How to Make your Content Accessible | Civio Engage Knowledge Base [Skip to content](#main) [ ![Civio Engage Knowledge Base](/civio-light.svg) ](https://engage.knowledge.civ.io) [Product documentation](/articles) [Release notes](/releases) [Roadmap](/roadmap) [ Support portal ](https://engage.knowledge.civ.io/portal/login) Toggle navigation [Product documentation](/articles) [Release notes](/releases) [Roadmap](/roadmap) [Support portal](https://engage.knowledge.civ.io/portal/login) 1. [Home](/) › 2. [Product documentation](/articles) › 3. [Knowledge mastery](/articles?category=10) › 4. How to Make your Content Accessible How to Make your Content Accessible =================================== Updated 1 month ago · 3 min read Search Search Using inclusive and accessible content will ensure your engagement project has wide reach and resonates across the community. Here's what to keep in mind when designing a community engagement project. Understand your community ------------------------- Begin with a thorough understanding of the community you're engaging. Use **surveys**, **interviews**, and **data analysis tools** to gather insights, and conduct research to identify the various demographics, including: - age - language - ability - gender - cultural backgrounds. The more you know about your audience, the better equipped you'll be to create an effective engagement strategy. Language and communication -------------------------- Language is a significant barrier to engagement. Here are some tips to ensure everyone can understand the content in your engagement project. - Offer content in multiple languages. Do this by adding extra project pages with content translated into key language groups. - Use clear, simple language and **avoid jargon**. As a guide, aim to use language that can be understood by a 12 year old. - Visual aids, such as maps, infographics and videos, can convey complex information more easily. Digital accessibility --------------------- Civio Engage includes built-in accessibility features to help you meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This includes: - providing text alternatives for non-text content - accessibility tooltips for alt text fields on image uploads, helping content editors write meaningful alternative text - ensuring your website is navigable by keyboard - using accessible colours and fonts - WCAG-compliant error message handling with screen reader announcements, so users of assistive technologies are notified of form errors - enforcing proper heading hierarchy within content blocks (H3 and below) to maintain a logical content structure for screen readers The alt text field is labelled **Image alt** on content forms, and **Alt text** in the editor's image window and in the gallery and card blocks. Its tooltip reads: Describe the image for screen readers, and when the image can't load. A few image fields do not have their own alt field, for example map assets, which use the asset's title as the alt text. ![The Add a primary image group on a project's edit form, with the Image alt label and the Required for accessibility help line, and the field's help tooltip open, explaining that alt text describes the image for screen readers and when the image cannot load.](https://engage.knowledge.civ.io/storage/1Xili1XzM3YN17JWgbEl7Pcf7PVjyttl6C6T5NCK.png) Diverse representation ---------------------- Ensure that the images, testimonials, and case studies on your website reflect the diversity of your community. Highlighting stories and voices from different backgrounds makes everyone feel included. This encourages broader participation. Inclusive participation methods ------------------------------- Not everyone has the same level of digital literacy or access to technology. Offer various ways for community members to engage with your project, such as: - in-person meetings - phone calls - paper surveys - door knocking - town hall forums - pop-up stalls - community events. Hybrid approaches can bridge the gap between online and offline engagement. For more on hybrid approaches, see [Hybrid consultations: Enhancing community engagement for all](/articles/9496024879247-Hybrid-consultations-Enhancing-community-engagement-for-all). Addressing barriers to participation ------------------------------------ What are the barriers that prevent people from participating in community engagement projects? - Inaccessible meeting locations - Lack of public or private transport - Inconvenient work schedules - Lack of child care - Need for language interpreters - Lack of trust in engagement process Providing sign language interpreters, transportation assistance, or childcare during meetings to remove any obstacles. Feedback and continuous improvement ----------------------------------- Continuously improve your engagement efforts by making adjustments based on community feedback. Build trust and encourage ongoing participation by demonstrating that you listen to feedback and and act on it. Training and support -------------------- Give your team training on cultural competency, digital accessibility, and effective communication strategies. Use **Civio Engage**'s resources and support features to enhance your team's capabilities and confidence in managing diverse engagement projects. The key to successful engagement is making sure every voice is heard and valued. Understand your community, use digital tools with accessible features, and champion representation and inclusivity, to create impactful engagement projects that resonate with everyone. With features that simplify the process of creating inclusive and accessible projects, [Civio Engage](https://www.civ.io/community-engagement) can to help you build stronger, more connected communities. Was this article helpful? ------------------------- Your feedback helps us prioritise what to rewrite. Yes No [ Back to Knowledge mastery ](/articles?category=10) On this page ### Still need help? Raise a request in the support portal and track it to resolution. [ Submit a support request ](https://engage.knowledge.civ.io/portal/login) Submit a support request through the [support portal](/portal) or email . © 2026 [Civio](https://civ.io) [Privacy Policy](/articles/privacy-policy) [Terms of Use](/articles/terms-of-use)