Accessibility Checklist for Writing Content

Attaining accessibility on your web page not only relies on design, but on your content. Here are a few pointers to help you write accessible content.

• Titles
  • Write page titles that accurately reflect the topic on the page for better SEO results and improved visitor experience.
• Text
  • To allow assistive technologies to correctly read web pages, use proper headings to organize your information.
  • Avoid instructions based solely on location on the page. For example, instead of “in the box to the right,” combine location and text: “in the box to the right, titled ‘Related Links and Publications.’”
• Links
  • Ensure that link text makes sense when read out of context. Avoid links like “read more” or “click here.” Be specific about where links will lead.
  • Keep link text to 100 characters or less.
  • Avoid using the page URL as linking text.
• Images
  • Use alternative (alt) text on images to accurately reflect the purpose of the image and/or provide an accurate description.
  • If the image is linked, describe the link destination in the alt text.
  • Be careful using images with text in them. Be sure image alt text communicates the same information as the text in the image.
  • When using graphs or diagrams, include accompanying text to explain the meaning.
• Lists
  • Use built-in editing features to create bulleted or numbered lists. Understand the differences between ordered, unordered, and definition lists—and use them properly.
  • Avoid using lists for visual effect.
• Readability
  • Use short concise sentences. If you need to use long sentences, try to limit it to one per paragraph.
  • Use headings to split up content. Headings provide structure and meaning to your content and give readers an easy way to scan.
  • Use shorter words when possible.

Information on this page was taken from "Web Accessibility Checklist for Content Editors/Creators" by Siteimprove.