses, improving the screen reader experience, and adding AI-powered alt text for images.
The company says searches for “wheelchair accessible” locations are growing by an average of 40% between 2020 and 2023. In a new update, the company is adding eight additional attributes across mobility, hearing and vision to show how accessible a business is.
Yelp partnered with Disability:IN, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Open to All and The Arc to define these attributes.
Mobility
The company defines handicapped parking near entrances according to the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Yelp also adds an ADA-compliant main entrance attribute, which has a ramp or elevator at the entrance and no stairs or steps. Additionally, doors must have a clear opening width of at least 32 inches when opened to 90 degrees.
ADA-compliant restrooms must have accessible aisles, grab bars, and turning space of at least 60 inches in diameter. Businesses can also demonstrate that there are no stairs at their entrances or on their premises.
Image credit: Yelp
Hearing
If you have at least one staff member fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) during business hours, you can add an “ASL Proficient” badge, and restaurants and nightlife venues can also indicate whether one of their televisions has subtitles for on-screen content.
vision
Restaurants and nightlife businesses can indicate if they have Braille menus upon request, and can also indicate if they have digital menus through QR codes, allowing users to easily access the menus on devices with tools such as screen readers.
Users can easily search locations for terms like “Braille menu” or “ASL fluent” to find establishments that meet those criteria.
Image credit: Yelp
Additionally, the company is also adding an accessibility resource hub to help businesses become more inclusive.
Yelp is also using large language models (LLMs) to generate alt text for on-screen images, rolling out first on desktop with cross-platform availability in a future release. The company is making its sites and apps screen reader friendly, enhancing navigation and improving contrast.