We live in a digital-first world.
Emails replace memos, social media drives engagement, and websites are often the first point of contact between you and your audience. However, if your digital communications aren’t accessible, you’re leaving people out, and that’s not just bad for inclusion but also detrimental to business.
The good news? Many accessibility improvements are simple, inexpensive, and make your content better for everyone.
Why Digital Accessibility Matters
Accessibility isn’t just about ramps and elevators — it’s about making sure people can access information, services, and opportunities in whatever format they need.
For people with disabilities, digital barriers can include:
- Images without descriptions
- Videos without captions.
- Websites that can’t be navigated with a keyboard.
- Emails with low-contrast text.
And here’s the thing: removing those barriers doesn’t just help people with disabilities. Captions help people in noisy environments. Clear headings make scanning easier for busy readers. Accessible colour choices improve readability for everyone.
Practical Tips for Accessible Digital Communications
1. Use plain language. Clear, straightforward wording helps people process information quickly, benefiting individuals with cognitive disabilities, non-native speakers, and busy readers alike.
2. Add alt text to images. Describe the image’s content and purpose so screen reader users get the same information as everyone else.
3. Provide captions and transcripts. Captions benefit people who are deaf or hard of hearing, while transcripts make content searchable and easier to reference.
4. Mind your colour contrast. Use tools to ensure text stands out against its background. High contrast improves readability for everyone, especially people with low vision.
5. Structure content with headings. Headings break content into sections, making it easier for both screen readers and sighted users to navigate.
Accessibility Is Ongoing
Technology changes. Standards evolve. Audiences grow more diverse. That’s why accessibility isn’t a one-time task; it’s a habit. Build it into your workflows, templates, and training so it becomes part of your organization’s communication DNA.
At A Life Worth Living, we help businesses, nonprofits, and community groups make their digital communications truly accessible, from emails to websites and everything in between.
Because when your message is accessible, your reach is limitless.