Did you know that persons with disabilities are the third largest economic power in the world, after the US and China? While there is an increasing awareness around physical spaces there isn’t as much around online spaces.

Accessing the internet every day, 70% of persons with disabilities will leave a website instantly if it is inaccessible.

As a result, you could be losing potential customers because of something as simple as website design.

Besides the fact that eighty percent of persons with disabilities rate accessibility above price when choosing where to purchase, creating a more accessible website helps to create a more equitable world. 

On August 19, 2021, Women’s Enterprise Centre hosted Kale Gosen, Co-Founder of Humanize Consulting, for a WECafe session where she shared her expertise about creating accessible online environments.  

Here are some key insights from her session to help you make your online presence more accessible:

What is accessibility?

Accessibility refers to the design of products, devices, services or environments for people who experience disabilities. 

Why does accessibility matter?

In the western world these days, you might be hard pressed to find a person who doesn’t access the internet daily. 

This is acutely true for people who’s disability affects their ability to leave their home. Using the internet widely, they not only access products and services but also use it as a platform to share voices, tackle isolation and connect with their community.   

How do people with various disabilities access the internet?

There is some very cool assistive tech out there that helps to convey information on a website in different ways. For example, screen reader software and magnifiers, to name a couple. 

How you set up your website will directly affect how well this tech is able to read and convey the information presented.    

Types of barriers, and how you can minimize them

For most people, if you can’t navigate a website or find what you want within the first few minutes, you leave.  

Here are some things to consider to avoid common accessibility barriers:  

Website design

• Be mindful of your headings and subheadings – Screen readers will differentiate between H1, H2, H3 etc. allowing the user to skip through and navigate the website efficiently. 
• Pick a responsive design – Your web pages will automatically render to suit the user’s device for a better user experience.
• Use simple language – it is easier for people to understand your message and for assistive technology to convey.  

Colour Scheme 

• Use high contrasting colours for text and background – This will benefit people with low vision. It will also help people to battle eye fatigue.
• Be aware of colour blindness – when certain colours are next to each other, they might not be visible for some people. For example, text on a call to action button.
• Use high contrast images – they’re easier to see and help to distinguish text and non-text elements.

Pop-ups 

• Do not use them – They are not accessible. Instead, try an obvious button; people will sign up if they want to, regardless of whether you use a pop-up.

ALT Text 

• Use it! – It provides a short description that will show if an image is not able to load (e.g. in case of a poor internet connection or if the image blocker is activated). It can also be read by assistive tech.    
• When to use it – Any image on your website including pictures, banners, logos, icons, links and buttons.
• How to use it – Describe the context of the image. Try to use 30 words or 125 characters for readability and user experience. 

Other things to consider

• Social media Hashtags – CapitalizeEachWord, this makes it easier for everyone to read each word without running on, including assistive tech.
• Survey forms – provide an email as surveys are not always accessible.

And remember:

The power of the web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of their disability is an essential aspect.  

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the internet.

Watch the Recording

Gain more tips for your website in the full webinar recording!

The post Small Changes, Big Impact: Creating an Accessible Website for All appeared first on WeBC.

If you run or manage a brand feed for any social media platform, it can be easy to get stuck in the same old habits. If you’re on the resolution bandwagon, then here are a few more ideas to kick around for your social feeds for 2020.

What changes are you hoping to make to your social media strategy for 2020? Let me know in the comments which ones you’ll commit to for the year!

#1 – Start showing your face

Let’s make 2020 the year of more of YOU in your social feeds for your business. Images with faces in them perform up to 40% better on Instagram.

If you’re a small business owner, think about connecting more directly with your audience by showing them who runs the shop. It can be scary at first if you’re not used to being in front of the camera, but with the right photographer and practice, everything gets easier.

#2 – Show up consistently

Once you’ve decided to get your face into your feed, it’s time to show up consistently for your friends. No one likes a friend who never shows up for their coffee date. And no one will be interested in a brand that only shows up occasionally on social media.

Pick a set number of days you can commit to (I recommend Monday through Friday) and start being there for your fans and followers.

#3 – Stop being spammy

Maybe you’re already showing up, a little too much. Don’t be that friend who is constantly trying to sell you her latest essential oil (or insert other MLM here).

You can use social media as a sales tool, just don’t promote yourself 100% of the time. Add value for your customers first and foremost.

#4 – Start being authentic

Do you actually drink coffee out of that fancy mug? Is your home always clean? Are your children perfectly poised? I didn’t think so.

Having some staged brand photos is definitely ok, but don’t be shy in letting your followers get to know the real you and your business. Instagram Stories are a great place to go behind the scenes and share your real everyday chaos.

#5 – Experiment with new types of content

Never gone live? Shared a video? Posted to TikTok? Make 2020 the year you try out a new type of content. You may find you love doing live video, or maybe it’s not for you. Either way, learning how to use a new tool gives you more options for sharing your content.

#6 – Stop ghosting

No one likes when a friend suddenly stops returning our text messages. Make 2020 the year you stop leaving your followers hanging. Answer those DM’s and comments that come in. Let them know you value their feedback. Too many to handle on your own? Consider hiring a VA to help!

#7 – Batch schedule your content

If you’re sitting down and posting live every day, today is the day to stop. Typing out posts one by one is a time suck and a great way to be pulled into other social media feeds.

Use a tool like Later or Buffer to plan out your content, ideally once a week or even every other week to get ahead of your feed.

#8 – Stop worrying about vanity metrics

We know that Instagram has removed likes already for many countries. Make 2020 the year you stop posting just for the likes as well. Post because you have something valuable to say. Post because you want to help others. Post because you want to make someone laugh. Make that your metric for 2020.

#9 – Find your niche

This can be a hard one. The more you start sharing your “Why” as in why you love to do what you do, the more you’ll find your niche.

Double down on how you show up differently, and why your unique background experiences are what makes your offer different than what is out there.

#10 – Start using hashtags – correctly

Hashtags are everywhere, but are you using them correctly? If you’re using them on Facebook – stop. If you’re using them on Instagram, don’t copy and paste the same 30 every time.

Do some research on what your audience is connecting with and posting and change yours up to reflect that.

#11 – Promote your social accounts

You’ve finally taken the steps to create a business Instagram account or Facebook page. Now you have to let people know where to follow you.

Spread the word every way you can – in person, on your website, on business cards, at trade shows and events, in your newsletter. Don’t be shy – people can’t engage with you if they can’t find your account!

#12 – Stop forcing the same content across all channels

Hashtags on Facebook? Incorrectly sized videos on Instagram? Let’s make 2020 the year we all take the time to share the correctly sized and correctly worded content on each channel.

While most content can (and should) be repurposed across channels, make sure that you’re following best practices for each channel before you post.

#13 – Start creating a community

How can your social channels bring people together online or in person? What cause or mission can you rally behind?

Social media is meant to be social. How can you use your channels to create rapport, support, or share the wisdom of others?

#14 – Stop over-editing

There’s nothing wrong with a little photo editing to fix the lighting or brighten up a dark background. With the removal of likes, Instagram is trying to get back to how it started – as a channel to share authentic, in-the-moment photos.

Branded photos still have their place, but ask your photographer to only do minimal edits to let the real you shine through.

#15 – Re-use your best content

Unless 2020 is year one for your business, you potentially have one, two, three or more years of social content that you’ve already shared.

Use the first part of the year to reflect on what content worked best and then re-share that with your audience again, making any tweaks necessary as per the above suggestions.

The memory span of your audience is shorter than you think, and people need to see content multiple times before it sticks in your mind.

Pick out your Top 10 pieces of content (at least) and start by sharing those again this year.

#16 – Repurpose your content

In addition to re-using your content, make 2020 the year you find ways to repurpose the content you already have.

Could you turn a written blog post into a short video explaining the tips and share that on social media? Could you take the same topic you’ve written and share it as a guest article on another site? Could you do an Instagram story of a longer video chopped up in shorter segments?

Don’t let your hard work go to waste, find more ways to reach more people with the same content.

#17 – Commit to building an email list

This probably seems like a weird suggestion for social media tips. Social media is a great place to find your tribe. But to keep that conversation going in a way that you can control, without ever-changing algorithms, you need to build your own network. This is the power of an email list.

#18 – Give back

If you’ve worked hard on developing a following, how could you give back to your community? How could you partner with another account, brand, or non-profit to make a bigger impact?

With so many opportunities to help in so many ways today, is there one cause you could pick to support at strategic times throughout the year?

#19 – Follow awesome content creators

Whatever channel you’re on, find the best of the best for what you do and follow them. Learn from them. Interact with them, and ask them questions.

The only way to keep getting better at social is to learn from those who are delivering the best content.

#20 – Have fun!

Let’s make social media fun again. If there are accounts you follow that make you feel terrible about yourself or the world, it’s time to unfollow them.

Find accounts that make you laugh. Post your outtakes. Post your behind-the-scenes. Have fun with your accounts – and maybe it will help you grow a more meaningful, engaged audience for 2020 and beyond.

The post 20 Things to Start & Stop Doing on Social Media in 2020 appeared first on WeBC.