Content accessibility: What is it, and why is it important?
The internet provides us unlimited information right at our fingertips, but accessing this wealth of knowledge can be challenging for people with disabilities. Whether you're a content developer or content marketing manager, you can play a critical role in making sure content on the web is more accessible and does not leave people behind.
According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the world’s population is estimated to be disabled to one extent or another. Making content accessible is about reducing fundamental barriers to comprehension so everyone can interact with the content, including people with disabilities - auditory, cognitive, neurological, speech, and visual.
Marketing expert Neil Patel explains that Google awards better rankings to more accessible web pages, which means accessible content has a greater chance of reaching your target audience. And as you may know, the more users see your content, the more conversions you're likely to get. In the U.S alone, brands could miss out on over $130 billion by producing inaccessible content, according to a 2018 American Institutes for Research report. Accessible content also improves your website's overall user experience because it's clearer, easier to understand, and better organized.
So how can you create accessible content and optimize your existing content for accessibility?
Written Content
If your written content has been optimized for search engines, it's likely to be pretty accessible already. However, it's worth taking an extra look at these areas before publishing.
Titles and subheads
Clear, concise headings make it easier for users to process your articles—and they're even more critical for people accessing from screen readers. Those with visual impairments aren't able to visually scan your pages, but they can access a list of headings and subheadings using a screen reader. However, they see these out of context, so your headings must represent the article sections they belong to accurately.
Short sentences and paragraphs
Not only is this one of the fundamentals of writing, but it also makes your content accessible on many levels. Writing sentences and paragraphs in short form focuses on making sure your content is understandable.
Your content should have a logical flow, each paragraph having a single main point. Users listening to your content through a screen reader will find it easier to understand
Short paragraphs give users more control when customizing their view (e.g., when using a screen magnifier)
Shorter sentences also help people with cognitive difficulties focus on reading your content
Numbered lists
It is recommended to create lists using HTML tags to enable assistive technologies identify them. Writing accessible code can also help you land in Google's answer box, increasing your brand's discoverability.
Anchor text
Make sure to use anchor text that's accessible. Avoid using options like "Read more" or "Click here." Instead, say something like, "Learn more with this resource on product marketing," placing your link on the phrase "resource on product marketing."
Additionally, refrain from identifying content based on its page position. Phrases such as "as stated above" or "as seen below" can alienate users with vision impairments.
Images and Infographics
Your approach to photos and infographics can also affect your content's accessibility. Let's dive into some of the things you can do to enhance the accessibility of your visual content.
Images
Adding alt text descriptions to your images will make it more accessible to users engaging with your content through a screen reader. If you don't provide any alt text for your photos, a screen reader would only be able to say "image" or a file name. You can use keywords in the alt text, but only if they make sense organically.
If you're not sure where or how to start, see this example:
Bad alt text: "Best product marketing class." Why? It doesn't describe the image and is keyword stuffing.
Good alt text: "Students on a zoom call during a product marketing class." Why? It describes the image so that people who can't see it can still understand it.
Additionally, avoid using the phrases "image of" or "picture of" in the alt text. Don't describe colors or patterns, as these adjectives can alienate users with visual impairments. Screen readers also cut off alt text after 125 characters, so be sure to keep your copy concise and intentional.
Infographics
Using text within the image isn't enough to make your infographics accessible to all users. You need to have a transcript that can either be hidden behind the infographic, displayed below it, or provided through a link.
It is also recommended to use larger-sized fonts in your infographics, such as 14 points or greater, and avoid relying on colors to convey meaning—however, people who are colorblind benefit from images that use significant color contrast ratios.
Avoid exporting your infographics as images, as assistant devices or Google cannot crawl the photos' content. Alternatively, use HTML and CSS or PDF infographics.
Videos and Podcasts
You should always add transcripts to your videos and podcasts. This way, they're more accessible to people with hearing impairments, reading disabilities, and those whose native language is different than the language used in the piece of content. Transcripts provide a more enjoyable user experience as they allow users to interact with content via the method they prefer: reading or listening to it.
This article by Designrr mentions that your transcript should include both actual speech and nonverbal sounds, such as music, laughter, and sound effects. However, they recommend removing coughs and stutters—basically anything that isn't essential to the story. It's best to keep the formatting, styling, and editing consistent across all your transcripts. Whether they're being displayed on your website or shared on social media, your videos and podcasts should always have a transcript accompanying them. It helps to hand your transcript to someone who hasn't seen the video and ask them what they understand and what needs clarification.
For subtitles, it is essential to create custom captions as automated captions can be unreliable. This can also help you retain the attention of users scrolling their social feeds without headphones.
Social Media Content
Prioritizing accessibility on your website is not enough, you should do the same for social content. Here are a few things to pay attention to.
Copy
You have a brief moment to capture the user's attention, so keep your copy concise without compromising your message.
When using hashtags, write them in camel case: #ForExample. This formatting allows users to read and understand the hashtag easily; it also makes it easier for screen readers to pronounce each word separately.
Use emojis moderately, and add spaces between each emoji when using them in a sequence. Also, avoid creating emoticons with punctuations, such as ":')." These aren't read as emojis.
Visuals
You should use image descriptions in your social media posts—Facebook and Instagram provide automated image descriptions, but it's recommended to write yours for each image. Use the same best practices as you would when creating captions for photos that accompany your written content, keeping the information focused on what's happening in the image.
When you use animated GIFs in your posts or content, make sure to accompany them with text.
What’s next?
After taking these steps to improve your content's accessibility, the next move should be to look out for bugs and quality control issues. Just as mobile devices and computers are evolving, screen readers and other assistive technologies are changing too, leaving room for minor fixes and upgrades in your content. One of the best ways to ensure that your content stays accessible is to allow users to share problems. You can collect feedback using a form on your website or social media.
An accessible web can help users with disabilities engage more actively, offering a more satisfying user experience for every member of your audience.
