Avoid common mistakes when creating content for Connects with this useful article from IT.
When creating content, you might be in a rush to get it published as quickly as possible. This can result in falling into some common accessibility mistakes when editing.
Whether you’re sending your page content to the Web and Digital Experience Team to review and publish, or you edit your own site, you should be aware of how best to present your information. Some of the most common issues and best practice can be found below:
Up to date content
Consider how long your content will be relevant. For example, if you are linking to a form that has only to be completed during a certain timeframe, you should schedule to have regular content updates made. This ensures no one is reading or accessing anything out of date.
Make your links descriptive
A reader should understand what a link is and where it will take them. When you use a full URL for your link (for example, https://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/) this can be time consuming for a screen reader to announce and might frustrate the reader. Instead, a descriptive link would be the North Ayrshire Council website. You should also avoid using phrases like ‘click here’ as your link as this is not descriptive.
Clear and ordered headings
Headings are important in structuring page content. The page should start with a Heading 1 for the main title (Connects applies a Heading 1 automatically within the Title field). After this point it should be:
- Heading 2 for subheadings
- Heading 3 beneath those subheadings
- and so on for Heading 4, 5 and 6 as required
This makes it easier for screen reader users to understand the structure of the document and navigate the headings.
Use tables appropriately
Tables can be used on pages to present certain information. You should consider, though, if it is the best option. Tables shouldn’t be used to style content on a page. A table only containing one column of information, for instance, would be unnecessary as it wouldn’t be following any kind of tabular sequence. To be accessible a table must have a header row to support the content of each column and should avoid merged or split cells as this can cause confusion with screen readers.