Here are some easy-to-implement digital accessibility tips for digital content.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but a good starting point to reach a wider audience and ensure everyone can engage with your content:
Image and visuals:
- Alt text: always include alt text for your images. This is a brief description of the image that gets read aloud by screen readers used by people who are blind or have a visual impairment
- Colour contrast between text and background colours. Tools can help you check the contrast ratio.
- Image description (optional): While alt text is essential, you can also consider adding more detailed descriptions of the image in the caption.
Text and writing:
- Plain language: avoid complex jargon and use clear, concise language.
- Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags strategically. Make sure they are relevant and don’t include too many.
- Capitalisation: Use proper capitalisation but avoid using all caps for entire sentences, as it can be seen as shouting and difficult to read.
Videos:
- Captions: Add captions or subtitles to your videos. This is essential for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also useful for anyone watching the video in a noisy environment.
- Audio descriptions: Consider adding audio descriptions for complex videos, which provide a narrated description of the key elements
General Tips:
- Test your content and platforms with assistive tools to identify and fix any potential issues.
- Link Descriptions: when sharing links, include a brief description of what the link leads to. This provides context and information for the user on where they are being directed to
- Keyboard navigation: Ensure your content can be easily navigated using just a keyboard
Visit W3C’s website for more information on the Web Contents Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the criteria to make your digital platforms and content more accessible for people with disability