Writing accessible content
Writing accessible content ensures everyone can understand what you are trying to say. It is especially important for people with learning disabilities or people whose first language isn’t English. Clearer content is better for everyone. Writing accessible content includes the language you use, the way you format text, and the layout.
Do
Write clearly and simply in plain English. Aim for a reading age of 9.
Avoid using acronyms. If you do need to use them, explain what they mean.
Use short sentences and paragraphs.
Use clear headings to help readers find what they are looking for.
Include clear calls to action if you want the reader to do something, for example completing a form.
Use descriptive links rather than ‘click here’ or ‘read more’.
Provide an easy-read version where possible.
Check your content using one of the free tools below.
Do not
Use jargon or company specific terms.
Write long or complicated sentences.
Use italics, all capitals or paragraphs of bold text.
Use ampersands or other text symbols in place of words.
Use acronyms without explaining what they mean.
Post your content without checking it first using one of the tools below.
Free tools to check your content
The Hemingway App is a free online tool that highlights issues with your content. Simply paste in text and it’ll show you issues such as sentence length, adverbs, and simpler alternatives.
Grammarly is a content writing and grammar checker. There is a Windows app or browser plugins to check your content as you write it, offering tips for improvement.
Microsoft Word has a reading age checker in the spellcheck. The higher the score, the easier it is to understand the document. You want the score to be between 60 and 70.
Using Grammarly to write this blog post
