Making our content clearer, kinder and more inclusive – bit by bit
By Comms Specialist, Helena Kondziela
At Action Hampshire, we’ve been thinking more deeply about how we can make our communications more accessible, because if we’re serious about equity and inclusion, we have to walk the talk.
A lot of the work we do supports communities that are often underserved, overlooked, or face barriers to accessing support. That means the way we communicate – how we write, share, and design our content needs to be just as inclusive as the services we help shape.
We know there’s a lot of advice out there (and it can feel overwhelming at times), especially with different tips depending on whether you’re writing a blog, sharing a social post, or building a website. So we’ve been trying to break it down into small, doable steps, bit by bit.
We’re at the beginning of our journey and by no means perfect (actually extremely far from it!), but we wanted to share what we’ve learned so far and that we are working hard to be more inclusive with all things comms. Hopefully, you’ll find something useful, whether it’s rethinking how you use colour, adding alt text, or simplifying your language. Even making one or two changes can help you reach more people, make your content more inclusive, and showcase the brilliant work you, we, and the wider voluntary, community and social enterprise sector are doing every day.
Action Hampshire’s top 10 tips for more accessible comms
Making your message clear, kind and inclusive should be standard – not optional!
1. Write like you talk
Plain English is your best friend.
That means:
- No jargon or unexplained acronyms
- Short, clear sentences
- Everyday words over technical terms
Think of how you’d explain something to a clever 10-year-old – or to a community member who’s reading your content after a long day.
Extra tip: Use Hemingway App by following this here to check the reading level. Aim for a Grade 6–7 reading age (that’s 9–11 years old).
2. Break it up
Avoid big blocks of text. They’re overwhelming and hard to scan.
Instead:
- Use subheadings to guide the reader
- Keep paragraphs short
- Add bullet points and visuals to break things up
3. Say what you see (Alt Text)
Alt text = image descriptions that help screen reader users understand your visuals.
- Describe what the image shows and why it’s relevant
- Don’t go overboard – just the key details
- Decorative images? Mark them as decorative so they’re skipped by screen readers.
Alt text makes your content more available and more inclusive.
4. Contrast is key
Poor colour contrast makes content hard or impossible to read.
Stick to:
- Dark text on light backgrounds
- Avoid red/green, light grey, pastels on white combos
Extra tip: Use WebAIM’s contrast checker by following the link here to test your colours before publishing
5. Caption That Content
If you’re sharing videos or audio:
- Add subtitles (for video)
- Include transcripts (for podcasts or interviews)
This supports people who are deaf or hard of hearing and anyone who prefers reading, is in a quiet space, or is neurodivergent.
Extra tip: For useful advice on subtitling and captioning follow this link to WC3 Web Accessibility Initiative pages on the topic
6. No more “click here”
Use clear, descriptive link text so people know where they’re going.
- “Download our 2024 impact report here”
- “Follow this link to find out more about our Safe and Warm event”
Screen reader users often jump through links so “Click here” offers no context.
Extra tip: Follow this link to understand screen readers – how they work and what we can do so our info can be read by them
7. Test it on your Gran’s phone
Make sure your content works for mobile users:
- Is text readable without zooming?
- Are buttons large and easy to tap?
- Does it load quickly?
We can’t assume people are viewing on a desktop with perfect Wi-Fi.
8. Go keyboard-only for a day
Try navigating your website or content using only the keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter).
Ask yourself:
- Can you reach every link, menu and button?
- Does the focus indicator (the highlighted box) show where you are?
- Can you complete forms without using a mouse?
- Keyboard navigation is essential for many disabled users and a quick test reveals a lot.
9. Represent real people
Visuals and stories should reflect the diversity of the communities we work with.
That includes:
- Race, gender, age, disability, body types, and beyond
- Authentic storytelling that includes lived experience
- Letting people speak for themselves – pass the mic whenever possible – let people ‘Have their say”!
This isn’t just about inclusion it builds trust.
10. Ask and adapt
Accessibility is a process, not a checkbox.
Ask your audience:
- Was that information clear and easy to use?
- How could we improve next time?
- Is there a better format that would work for you?
Feedback helps us learn and improve and shows our communities that we’re listening.
So, that’s our top tips, but where to start?
You don’t have to fix everything all at once. Start small. Try one or two tips in your next email, social post, or blog. Bit by bit, we can build content that more people can access, understand, and feel included in.
We’re learning too and we’d love to hear your ideas, feedback, or experiences with accessible comms.
Drop us an email – helena.kondziela@actionhampshire.org
