In today’s fast-moving digital world, visuals are a powerful way to connect. From scroll-stopping social media graphics to immersive website imagery, we rely on visuals to tell our stories. But here’s a simple truth—not everyone sees them the same way.
At AMB360, we believe that marketing should be inclusive. And that starts with understanding visual accessibility – what it means, why it matters, and how to get it right.
Whether you’re creating a sleek brochure, designing a website, or crafting a campaign, this guide will help you make your visual content more inclusive, SEO-friendly, and meaningful for every audience.
What is visual accessibility?
Visual accessibility refers to how well your digital content supports users with visual impairments, including people who are blind, have low vision, or experience colour blindness.
Accessible visual design helps users see, interpret, and engage with your content—whether they’re browsing on a mobile, using a screen reader, or simply need higher contrast to make sense of a graphic. It’s a blend of good design and thoughtful decisions that make a big difference.
Why visual accessibility matters in marketing
Let’s be honest: accessibility is no longer optional. It’s essential for modern, responsible brands—and it comes with serious benefits too:
You reach more people
Over 2.2 billion people worldwide live with some form of visual impairment. Making your content accessible means your message connects with more of your audience.
It improves user experience for everyone
Accessible design is clearer, cleaner, and easier to navigate—for all users. From those with disabilities to people on mobile devices or in bright environments, accessibility makes your marketing work harder.
It supports your SEO strategy
Search engines like Google can’t see images, but they can read text. That’s why descriptive alt text, proper structure, and responsive design are all key to SEO success.
It shows brand integrity
Prioritising accessibility reflects your commitment to ethical marketing, diversity, and inclusion. It also helps ensure compliance with accessibility regulations in the UK and beyond.
Core principles of visual accessibility
Use meaningful alt text
Every image should have an alt attribute—a short, accurate description of what the image shows and what purpose it serves.
Example: Instead of saying “Image1.png”, write: “A craftsman carefully sanding a wooden table in a sunlit workshop.”
This helps screen reader users and improves SEO by giving search engines content to index.
Ensure strong colour contrast
Text should stand out clearly against backgrounds. Use tools like the WebAIM Colour Contrast Checker to meet accessibility standards (ideally a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 or higher).
Avoid pale greys on white or yellow on light backgrounds. High-contrast colours improve legibility for everyone.
Don’t rely on colour alone
Use symbols, labels, or patterns as well as colour to convey meaning. For example, in charts, pair red with an “X” and green with a tick to reinforce the message.
Choose readable typefaces
Stick to simple, sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana. Make sure your body text is at least 16px in size. Avoid decorative fonts for long passages of text.
Structure content with clear headings
Use proper HTML heading tags (H1, H2, H3 etc.) to break up content and help both screen readers and search engines understand your page hierarchy.
Make video and audio accessible
Add captions to videos and provide transcripts for podcasts and audio content. This helps people with hearing impairments and also benefits users who prefer silent browsing.
Making visuals accessible across platforms
Websites
- Add alt text to every image.
- Ensure buttons and links are clearly labelled.
- Design responsive layouts that work on all screen sizes.
- Test navigation with keyboard-only input.
Social media
- Use platforms that support alt text (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook).
- Describe images in your captions if alt text isn’t available.
- Capitalise each word in hashtags for screen readers (#ThisIsCamelCase).
- Use image descriptions for infographics and memes.
Emails and newsletters
- Use mobile-friendly templates.
- Ensure strong colour contrast.
- Avoid placing important information in images only—include text too.
- Keep paragraphs short and use bullet points for clarity.
Infographics and charts
- Provide a text version or summary below.
- Use clear labels and accessible colours.
- Include icons or patterns to support users who can’t distinguish between colours.
Tools to support visual accessibility
- WebAIM Contrast Checker – for checking colour contrast.
- WAVE Accessibility Tool – to audit your webpage accessibility.
- Alt Text Tester – helps you preview alt text with screen readers.
- Accessible Brand Colours Generator – create colour palettes with accessibility in mind.
- VoiceOver (Mac) and NVDA (Windows) – for testing screen reader experiences.
A personal story: small changes, big difference
I remember launching a new product campaign—polished design, beautiful imagery, punchy copy. But we’d missed a step: no alt text. No contrast testing. No consideration of screen reader users.
A colleague flagged it gently. We took it on the chin, made the changes, and learned something powerful: accessible design doesn’t dilute creativity – it enhances it.
The updated campaign performed better across the board. Engagement went up, bounce rates went down, and we got a flood of positive feedback from customers who finally felt included.
Final thoughts: accessibility is good marketing
Visual accessibility isn’t just a technical issue or a design trend—it’s about treating your audience with care and respect.
At AMB360, we embed accessibility into every project, from the first wireframe to the final upload. Whether we’re designing websites, building campaigns, or developing social strategies, we believe good marketing is inclusive marketing.
Let’s build a more inclusive digital world
If you’re looking to make your brand more accessible and want to chat about design, SEO or how to bring your values to life visually—let’s talk.
We’re here to help you reach everyone.
