Creating content material that’s accessible and inclusive is essential within the work of content material advertising and marketing, not just for shaping the notion of your model but additionally for being socially accountable. Your content material needs to be relatable to everybody within the viewers, no matter their background or talents, in order that they don’t really feel excluded or bored with your model . Due to this fact, accessibility and inclusion shouldn’t be an afterthought however a basic facet of your content material creation technique. On this article, we’ll talk about some key areas to think about whereas crafting advertising and marketing content material in your B2B model that’s each accessible and inclusive.
1) Type information
On the core, your content material staff wants to know what is supposed by accessible and inclusive content material and your organization’s ongoing dedication to it.
You can begin with outlining how your corporation will guarantee your content material is accessible and inclusive — and what content material goes in opposition to these requirements.
Your model information ought to embody a particular part about language and pictures. Many phrases and phrases are rooted in our vocabulary, and we don’t take into consideration their undertones. For instance, you’ll be able to specify avoiding using gendered jobs (“fireman”) or phrases like “falls on deaf ears.”
Your model information also can word particular ways in which textual content might be extra accessible. “CamelCase” for hashtags (capitalizing the primary letter of every phrase) is healthier for display readers. Ornamental fonts in social posts are inaccessible to display readers altogether. And, as Chelsea Fortress, who heads up content material at Lavender factors out, you want areas on either side of any emojis.
Further ideas whereas creating content material that follows your model information embody all the time utilizing clear and concise language: Keep away from utilizing overly difficult jargon, technical phrases or slang that is likely to be unfamiliar to a few of your readers. Maintain your language easy and simple to know.
Pleasant reminder that in case you aren’t including areas on either side of your emojis, you are not producing content material that’s totally accessible to all people studying it. 💜
— Chelsea Fortress (@ChelseaCastle) February 10, 2023
2) Photos
Photos can usually really feel secondary to content material groups. You end a weblog submit and rush to search out an applicable hero picture or add some alt textual content. However for the reader, photos are a part of the primary impression.
In the event you’re utilizing inventory images or creating illustrations that embody folks, just be sure you’re representing range: race/ethnicity, gender, age, and talents. With the huge vary of individuals in fashionable society, you’ll give off a vibe that your organization isn’t paying consideration — or doesn’t care — in case your photos lack range.
Give alt textual content the eye it deserves. For anybody utilizing a display reader, your alt textual content ought to have an effect in the way in which you anticipate a picture to reinforce the content material. (Plus, you give context to Google for search engine rankings.)
Write good alt textual content descriptions for all your photos. And you should utilize them as a approach to improve your model content material! A number of the greatest alt textual content can be enjoyable and playful, along with describing the picture.
3) Movies
We’re within the Age of Video. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels… movies have crept into our LinkedIn feeds and even present gross sales outreach methods. And video content material might be limiting for folks in numerous methods, starting from hearing-impaired to neurological problems to ADHD.
If video is a part of your content material technique, keep in mind to make your movies accessible to viewers. Meaning all the time together with closed captions and contemplating further different codecs like audio variations, audio descriptions. You must also embody a transcript for individuals who want to skip the video altogether and browse the content material as a substitute.
Video might be particularly exhausting for folks with sensory points, so keep away from auto-playing, loud default volumes or flashing lights.
4) Interviewees
Collaboration is a crucial a part of content material, whether or not you’re interviewing material consultants or internet hosting a webinar. Do your collaborators signify a various group of individuals?
With our personal podcast, Elevate B2B Advertising and marketing, we’re on a mission, not solely to Elevate the B2B advertising and marketing business, but additionally to raise the varied voices making an influence inside the area — actively looking for out voices who promote and replicate inclusion (in addition to encourage us all).
Illustration issues, particularly in industries dominated by males, white folks, or each. In the event you solely seize the “straightforward to search out” consultants in these fields, you’re not getting a variety of views. Even in case you’re not conducting stay interviews however quoting consultants based mostly on analysis, be sure to’re together with marginalized folks — and actively looking for them out.
Ask any of your collaborators for his or her right pronouns. Don’t assume. Use the proper pronouns in something you write or any interviews you conduct. In case your collaboration contains audio — both stay or recorded — ask your collaborator for proper title pronunciation.
“Collaboration is a crucial a part of content material, whether or not you’re interviewing material consultants or internet hosting a webinar. Do your collaborators signify a various group of individuals?” — Katelyn Drake @KB_Drake Click on To Tweet
5) Web site
Many of those components talked about will converge in your web site. And since web sites usually include a lot of content material, you’ll wish to look at every web page in each internet and cellular codecs.
Colours
Coloration — and particularly, coloration distinction — makes your web site content material extra accessible to folks with visible impairments or who’re colorblind. They’ve issue with sure colours or coloration mixtures, probably making it exhausting for them to navigate your web site.
In the event you use a coloration scheme with good distinction for a variety of individuals, you’ll improve the general person expertise, no matter visible talents. You may run your colours by means of a distinction checker to see in case your web site wants enchancment. This is applicable to textual content, photos, icons, and buttons.
Fonts
Not all fonts are created equal, and a few are very tough for visually impaired folks. If the font is simply too small, too skinny, or has a low distinction with the background, it will likely be tough to learn.
Sans serif fonts (like Arial) are higher for folks with dyslexia as a result of the letters are much less crowded. In the event you’re searching for a serif font, a mono-spaced font like Courier is less complicated to learn.
General, select one thing easy, with good spacing, and don’t use italicized fonts.
Construction
Creating content material that flows in a logical order is a crucial a part of web site accessibility. Heading twos (H2s) and heading threes (H3s) assist display readers. Breaking apart blocks of textual content with headers additionally helps neurodivergent readers with data processing.
You can even use bullet factors to extend the readability of your posts.
Overview and make modifications as wanted
As Rease Kirchner, senior content material advertising and marketing supervisor at Webflow factors out: “[Inclusive content] isn’t a badge of honor you earn with a single initiative or intention — it’s an ongoing and intentional effort.”
As you create your B2B model content material, take into consideration range and illustration. General, ensure that your content material displays range and keep away from stereotypes. Use inclusive language that doesn’t exclude sure teams of individuals based mostly on gender, race or capability.
As entrepreneurs, we’re all the time on the alert for modifications on the earth round us. Expertise, tradition, language, work — they’re all consistently evolving. And which means being conscious of further methods to be extra accessible and inclusive sooner or later.
In the event you’re searching for a inventive accomplice to help your model’s content material wants, join with the TopRank Advertising and marketing staff. Contact us to study extra!
