It's easier than you think to make accessible digital content

If you're interested in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEI&A) and you want to make sure your digital content is accessible to screen reader users, screen magnifier users and anyone else with vision impairment or neurodiversity, we can help!

Here's a handy checklist you can use to tick off the accessibility considerations you should make when you release new digital content.  Remember that it's likely that many of your customers, potential customers or colleagues have a visual impairment. Good accessibility practices are easy to learn and do consistently.

Accessibility benefits everyone - including your business. Removing barriers means anyone who wants to can read and interact with your website, use your services, or buy your products can do so!

You might be doing some of these things anyway, without knowing they also help with accessibility. We recommend you refer to this checklist when you create or update:

• your website
• landing pages
• emails
• social posts
• documents

So get into great habits, share with your team and always use the checklist to ensure you cover the key areas that make your digital content accessible.

Your Digital Accessibility Checklist

Image Check

• Do all your images have Alt Text? Is it a clear and concise description? 
• Are your images free from text?
• If images must have text (graphs, infographics etc), is this text transcribed or described in the Alt Text or in an image description below the image?
• Are your graphics in accessible colours?
• Have you checked your colour contrasts are accessible?
• Make sure you haven't used images as links.
  
  

Copy Check

• Are all your titles Header Tagged?
• Have you checked your copy is at a readability Grade 9 or below? 
• Is it concise, have you used shorter sentences and bullet point lists to aid readability?
• Are your buttons a consistent shape, size and colour?
• Are your buttons and other CTAs clearly labelled?
• Are your fonts readable, in a sans serif fonts?
• Does your copy have a good amount of space between each line?
• Is your copy in accessible colours, and readable against their background colour?
  Have you used a colour contrast checker for this? 
  
  

Navigation

• Are your menus and navigation places such as icons and logos appropriately labelled?
• Do your buttons and links make sense when read out of context?
• Do your buttons go where you'd expect when you click?
• Are your links specific? Have you avoided links that say 'click here' 'view' or 'try this'.
• Do your links go to the right places?

Testing

• Check that all the interactive elements of your web page can be navigated by keyboard alone.
• Have you tested your page or email with a screen reader and screen magnifier?
  This will help you experience the page as a blind or partially sighted user might. It can also help you find any errors, spell check links etc. 
• Test all interactive elements - buttons, links, forms etc are accessible and navigable.
• You are welcome to try SuperNova Screen Magnifier and Screen Reader free for 30 days.
  
  

Tips for Social Posts 

• Hashtags: Use camelCase or PascalCase to capitalise each word. Screen readers will then read them as individual words rather than a jumble.
• Emojis: Avoid where possible. If used, don't repeat them, and ensure they're at the end of the sentence. Never use emoji's as bullet points!
• Videos: Ensure you have captions switched on and they're white on black. If it's a longer video, provide transcripts where possible.
• Alt Text: It's important to describe your image well. Don't hide anything in the Alt text and don't use it for memes or jokes.
• Gifs: Provide an image description for your gif as well, then everyone can be in on the joke!

Testing and Accessibility Tools

• You are welcome to a 30 day free trial of SuperNova Magnifier and Screen Reader to help with your accessibility testing.
• Use content checkers, website accessibility tools, testers and proof-readers where possible.  Download the Dolphin Website Accessibility Guide for details of the accessibility checkers and tools we recommend.

Free Webinar: How to make your digital content accessible

Watch a recording of this webinar from Dolphin and our special guest speakers - Aj Ahmed, Holly Tuke and Stacy Scott.

It's an informative and practical webinar where you'll find out more about the ways you can make your website, social posts and documents accessible.

Download the free Website Accessibility Guide

To find out more about why digital accessibility is so important to people with visual impairments, and for practical advice on the ways to make your website and other digital content accessible, download the Dolphin Website Accessibility Guide.

You'll learn how blind and partially sighted people may view and navigate your content, and more ways to make your content accessible.

The Website Accessibility Guide also provides further information on accessibility, assistive technology and DEI considerations.  Plus it contains details of the accessibility tools we use and recommend.