BBP 105: 5 Accessibility Features You Can’t Afford to Miss with Ami Hook Ireland
Shownotes:
In this episode of the Blogger Breakthrough Summit podcast, Ami Hook Ireland, shares the five essential features that every blog post must have. She presents these features using the memorable acronym: DAT GOAT EARL MEANS CHAOS. Implementing these features will increase the accessibility of blog posts and can be easily done.
Ami Hook-Ireland, Online Accessibility Consultant
I’m Ami, an Online Accessibility Consultant who helps bloggers and online business owners approach and implement online accessibility best practices without the overwhelm. Being disabled myself, I want to turn my negative experiences with inaccessibility into something positive, that’s why I aim to create easy-to-understand resources to help others.
Synopsis
Welcome to the Blogger Breakthrough Summit podcast! In today’s episode, we’re going to explore a topic that is often overlooked but crucial for every blogger: accessibility features.
Speaker Ami Hook Ireland will share five key features that can significantly enhance the accessibility of your blog posts. Get ready for some fun acronyms that will help you remember these important elements.
Descriptive Alt Text (DAT):
The first acronym, DAT, stands for Descriptive Alt Text. Alt text is a brief description that is added to images on your blog. This feature is essential for visually impaired readers who use screen readers to access content.
By providing descriptive alt text, you ensure that everyone can understand the context and meaning of your images.
Good and Obvious Anchor Text (GOAT):
Next up is GOAT, which stands for Good and Obvious Anchor Text. Anchor text is the clickable text that links to other pages or resources.
By using clear and descriptive anchor text, you make it easier for all readers, including those with cognitive disabilities, to navigate your blog. Avoid using generic phrases like click here and instead provide context and relevance within the anchor text.
Everyone Appreciates Readable Language (EARL):
The third acronym, EARL, represents the importance of using readable language. It’s crucial to make your content accessible to readers with different reading abilities.
Use clear and concise language, break up long paragraphs, and utilize headings, subheadings, and bullet points to enhance readability. By implementing these strategies, you ensure that everyone can easily comprehend and engage with your blog posts.
Mighty Ease and No Squinting (MEANS):
MEANS is the fourth acronym, and it stands for mighty ease and no squinting, referring to color contrast. Consider readers with visual impairments or color blindness when selecting colors for your blog.
Ensure that there is sufficient contrast between the text and background to make it easy to read. This small adjustment can have a big impact on the accessibility of your blog.
Clear Headings and Organized Structure (CHAOS):
The last acronym is CHAOS, which represents the importance of clear headings and an organized structure. Use descriptive headings to break up your content and guide readers through your blog posts.
This not only improves readability but also helps users navigate your content more easily. Organize your information logically, using subheadings and bullet points to make it scannable and digestible.
Bottom Line
Improving the accessibility of your blog posts is not only the right thing to do, but it also expands your reach and ensures that your content can be enjoyed by a wider audience. By implementing these five accessibility features – DAT, GOAT, EARL, MEANS, and CHAOS – you create a more inclusive and user-friendly experience for all readers.
Remember, small changes can make a big impact, so let’s strive to create content that everyone can enjoy.
Have you implemented these accessibility features in your blog posts? Share your experience and any tips you have in the comments below. And don’t forget to join us next time to learn when to hire a bookkeeper. Happy blogging!
Transcript
[00:00:00].000] – Liz Stapleton, Host
Welcome to the Blogger Breakthrough Summit podcast, where we’re all about helping you break through plateaus and take your blog to the next level by sharing snippets of sessions from our annual virtual summit. Today, I’ve got a juicy topic for you. The five accessibility features every blog post must have. Don’t worry, speaker Ami Hook Ireland, has some really fun acronyms to help you remember them.
[00:00:18].890] – Liz Stapleton, Host
So let’s dive in.
[00:00:27].180] – Ami Hook Ireland
So you’re going to find out the five accessibility features every blog post must have. And now a little heads up, I’ve tried to create a fun way to hopefully help you remember these five features. So you’re about to read five acronyms and what they stand for. What are five Accessibility Features, Every Blog Post Must Have? The first acronym is DAT, which stands means for Descriptive Alt Text. The second is GOAT, which stands for Good and Obvious Anchor Text. The third acronym is EARL, which stands for everyone appreciates readable language. The fourth is MEANS, which stands for mighty ease and no squinting, which is relevant to color contrast. The last acronym is Chaos, which stands for clear headings and organized structure. So in essence, DAT GOAT EARL MEANS CHAOS will increase the accessibility of your blog post. And it is very easy to do. So there you go. DAT GOAT EARL MEANS CHAOS.
[00:02:09].660] – Liz Stapleton, Host
Well, that wraps up this episode on Accessibility features for blog posts. I hope you found this episode helpful and that you’re feeling inspired to make your blog more accessible. Remember, small changes can make a big impact. So let’s go out there and create content that everyone can enjoy. Be sure to join us next time to learn when to hire a bookkeeper.
