In today’s digital landscape, video content is everywhere. From marketing campaigns to educational materials, videos have become a dominant way to communicate ideas, tell stories, and engage with audiences. But with great influence comes great responsibility—ensuring that your videos are accessible to all, including people with disabilities.

Why is this important? For starters, accessibility isn’t just a box to check off. It’s about inclusivity, reaching a broader audience, and aligning with legal and ethical standards. Plus, making your videos accessible improves the overall user experience, which benefits everyone.

If you’re ready to dive in, here’s a step-by-step guide to making your videos accessible.

1. Start with Clear Audio

Good audio quality is the foundation of an accessible video. People who are hard of hearing, rely on hearing aids, or use assistive listening devices will struggle with videos that have poor sound quality.

Best Practices:

• Use a high-quality microphone during recording.
• Minimize background noise, echo, or distortion.
• Ensure that speakers articulate clearly and speak at a consistent pace.

Clear audio not only helps people with hearing loss but also enhances the experience for viewers watching in noisy or low-audio environments.

2. Provide Accurate Captions

Captions are essential for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they’re also useful for non-native speakers, people watching in noisy environments, or anyone who prefers text over audio.

Types of Captions:

• Closed Captions (CC): Can be toggled on and off by the user.
• Open Captions: Permanently embedded into the video and cannot be turned off.

Best Practices for Captions:

• Make them accurate and synchronized with the audio.
• Include non-speech elements, such as [applause] or [phone ringing], to provide context.
• Ensure captions are displayed in a legible font, size, and color contrast.

Tools to Use:

• Platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Adobe Premiere Pro have captioning features.
• For accuracy, consider using professional transcription services or tools like Rev or Otter.ai, followed by manual editing.

3. Add Descriptive Audio for Visual Content

Audio descriptions narrate essential visual elements in a video, making them accessible for individuals who are blind or have low vision. For example, if a video shows a graph or text onscreen, the description should convey this information.

Best Practices for Audio Descriptions:

• Focus on key visual details that are necessary to understand the content.
• Keep the descriptions concise and timed appropriately, fitting into natural pauses in the video.
• Use professional narrators for high-quality recordings.

Not all platforms support secondary audio tracks for descriptions, so consider including them in the main audio track when possible.

4. Use Accessible Video Players

Choosing an accessible video player is critical. Many mainstream players now include features that support accessibility, such as keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility.

What to Look For in a Video Player:

• Keyboard-friendly controls.
• Support for captions and audio descriptions.
• Customizable playback speed and volume.
• Compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers.

Some popular accessible video players include Able Player, Video.js, and even YouTube when used correctly.

5. Make Text Onscreen Readable

Text that appears in your video—like titles, subtitles, or annotations—should be legible to everyone.

Tips for Onscreen Text:

• Use a sans-serif font like Arial or Helvetica.
• Ensure the text is large enough to read easily, even on small screens.
• Maintain high color contrast between text and background. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

For important text, consider reading it aloud in the video or including it in captions to ensure it reaches all audiences.

6. Offer a Transcript

While captions are great for viewers watching the video, transcripts serve as a written record that can be consumed in multiple ways.

Why Transcripts Are Valuable:

• They’re accessible for people who prefer reading over watching.
• They can be used by screen readers.
• They’re searchable, making it easy for users to find specific information.

How to Create a Transcript:

• Use a transcription tool or service to generate the initial draft.
• Edit the transcript for accuracy, and include descriptions of visual elements.
• Provide the transcript as a downloadable file or display it on the same webpage as the video.

7. Design for Multiple Viewing Environments

Think about where your audience might watch your video—on a noisy train, in a quiet library, or on a small mobile device.

Best Practices:

• Avoid relying solely on color to convey information, as this may be inaccessible to people with color blindness.
• Use clear visuals and avoid cluttered designs.
• Provide alternative ways to engage with the content, such as interactive text or supplementary materials.

8. Test Accessibility Thoroughly

Before publishing your video, test it for accessibility. This ensures that all features, like captions and descriptions, work correctly.

How to Test:

• Watch the video with captions on to check for accuracy.
• Listen to the video without looking at the screen to ensure the audio stands alone.
• Use a screen reader to interact with the video player.
• Share the video with individuals who use assistive technologies and ask for feedback.

9. Educate Your Team

Accessibility isn’t a one-person job—it’s a team effort. Everyone involved in video production, from scriptwriters to editors, should understand accessibility principles.

How to Build Awareness:

• Provide training on accessibility standards like WCAG and Section 508.
• Share resources and tools that simplify accessibility workflows.
• Make accessibility a standard part of your production checklist.

Conclusion

Accessible videos aren’t just a legal or ethical obligation—they’re a way to connect with a broader audience and show your commitment to inclusivity. By following best practices like providing captions, offering transcripts, and using accessible video players, you can ensure your content is usable and enjoyable for everyone.

Remember, accessibility isn’t a one-time task; it’s an ongoing journey. The more you incorporate these principles into your video production process, the more seamless and impactful your content will become.

Let’s make the digital world more inclusive, one video at a time.

Have questions about accessibility or need help with video remediation? Reach out to our team—we’re here to help!