Have you recently been told that you will be a content contributor for your company’s website? Are you wondering what all this new job duty entails? This article will provide you with some insight on what to expect, as well as tips on keeping that content accessible for all of your website’s users.

As a content contributor, you will be responsible for creating effective, usable content for your company’s site, usually on a regular basis. Under normal circumstances, you will not be responsible for developing templates or applications.

Typical content editor job titles include:

• Editors
• Writers
• Instructional Designers
• Content Managers
• Producers

The types of tasks you will be responsible for include:

• Providing captions and transcripts for videos
• Creating links to related content
• Adding supporting images, photos, and graphs (including appropriate alternate text)
• Creating audio and video files to make the end-user experience engaging
• Assigning headings to organize the content

The types of tasks that should be handled by developers (and not you) include:

• Establishing branding standards for images and colors
• Creating designs for different device sizes
• Validating HTML and CSS code
• Utilizing proper HTML tags, labels, and attributes

So what exactly on the company website might you be in charge of editing?

• Writing and formatting web page content (should be a given by now)
• Assigning headings to organize content (we all love organization, right?)
• Creating links to related content (the longer a person stays on your site, the better, right?)
• Adding supporting alternative (alt) text for images, photos, and graphs
• Providing instructions, scripts, and audio descriptions for audio and video
• Supplying captions, transcripts, and alt text to supplement multimedia content.

So how do you make sure the content you are providing is accessible?

• Written Content – should be clear, concise, organized, and well-formatted.
• Images – should include descriptive alt text for assistive technology users.
• Tables – should be simple and clearly labeled.
• Multimedia – audio and video files should be supported with captions and transcripts in an accessible media player.

Why should you worry about making your content accessible to the end-users? Well, it just so happens that there are more than a billion people in the world with disabilities – in the U.S. alone that is approximately 1 in every 4 people! And guess what, the word “disability” in this sense does not just mean a health condition – it actually is referring to a disconnect between a person’s abilities and their environment.

Still not convinced?

Then keep in mind that the combined disposable income of this population is equal to $1.2 trillion in buying power.

Now that I have your attention, what types of disabilities do you need to be aware of when developing your content?

Visual – includes far-sightedness, blindness, color blindness, and low vision.In a study that was published by the Journal of Usability Studies, they found that only 28% of blind users could successfully complete online job applications due to the process typically not being designed with accessibility in mind.

Just think … how many potentially awesome people are not at your company because of this issue?

Motor/Mobility – covers muscular and skeletal issues, more than just hands and arms.In these cases, people may not use a mouse at all to navigate your website. Instead, they may use a keyboard, joystick, or even voice recognition.

So a well-organized site that uses headings properly will be a lot easier for them to navigate – not to mention, will look a LOT nicer!​

Auditory – like the visual issues, hearing-related disabilities exist on a spectrum, which includes total deafness.Does your site include a lot of audio? Without an alternative way of interacting with that material (e.g., audio transcript), they will miss out on a huge part of your brand experience.

​Learning – a non-physical disability – learning and cognitive issues also have accessibility requirements.Adjustments for these issues can include additional time for reviewing content, providing content in multiple formats, and operating with speech-to-text input.

​Seizures – light, motion, and flickering screens can affect some of your users by triggering seizures – the most common of which is photosensitive epilepsy. How do you address this issue so that your company doesn’t get a lawsuit? Be mindful of any moving content you provide on your site. Does it flash quickly? Could it be a trigger? Does the end-user have a way to stop the movement? Putting control into their hands can be one way to mitigate the situation.​

​Situational – an end-user may be limited by their current situation, such as the device, connection speed, or environment.Mobile users or users on dial-up (yes, there are still dial-up users) may use alt text for images instead of eating up their bandwidth by processing images.

Someone in a noisy environment or in a library where silence is preferred may read captions or transcripts instead of listing to the audio on your site.

Another person may be limited to operating devices with just one hand, such as when holding a child, and may opt to use speech-to-text instead.

​Temporary – many of us have or will experience temporary situations that affect our ability to use technology.Examples include issues like a broken arm, pain flareups from conditions like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or carpal tunnel syndrome. Other issues may be sensory related, such as sensory overload for someone with autism.

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Photo by Simon Abrams on Unsplash​

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Now that you have an idea of issues that need to be kept in mind, here are some benefits of accessible content:

• Reaching more users and gaining a competitive edge (your boss will like this)
• Improved understanding with clear and simple language for non-native speakers
• Accommodating a broader audience by providing content with a low readability score that is easier to understand for all users
• Providing accessibility improvements that benefit all users
• Increasing user retention and reduce eye fatigue with content that is succinct and easier to read online.

Writing for the Web

​Did you know that for most people, reading off of a screen is tiring for the eyes? In fact, people typically read 25% slower online versus reading from a piece of paper.

What can you do to alleviate this issue?

• Include only one idea per paragraph (check with an English teacher if you don’t believe me)
• Use the inverted pyramid style - i.e., started with the conclusion or main point of your article
• Break content into bulleted lists when possible (for example ... this article!)
• Write with short paragraphs, short sentences, and short words ... leave those big words for your dissertation!

So how do you improve the readability of your content?​

• Be Concise - too many sentences and your main points get buried.
• Be Concise - too many words and your main points get buried.
• Don’t bury your point - put the most important info at the beginning!
• Use the KISS principle - content should be easy to read - use a readability scale to measure the complexity of your text.
• Reading Grade Level - i.e., the level of education required to read your content. In the U.S., it is recommended to aim for a 7th or 8th grade level.
• Don’t use complex terms - avoid jargon and long or uncommon words. Just because your company knows the jargon, doesn’t mean everyone does. If you must use it, be sure to provide definitions or clarifications for these words and phrases.
• If you have to include a word that is difficult to pronounce, consider including a pronunciation key.

Social Media Accessibility Basics

Social media is a booming area of the internet. According to Statista, social media has now reached 49% of the world’s population.​

That’s a lot of people! And a lot of those people use social media to research and find products they want to buy. So obviously, if you are trying to sell your product, you want to leverage the social media platforms. However, you need to make sure you aren’t missing a large portion of the world’s population who can’t access your posts because they are inaccessible.

The first step – don’t assume that the social platforms you are using are up to date with the accessibility standards (i.e., WCAG 2.1).

Photo by Ansgar Scheffold on Unsplash​​​​​

Being aware that this may be the case, means you can take steps to make your content accessible to the widest audience possible.

If you are going to use an infographic on your social media, keep in mind that text on images is inaccessible to screen readers. This means persons who have vision issues will miss out on the content you are providing.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t use infographics. What it does mean is that you need to take the time to provide alternative ways to convey the information. That may include an alt text on the image or incorporating the information from the graphic into the surrounding text. Your alt text should be descriptive, informative, and concise.

Users of your social media should have more than one way to obtain the information you are providing in your infographics. Also, as a rule, every image in your social posts should have alt text.

What should you keep in mind when developing alt text for your social post images?

• Reflect on the purpose of the image – it should be to enrich the story, nudge a behavior, or to convey information. Decorative images should not be used in social posts.
• Describe who, where, and what – Don’t write “image of” or “picture of” – this will be redundant as the screen readers already announce this information to the user. Instead, answer the question of who is doing what and where? If something is relevant in the image, say so. But remember to keep your words sharp, concise, and informative.

If you are developing an infographic for your social media, here are some issues to avoid:

• Complex layout and flow – make your infographic easy for readers – including those with cognitive disabilities – to interpret what you are trying to convey. Too many lines or arrows connecting content may confuse the reader.
• Excessive images and text – many social platforms have alt text character limits – and you will need to describe everything you add!
• Wide variation and insufficient contrast in the color scheme (at least 4.5:1).

What about humor in the graphics?

A 2019 Carnegie Mellon University study resulted in researchers identifying five guidelines people should keep in mind when writing alt text in order to best translate an image’s humor:

• Explain the character’s actions
• Explain emotions
• Explain facial expressions
• Tell the source (such as TV or film)
• Describe anything distinct about the background.

Ableist Language

We certainly don’t want to use language on a social media post that might drive away potential clients. And while it might take a bit more effort, it is a good idea to review and edit your content to remove the ableist language. The following are some examples of the types of words to use instead.​​
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​Contact Information

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​All of your company’s social media accounts should provide people a way to contact you. This will allow them to reach out to you easily if they come across inaccessible content – enabling you to fix the issue. It will also enable them to send you kudos if they want.

What type of contact information should be made available? You should list a primary phone number and/or email address.

I personally recommend that if you list a phone number, make it a business number that has a voice mail that is properly set up and frequently checked (and emptied). You don’t want people trying to reach out to you only to hit a “voicemail is full” message … or worse “user has not set up a voice mail” … leaving the user unable to leave a message.

Similarly for the email, list a business email address that is generic to your department. This way if you are on vacation, or move on to a new opportunity, the company will still have access to any emails sent to that account.

Language / Reading Level

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You don’t want to use jargon or big words in your social media posts, as they may confuse your readers. Keep in mind that your readers may have a slower processing speed, cognitive impairments, or lower education level. Remember, you want to reach as wide of an audience as possible!

Tips for writing in a plainer language:

• Use words that are common and easily understood
• Avoid run-on sentences (this is generally just good practice anyway)
• Use clear, short sentences and paragraphs
• Write in the active voice instead of the passive voice (especially if you are trying to call your readers to action!)

Policy

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​Does your company have a social media policy? Do you know what it says? Does it include accessibility?

If you answered “No” to any of those questions, its time to get to work!

If your company has a legal team or access to a lawyer, enlist their help in developing (or updating) a social media policy that addresses accessibility. This will help to protect both you and your company.

If you need an example, check out the social media policy of the U.S. Government’s General Services Administration:

Post Structure

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Personally, I believe that this should be an etiquette issue as far as social media goes, but I don’t want to assume that everyone knows about proper post structure.

The first part of your post should always be your content. Your readers will thank you!

The second part, or the end of your post, should be where you place your hashtags and @mentions.

Granted, there are exceptions to every rule. Evaluate your post carefully before deciding to break the rules. Consider how someone using a screen reader would fair if you place the hashtags or @mentions before the end of your post.

Linking to PDFs

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If you need to link to a PDF document on your web site or elsewhere, check to make sure that the document is accessible and tagged correctly. The last thing you want to do is send potential customers to a document that only makes them frustrated with you, your brand, or your company.

If the document isn’t accessible, and you still really need to link to that content, find out if it is available in any other format. Or you can reach out to your IT department and find out if they can make the PDF accessible.

Multimedia in Posts

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If you are posting images, videos, or audio content, it’s a good idea to warn your readers at the beginning of the post – especially helpful for screen readers, but also great for scanning quickly through a bunch of posts.

The recommended prefixes to use are:

• [PIC] for an image
• [VIDEO] for video content
• [AUDIO] for audio content

Additionally, provide your readers with a link back to the original source of the content. Hopefully, your web team has included captions and transcripts with the original source of the content.

Camel Case

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When you have multiple words in a hashtag … please, please, PLEASE use camel case. This is a huge benefit to all of your readers.

What is camel case, you ask? It is when you capitalize the first letter of each word within your hashtag.

When you don’t use camel case, it becomes difficult for your readers to figure out what words or phrases you are using. Sometimes this can lead to a big embarrassment for both you and your company. So protect yourself and your company – make your hashtags easier to read – and make your readers happier by using camel case!