How to Design for Digital Accessibility: A Quick Guide for Creatives
As a creative – whether you’re a designer, illustrator, content creator or visual storyteller, your work is about communication. And that communication should reach as many people as possible.
That’s where accessibility comes in.
Designing for digital accessibility doesn’t mean compromising your creative vision. It means applying thoughtful choices that make your work easier to read, understand, and experience – especially for people who experience the digital world differently.
What is digital accessibility in a creative context?
Digital accessibility means designing content that works for everyone – including people with visual impairments, cognitive processing differences, and motor or hearing challenges.
As a creative, this means thinking about:
Font choice and hierarchy
Colour and contrast
Layout and spacing
Alt text for images
The structure of text and graphics
It’s not about adding more. It’s about designing with more people in mind.
Why this matters now
The European Accessibility Act is coming into force in 2025. While it’s aimed at businesses and platforms, it’s already influencing expectations around digital design – including in the creative world.
Clients are starting to ask about accessibility. Audiences are expecting it. And platforms like Canva, Adobe, Instagram, and LinkedIn are introducing features to support it.
Building accessible design habits now helps you:
Futureproof your work
Expand your audience reach
Deliver better outcomes for clients
Align with ethical, inclusive practice
5 accessibility principles every creative should know
You don’t need to redesign your process from scratch, these five small shifts can make a big difference.
1. Choose typefaces for clarity, not trend
Avoid ultra-thin or overly decorative fonts in body text. Use simple, well-spaced sans serifs like Poppins, Montserrat, or Figtree. Steer clear of all-caps for paragraphs or long headings — it reduces readability and disrupts word shape recognition (which matters for screen readers and dyslexic users).
2. Check colour contrast before you export
Designs that look beautiful in your workspace might not meet basic contrast standards. Use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker or Canva’s accessibility checker. A high-contrast design is both more accessible and more striking.
3. Use spacing and hierarchy to guide the eye
Accessible design isn’t just about font or colour – it’s also about layout. Use white space generously. Stick to consistent heading levels. Avoid cramming too much text into tight boxes or overlapping images.
4. Add alt text where possible
Alt text describes the content of an image for users who can’t see it. If your work is being shared online (e.g. on Instagram, LinkedIn or websites), include image descriptions or offer guidance to clients on writing them. For illustrators or artists, focus on the purpose or feel of the image, not just its literal parts.
5. Design for how people actually consume content
Lots of people scroll fast, with low brightness, on a cracked phone screen – or with a screen reader. Ask yourself:
If someone couldn’t see the visuals, would the message still land?
If someone zoomed in or used a screen reader, would it make sense?
This doesn’t limit your creativity – it deepens your design thinking.
Accessibility isn’t a trend – it’s good creative practice
Being a creative means paying attention to the details. Accessibility is just another layer of that.
Whether you’re designing digital products, social media templates, brand assets or client content, starting with accessibility in mind leads to better, more intentional work – for everyone.
Want support creating more inclusive social media content?
If you’d like to make your content more accessible but aren’t sure where to start, I offer front-end social media audits to help creatives spot small changes that make a big difference. I’ll guide you through the practical steps – building your knowledge and confidence so you can design in a way that feels right for you, without the overwhelm.
📩 contact me today if you’d like to review your content together.
