How can you design visual content for all users?

1 Consider your audience

Before you create any visual content, you need to understand who your audience is, what their needs and preferences are, and how they will consume your content. For example, if your audience includes people with visual impairments, you need to provide alternative text, captions, or audio descriptions for your images, videos, or graphs. If your audience speaks different languages, you need to use clear and simple language, avoid idioms or jargon, and offer translations or subtitles for your content. If your audience has different cultural backgrounds, you need to avoid stereotypes, biases, or offensive images, and use colors, symbols, and fonts that are appropriate and respectful.

2 Choose the right format

Depending on your goal, message, and audience, you need to choose the right format for your visual content. For example, if you want to explain a complex concept, a diagram, a flowchart, or an infographic might be more effective than a photo or a video. If you want to show a process, a timeline, or a sequence, a video, a GIF, or a slideshow might be more engaging than a static image. If you want to highlight a statistic, a quote, or a fact, a graphic, a meme, or a sticker might be more memorable than a text. Whatever format you choose, make sure it is relevant, clear, and consistent with your brand and tone.

3 Use contrast and alignment

One of the most important aspects of visual content design is contrast and alignment. Contrast refers to the difference between the elements of your visual content, such as colors, shapes, sizes, and fonts. Alignment refers to the arrangement of your visual content, such as margins, grids, and spacing. Contrast and alignment can help you create visual hierarchy, balance, and harmony in your content. For example, you can use contrast to draw attention to the most important information, create emphasis, or create mood. You can use alignment to organize your content, create structure, or create flow.

4 Optimize for mobile devices

More and more users are accessing content on their mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Therefore, you need to optimize your visual content for mobile devices, so that it is responsive, fast, and easy to use. For example, you need to use high-quality images and videos that can adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. You need to use simple and legible fonts that can be read on small screens. You need to use buttons, icons, and menus that can be tapped or swiped easily. You also need to test your visual content on different mobile devices and browsers to ensure that it works well and looks good.

5 Follow accessibility guidelines

Accessibility is the practice of making your content usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Accessibility is not only a legal requirement, but also a moral and ethical responsibility. By following accessibility guidelines, you can make your visual content more inclusive, diverse, and user-friendly. For example, you can use alt text, captions, or audio descriptions for your images, videos, or graphs, so that people who use screen readers or have low vision can access your content. You can use color contrast, font size, and text spacing, so that people who have color blindness or dyslexia can read your content. You can use subtitles, transcripts, or sign language, so that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can understand your content.

6 Test and evaluate your visual content

Finally, you need to test and evaluate your visual content to see if it meets your goals, message, and audience expectations. You can use various tools and methods to test and evaluate your visual content, such as analytics, surveys, feedback, or usability testing. For example, you can use analytics to measure how many people view, share, or interact with your visual content, and what devices, browsers, or platforms they use. You can use surveys or feedback to ask your audience what they think, feel, or learn from your visual content, and what they like or dislike about it. You can use usability testing to observe how your audience uses your visual content, and what problems or challenges they face.