The Association Blog

The Associate Creative Director at TrueSense Marketing explains how colors, buttons, and copy can make your creative more accessible — and drive more donations

Visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments can affect how people interact with digital technologies and online giving platforms. Considering digital accessibility means taking the time to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

This is increasingly important as older generations move online – yet  when you craft inclusive donor experiences, everyone wins. You can expect to see improved search results, longer time spent on your website, better deliverability, and increased social engagement.

Here are some of the most important ways you can make your digital communications accessible to more donors:

Prioritize accessibility-compliant colors

High contrast helps icons, graphics, and buttons remain visible to users with varying visual abilities. You can use an online color compliance checker to evaluate your color combinations. We’ve compiled a list of resources for you — including a color compliance checker — here.

Develop “bulletproof buttons”

Bulletproof buttons are made of HTML code instead of images, which ensures that they always display correctly. They’re easy to edit, and they give screen reader software — a tool that reads on-screen text aloud for people who are blind or have low vision — a clear script to follow. Make sure your buttons are clear, meet color contrast guidelines, and are easy for users with limited mobility to click.

Craft heartwarming alt text

Alt text is the default copy that displays when an image can’t be shown. Without alt text, a person’s screen reader may read out an awkward file name, or worse, nothing at all. Alt text should be brief, flow with existing copy, include some fundraising language, and include any text overlay that appears on your image. Here’s an example of an image with its corresponding alt text:

Use short, scannable copy

Short paragraphs help readers stay engaged, especially those with attention difficulties. Left-aligned copy is easiest to read, and simple, sans serif fonts work best for digital applications. Keep your digital copy to small, engaging bites

Create inclusive motion content

If you have video content, use captions and voiceovers. Some programs offer auto-generated captions, but they can sometimes render misspelled or improperly translated words. If possible, write your own captions or subtitles to ensure that your message is properly conveyed

Adding voiceover to videos that don’t already contain spoken audio is a great way to maintain equity for all users. The human voice adds an unmatched level of nuance and warmth to your communications, but auto-generated voiceover techniques are also available if they better fit your capacity and budget

Test your tech!

Verify that your email designs look the way you want them to by previewing them on both your desktop and your mobile device. Run your newly created PowerPoint presentation through a color compliance checker. See how your campaign sounds through a screen reader. There are lots of tutorials available online, and you can find many here in the resources we’ve compiled for you.

When your creative is accessible, you can reach more animal lovers and save more animals.

More from the Experts at TrueSense Marketing

How to Launch a Text Messaging Fundraising Program: A Guide for Nonprofits
Quick Byte Webinar: Beyond Pressing Send: Lessons from Top Nonprofit Texting Programs
It’s All About the Eyes: A Case Study in Charitable Giving
The 5 Building Blocks of the Perfect Collaborative Fundraising Partnership