Write Better for Everyone: A Guide to Accessible Web Content Writing.

When people talk about web accessibility, they often think only about development or design. However, the people who write articles, informational pages, and digital content also play a major role in the user experience.

The way text is written and structured can make information easier or harder to access. Accessible content benefits everyone, but it is especially important for people who use screen readers, have reading difficulties, attention-related challenges, low vision, or any other permanent or temporary limitation that affects how they interact with the web.

In addition, many accessibility practices also improve the overall reading experience: they make content clearer and easier to understand for any user.

That is why, in today's article, I want to share five best practices you can follow to improve your writing and make your content much more accessible. It is not just about writing well—it is about writing for everyone.

1 Organize Content with Clear Headings

Headings are essential for structuring an article. They not only help visually divide content, but also allow users to quickly understand what each section is about.

People who use screen readers often navigate a page by jumping between headings, so headings should accurately describe the content that follows.

For example, a heading such as "Important Information" is too generic. By contrast, a heading like "How to Write Alternative Text for Images" immediately communicates the topic of the section.

It is also important to maintain a logical and consistent structure, as a well-organized article makes reading easier and reduces the effort required to find information.

In addition, headings should follow a hierarchy. This means content should follow a clear structural order: there should be a single H1 representing the main topic of the page, followed by H2s for major sections, H3s for subsections, and so on.

The proper use of headings is related to Success Criterion 1.3.1 "Info and Relationships", which states that the structure and organization of content must be programmatically identifiable, for example through titles and hierarchical headings.

2 Add Useful Alternative Text to Images

Alternative text, also known as alt text, allows us to describe images for people who cannot see them and rely on screen readers.

How to Write Good Alternative Text

The best way to know whether your alternative text is effective is to ask yourself: "If I were reading this article to someone over the phone, how would I describe this image?"

• Poor: "Image of a dog."
• Good: "A Golden Retriever running across the grass with a ball in its mouth."

Images are often used to illustrate or reinforce the main message of the text. Therefore, alternative text should not simply describe what appears in the image—it should communicate the message the image is intended to convey.

Do not start descriptions with phrases such as "Image of..." or "Photograph of...". Screen readers already announce that the element is an image, so it is better to get straight to the point.

When Should You Add Alternative Text?

Not every image requires a description. Knowing when not to use alt text is just as important:

• Informative images: charts, photographs of people speaking, contact icons (e.g., an envelope representing email), and similar elements require alternative text.
• Decorative images: divider lines, abstract backgrounds, or images used solely for visual decoration do not require alternative text and should use an empty alt attribute (alt=""), indicating that screen readers should ignore them.

Important: if the image already includes a caption that communicates exactly the same information, the alternative text can be shorter or even treated as decorative to avoid repeating information for users.

The correct use of alternative text for images is related to Success Criterion 1.1.1 "Non-text Content", which states that all non-text content (such as images) must have a text alternative that serves the same purpose or conveys the same information.

3 Use Descriptive Links

Many people who use assistive technologies navigate using lists of links automatically extracted from a page. Therefore, links should make sense on their own, even when read out of context.

A good link should stand on its own. Users should know exactly what they will find when they activate it, without having to read surrounding text.

• Poor: "To learn about our offers, click here." or "To read the full article, click this link."
• Good: "Explore our seasonal offers." or "Read the full accessibility article."

Avoid generic phrases such as "Read more," "View content," or "Learn more." If several links on a page use the same text, screen reader users will hear a repetitive and confusing list of identical options.

For a link to be truly useful, it is not enough for the destination to be clear—it should also communicate what type of interaction will occur next. These three recommendations can help:

• Set expectations: if the link starts a download or opens a specific format, include that information. For example: "Download the budget as a PDF" or "Watch the event video on YouTube."
• Avoid raw URLs: do not paste web addresses directly (e.g., https://www.example.com/downloads/final-file-01.pdf). Screen readers will read every letter and symbol aloud, which can be frustrating. Instead, use: "Download the style guide in PDF format."
• New windows: if the link opens in a new tab or window, it is good practice to indicate this briefly, for example: "Open transparency portal (opens in a new window)."

If you use an icon to communicate this, make sure it is also accessible to screen readers.

In addition to improving accessibility, descriptive links also enhance the overall navigation experience.

The use of descriptive links is related to Success Criterion 2.4.4 "Link Purpose (In Context)", which states that the purpose of each link must be identifiable from the link text itself. This allows users to understand where a link will take them and decide whether they want to activate it.

4 Be Careful with Emojis and Symbols

Emojis can add personality and warmth to content, but overusing them can negatively affect navigation and comprehension for people who use screen readers.

Screen readers translate every emoji into words, so what appears visually as decoration becomes an audible interruption for assistive technology users.

• Text: "Hello everyone! 👋✨ We are very excited 🤩 to announce..."
• Screen reader output: "Hello everyone! Waving hand, sparkles. We are very excited star-struck face to announce..."

When too many emojis are used in succession, the main message becomes buried beneath a list of image descriptions, making the text harder to understand.

The best approach is not to rely on symbols or emojis to communicate important information, and if you use them, do so sparingly.

5 Avoid Content That May Trigger Photosensitive Seizures

Certain types of visual content, such as flashing lights or rapid blinking effects, can affect people with photosensitive epilepsy and other seizure disorders.

The Three-Flashes Rule

For content to be considered safe, it should not flash more than three times per second. If a visual element exceeds this frequency, it could potentially trigger a seizure.

• Poor: an advertising banner with rapidly flashing neon colors designed to attract attention.
• Good: a smooth, slow animation without abrupt brightness changes or extreme contrasts.

How to Create Safe Visual Content

To ensure your website is safe for everyone, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid autoplay for flashing videos. Never automatically play videos containing strobe lights or flashing effects.
• Allow animations to be paused. Any element that moves or flashes for more than five seconds should be pausable or stoppable by the user.
• Be careful with geometric patterns. High-contrast moving stripe patterns can also cause discomfort. Smooth transitions are generally a safer option.

Compliance with these recommendations is related to Success Criterion 2.3.1 "Three Flashes or Below Threshold", which states that web content must not be designed in ways known to cause seizures. This ensures that accessing information does not put users at physical risk.

This section is also related to Success Criterion 2.2.2 "Pause, Stop, Hide". This criterion requires that for any content that moves, flashes, or updates automatically (such as carousels or GIFs), users must always have control to pause or stop it. This prevents constant motion from becoming a distraction or a risk for people with attention disorders or sensory sensitivities.

Conclusion

To be honest, even if you read this entire article, you will probably overlook some details from time to time—especially if you write content every day. But what really matters is the intention: keeping these guidelines in mind is the first step toward ensuring your content reaches everyone.

Accessibility is not a goal that can be achieved overnight; it is a continuous process and a shared responsibility. It is not about doing everything perfectly from the start, but about choosing to improve every day so that, eventually, you get there.