Accessibility is not a niche requirement or an optional extra. It is a core part of good design.
When we create graphics, videos, and social media content with accessibility in mind, we make our work clearer, more usable, and more inclusive for everyone. From colour choices and typography to captions and thumbnails, small design decisions can make a huge difference.
It’s important to recognise that accessibility covers many different needs. This guide focuses on some of the most common and relevant areas for digital creators:
- Colour blindness
- Dyslexia and neurodiversity
- Visual impairment and screen readers
Why Accessibility Matters
Around 1 in 5 people live with a disability, and many accessibility needs are invisible. This includes colour vision deficiency, dyslexia, hearing loss, ADHD, and low vision. Importantly, accessibility benefits far more than disabled users alone. Clear layouts, readable text, strong contrast, and structured information help people using mobile devices, working in noisy environments, or dealing with fatigue.
Accessibility is also about mindset. As highlighted by inclusive design leaders such as Hassell Inclusion, it’s not about designing for an “average” user, but recognising human diversity and designing flexibly.
Designing for Colour Blind Users
Approximately 8% of men and 0.5% of women experience some form of colour blindness. The most common types affect red–green and blue–yellow perception, which means colour alone should never be used to convey meaning.
Best practices include:
- Avoid problematic colour pairings such as red/green or green/brown.
- Use strong colour contrast between text and background
- Add labels, icons, patterns, or textures to charts and graphics instead of relying on colour alone.
- Test your designs using colour blindness simulators like Coblis or Adobe’s accessibility tools.
For example, instead of showing “good” in green and “bad” in red, add icons such as ticks and crosses or include clear text labels.
Supporting People with Dyslexia
Dyslexia affects reading speed, accuracy, and comprehension, but it does not reflect intelligence or creativity. Good design can significantly reduce reading effort and cognitive load.
Key design considerations:
- Use clear, readable fonts and avoid decorative or script typefaces.
- Keep paragraphs short and break content into sections with headings.
- Use left-aligned text rather than justified text to maintain consistent spacing.
- Provide content in multiple formats, such as audio, video, or summaries.
White space is especially important. Dense layouts and long blocks of text can quickly become overwhelming.
Accessible Typography: Font Choices Matter
Font choice plays a major role in accessibility. Sans‑serif fonts are generally easier to read on screens because of their simple letterforms.
Commonly recommended accessible fonts include:
- Arial
- Verdana
- Helvetica
- Calibri
- Tahoma
While research shows no single font works for everyone, offering readable defaults and allowing user choice is best practice.
Designing for Screen Readers and Visual Impairment
Screen readers convert digital content into speech or Braille for users who are blind or have low vision.
Best practices include:
- Use Alternative (Alt) Text, a brief text description of images and graphics
- Do not embed important text inside images.
- Use clear heading structures.
- Make links descriptive (avoid “click here”).
- Provide text summaries for complex graphics.
- Simple navigation
- Consistent layouts
- High‑contrast colour palettes
- Scalable text
Accessibility works best when built in from the start. content becomes more usable and engaging for everyone.
Making Videos and Social Content More Accessible
For video and social media:
- Always include captions, even on short-form content.
- Avoid flashing or fast-moving animations that cannot be paused.
- Ensure text is large enough to read on mobile screens.
Thumbnails
They should be eye-catching and accessible:
- Use high contrast between text and background.
- Keep text minimal and large.
- Avoid colour-only messaging.
- Ensure facial expressions and imagery are clear at small sizes.
An accessible thumbnail doesn’t just help disabled users, it improves clarity and engagement for everyone.
Accessibility Is Good Design
Accessibility should not be seen as a limitation on creativity. In reality, it encourages better thinking, clearer communication, and more thoughtful design decisions. By considering colour blindness, dyslexia, and diverse user needs from the start, designers can create content that is more effective, ethical, and impactful.