The word ‘inclusivity’ may incite strong emotions with some people, but if you think about it, it’s really just a smart business decision to make your content more inclusive so you can reach a wider audience. After all, who wants to exclude potential viewers or subscribers on purpose? This article offers practical tips for streamers to make their content more accessible and welcoming to different people, with helpful tools like StreamLadder.
1. Caption your content
Many people rely on captions to consume content, either due to hearing impairments, language barriers, or simply because they’re out in public without any headphones and don’t want to be rude. Luckily, adding captions or subtitles doesn’t have to be hard at all. With StreamLadder you can add them automatically. Just select which language is being spoken in the clip and hit ‘Generate’. You can then check the captions for mistakes and choose how you want to display them. Make sure they are really legible – choose a color that contrasts the background and a font size that isn’t too small.
2. Embrace customizable interfaces
Every viewer has unique needs, so when possible, offering customizable interfaces can enhance the user experience for people with various disabilities. Investigate platform-specific accessibility features like closed captioning options. If possible, design overlays and layouts that allow users to adjust the font size, color contrast and other elements.
3. Engage with your audience
Building an inclusive community goes beyond content itself. Direct engagement can create a sense of belonging for all viewers. To create a sense of community, make sure to actively respond to comments and messages. Some people might be shy, however, so don’t force them into the limelight if they don’t want to be. Create a space where viewers feel comfortable commenting and sharing their thoughts or experiences. You can joke around, but it’s usually funnier when you make fun of yourself or situations than ‘punching down’ at your chatters.
4. Add alt text for visual content
When promoting your stream or videos on social media with images, make sure to add alt text. Alt text (alternative text) is used to describe the content of an image for those who may not be able to see it, like people with visual impairments using screen readers. When writing alt text, it's important to be descriptive and convey the key information or context of the image. A good alt text might look a little like this:
Image: profile picture of the streamer
Alt text: Close-up of the streamer's face, smiling and wearing headphones while seated in front of a gaming setup.
5. Highlight accessibility features in your streams
Raising awareness about accessibility features shows your commitment to inclusivity and helps your audience how to make the most of these features. Occasionally mentioning and showcasing accessibility features during your streams and providing guidance on how viewers can customize their experience for better accessibility can really make a difference.
6. Collaborate with accessibility advocates
If you’re really serious and committed to accessibility, collaborating with individuals or organizations focused on accessibility can offer valuable insights and help amplify your efforts. Reach out to accessibility advocates or organizations to explore collaboration opportunities or ask for advice. This could include guest appearances, joint awareness campaigns, or co-hosted events.
As content creators, the power to create and shape inclusive spaces lies in our hands. We hope this has helped make the topic a little more accessible to you. ;)
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