As a brand, it's important to create content that is accessible to everyone. This includes making sure your video content is inclusive to people with any disabilities. In this blog post, we'll explore why accessibility in video content matters for your brand and how you can make your videos more in reach of all viewers.

The Importance of Accessibility in Video Content

Firstly, let's talk about why accessibility in video content is important. There are over one billion people worldwide who have a disability, which is a significant portion of your audience who may be excluded from accessing your video content if it's not accessible. By creating accessible video content, you're making sure that everyone can enjoy and engage with your content.

Having accessibility to video content is also important from a legal standpoint. In many countries, there are laws and regulations in place that require businesses to make their content accessible to people with disabilities. For example, in Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) requires businesses to ensure that their products and services are accessible to people with disabilities, including video content.

How to Make Your Videos More Accessible

Now that we understand why accessibility in video content matters for your brand, let's explore how you can make your videos more accessible.

The first step is to include closed captions in your videos. Closed captions are text overlays that appear on screen and provide a written transcript of the audio in the video. This is particularly important for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as it allows them to follow along with the content. With 69% of respondents on a survey said they watch videos with the sound off in public places at least some of the time, and 25% said they always watch videos with the sound off in public places.

Provide Audio Descriptions

Another way to make your video content more accessible is to include audio descriptions. Audio descriptions are verbal descriptions of what's happening on screen, including any visual information that may not be obvious to the viewer. This is particularly important for people who are blind or have low vision, as it allows them to understand the visual elements of the video.

Ensure High Colour Contrast

You can also make your video content more accessible by ensuring that the colour contrast is high enough. This is important for people with visual impairments, as low contrast can make it difficult to distinguish between different elements on the screen. You should aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background colours. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide detailed guidance on colour contrast requirements for accessible design.

User-Test Your Video Content for Accessibility

Finally, it's important to make sure that your video content is user-tested for accessibility. This means testing the video with people who have disabilities to ensure that it's fully accessible and easy to understand. By user-testing your video content, you can identify any potential issues and make the necessary changes to ensure that everyone can access and engage with your content.

Accessibility in video content is crucial for your brand’s success. By creating inclusive content, you can reach a wider audience and improve the overall user experience. It’s essential to keep in mind the different ways people access content and to provide alternatives like captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions to make your videos accessible to all. At Visual Domain, we understand the importance of creating accessible video content and strive to make it a priority in our video production process. Contact us today to learn how we can help your brand create engaging and inclusive video content that reaches everyone.