Accessible content: a guide to inclusive design

Millions of digital content pieces are published daily: posts, articles, infographics, videos. Many are carefully crafted, aesthetically consistent, and perfectly aligned with the brand.

Yet, for a significant portion of people, they are difficult to read, understand, or are completely invisible. Not out of malice, but simply due to a lack of awareness.

This article explores what it truly means to create accessible content, who is excluded (and why), and what are the most common mistakes in visual and textual design.

When content is not accessible, who are we really excluding?

Who experiences difficulties reading digital content?

When talking about digital accessibility, the first thought often goes to people with visual impairments. But the reality is much more complex. People who experience difficulties online represent a huge segment of the population, including:

• Those with a visual disability (e.g., low vision or color blindness).
• Neurodivergent people (e.g., with ADHD or dyslexia) or with cognitive disabilities.
• Those with motor disabilities that make standard navigation with a mouse or trackpad challenging.
• Those using a screen in low light conditions or with an outdated device.
• Those with lower functional literacy or reading in a language that is not their first.

According to WHO data, over a billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. Ignoring these people is not just an ethically questionable choice: it is a concrete loss of audience.

Why does some content work for some people but not for others?

Content "works" when the reader can understand it without excessive effort. The problem arises when the designer's reference parameter is based on an implicit ideal profile: a person without visual limitations, with high digital literacy, reading from a high-resolution monitor. All individuals who deviate from this profile must adapt to a system not designed for them. For example:

• Text in small characters on a colored background is unreadable for those with low vision.
• An infographic without alternative text is invisible to those navigating with a screen reader.
• A post full of technical jargon excludes those with a different functional reading level.

What does it mean to design exclusively, even unintentionally?

Exclusive design is almost never intentional. It stems from established habits and pre-set models that prioritize "beauty" over "usability."

Choosing a decorative font because it "looks stylish" or publishing a video without subtitles because it "takes too much time" means creating a barrier for a part of the audience. Exclusive design is the result of never having considered people with different characteristics from our own.

What does "accessible content" truly mean?

Is accessibility just a technical matter?

One of the most common misconceptions is thinking that accessibility is just code: meta tags, alt attributes, compliance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

These standards are fundamental, but accessibility is first and foremost a design intention. It means deciding that every person should be able to enjoy the content with the same quality of experience. Without a culture of inclusion, content that is "technically compliant" but impossible to use is produced.

What is the difference between aesthetics and readability?

Aesthetics and readability are not enemies, but when they conflict, readability must win. Beautiful content that fails to convey its message is ineffective content.

Readability is based on:

• Visual clarity: contrast, font size, spacing.
• Logical structure: hierarchy, short paragraphs, clear headings.
• Language: understandable vocabulary, direct sentences, absence of unnecessary jargon.

There's no need to sacrifice visual impact: there are wonderful and perfectly accessible designs. To move from theory to practice, learn more about the golden rules of typography and the correct use of fonts.

Why does it concern everyone and not just a minority?

It is often believed that accessibility is a "niche." In reality, universal design improves everyone's experience. Good contrast helps reading in sunlight. A heading structure helps those in a hurry to orient themselves. Subtitles in videos support those watching Reels in the office without sound. Thinking about accessibility simply means designing better.

Why is much content not accessible (even when it seems well-made)?

What errors are most often repeated in social media content?

Social media is a complex territory for accessibility. Here are the most frequent barriers:

• Text "printed" directly in images without alternative text description.
• Spoken videos lacking subtitles (or with incorrect automatic subtitles).
• Excessive use of emojis (screen readers read them aloud, one by one, compromising understanding).
• Stylized fonts in posts (𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚 𝕢𝕦𝕚), which can be read incorrectly or fragmented by assistive technologies, compromising content comprehension.
• Carousels without text descriptions for each individual slide.

Why does design prioritize visual impact over clarity?

The golden rule of social media is "stop the scroll." This has generated an aesthetic of oversaturated colors and overloaded graphics. The problem is that capturing attention does not equate to communicating effectively. Content can have a strong visual impact and still be inaccessible.

How is unconsciously exclusive content born?

It arises from a lack of verification tools in the workflow. Designers, for example, choose light gray on a white background because it's "elegant," often without knowing that the contrast ratio is insufficient (WCAG requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text). Unfortunately, accessibility is not yet integrated as a mandatory step in the standard creative process.

If you want to avoid this visual oversight, discover how to choose accessible color palettes without sacrificing your brand's style.

How to recognize inaccessible content before publishing it

What signs indicate accessibility problems?

Even before using specific software, certain visual cues should grab your attention:

• Light text on a light background (or dark on dark).
• Fonts that are too thin, small, or markedly decorative in the body text.
• Using only color to convey important information (e.g., "click the green button").
• Compact blocks of text without adequate spacing.

How to perform a quick check before publishing?

Just a few minutes and the right tools are enough:

• WebAIM Contrast Checker: to test in real-time whether the chosen colors have an adequate contrast ratio.
• WAVE Extension: to analyze the accessible structure of any webpage.
• Built-in checks: leverage the internal accessibility tools now present on platforms like Canva, Kapwing, or CapCut.
• The Visual Hierarchy Test (Squint Test): move slightly away from the screen or squint your eyes so you can't distinguish details. If you can no longer guess the main heading or where the call-to-action button is, the visual structure needs improvement.

What practices always create barriers?

• NEVER publish spoken videos or videos with relevant information conveyed only through audio without subtitles, not even in short formats.
• NEVER include essential information (dates, times, prices) solely within an image without repeating it in the text.
• NEVER use all caps for long paragraphs of text.
• NEVER create generic links like "Click here." Specify the actual action, e.g., "Read the full report," as those using assistive technologies often navigate by scrolling only through the list of links out of context.

Designing accessible content: a limitation or an advantage?

Does accessibility truly limit creativity?

Absolutely not. Almost any aesthetic can be adapted without losing brand identity. You can use vibrant colors (calibrating contrast) and recognizable fonts (ensuring they are decipherable). True limitations do not stem from accessibility criteria but from a lack of custom to design with flexibility.

Why does it improve content performance?

The benefits extend far beyond ethics: accessibility positively impacts metrics and SEO. Search engines analyze images through a combination of textual content, page context, and computer vision algorithms.

Alternative text remains essential, however, to clarify the meaning of the image, just as it is for assistive technologies. An accurate Alt Text is both the correct way to ensure access to information for all people and a valuable signal for Google's indexing.

Hierarchical headings (H1, H2, H3) structure content clearly and allow those navigating with a keyboard or assistive technologies to quickly move between sections. At the same time, they also help search engines understand content organization and relevance.

How to integrate it into the creative process?

It doesn't require extra hours of work; it only requires shifting verification within the existing process:

1. Ideation: choose a color palette with adequate contrast from the start.
2. Production: write understandable texts and use hierarchical tags (H2, H3) correctly.
3. Review: always add alternative text to informative images and check subtitles before publishing.

Designing accessibly is neither a bureaucratic fulfillment nor a creative sacrifice. It is the choice to take seriously every person who might encounter your content—and to ensure that no one is excluded without reason.

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Ready to put these principles into practice?

Theory is fundamental, but daily application makes the real difference. Discover the operational details to transform theory into practice by reading our dedicated insights:

👉 [Read Part 2: Contrast and Color: how to choose accessible color palettes without sacrificing brand style]

👉 [Read Part 3: Typography and Layout: spacing, fonts, and alignments for reader-proof texts]