How do you create an accessible podcast?

As disability awareness increases, there is a call for us all to do better.

We’re lucky to live in a time of increased knowledge, dialogue, and access to information — especially around disabilities that are generally invisible — and the onus is on content creators to expand their circle of consideration beyond able-bodied folks.

When creating content of any kind, it’s important that we consider limitations that we might not personally have. In the case of podcasts, it would be a mistake to assume that our audience can see or hear perfectly — or at all.

If you’ve gone to the trouble of creating a high-value, content-packed podcast, it stands to reason that a wide array of folks with very different circumstances may want to access it. We should do our very best to make that possible for as many people as we can if for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do.

Let’s take a look at how we can be more accommodating, yeah?

Accessibility for people with hearing loss

Given that podcasts are a listening medium, it’s paramount that we consider anyone who might have partial or total hearing loss in creating our shows.

Here are a few steps you can take to make your podcast more accessible:

• Publish a transcript. This can empower folks to read your episode start to finish or, in the case of partial hearing loss, follow along. It also happens to be great for SEO.
• Provide captions where necessary. In the case of video content, or social media and marketing content that includes audio, we should always strive to include captions.
• Make sure the podcast is downloadable. This way, if an audience member needs to use a special platform to consume your content, that option will be available to them.
• Provide a video component. This not only provides an opportunity for captions, but can be helpful for folks who use lip reading to navigate hearing loss.
• Choose podcast apps with speed and volume control. Give your listeners options by allowing them to adjust volume, or turn the speed of your episode up or down.

Accessibility for people with vision loss or limitations

Since there are many visual elements that go along with a podcast series — from social media assets to the platform you’re hosting on — we should also be sure to consider folks with vision loss or limitations.

Here are a few more steps you should be sure to follow:

• Always provide alt text. This backend step explains non-text assets — such as photos, graphics, or audio players — to folks who might not be able to see them.
• Choose the right audio player. An accessible audio player with keyboard functionality is also a must. This can help audience members that can’t see on-screen buttons.
• Choose high-contrast design. In the event that an audience member is visually impaired — but can still see — a high contrast design can help them navigate your content.
• Design for the color blind. Around 7% of the world’s population has some level of color vision deficiency. It’s crucial that we work with designers who consider these barriers when creating visual assets.
• Be screen reader ready. Your content should be usable with screen readers always. This is crucial for folks who can’t see or make out the words on a screen.

The time is now

Ultimately, while increased accessibility will also be good for your podcast, we should all be making these accommodations simply because they matter. Inclusion matters. While absolute inclusion may be tricky, it should be every creator’s goal to accommodate as many folks as they can with the information that they have at any given moment.

And for the record, if you’d like to create an accessible branded podcast, we can help you do just that.

Did we choose the wrong words or miss a crucial element? Please don’t hesitate to correct us. While we’ve been careful with our word choice and recommendations, we don’t presume to know everything or speak for anyone.

Written by Roger Nairn, JarAudio.com