Accessibility Checklist for Content Editors

Use this checklist when creating or updating web content. Focus on the content and formatting choices you control in the content management system.

Page Structure and Headings

  • Give the page a clear, descriptive title.
  • Use headings to organize content into meaningful sections.
  • Use heading levels in a logical order. Do not choose a heading level based on how it looks.
  • Do not use bold, larger text, or ALL CAPS instead of a heading.
  • Break up long sections with headings, lists, and shorter paragraphs.

Links

  • Write link text that describes the destination or purpose.
  • Avoid vague link text such as “click here” or “read more” when it does not make sense on its own.
  • Avoid displaying a full URL as link text unless users need to see the address.
  • Check that links work before publishing.
  • Do not use identical link text for different destinations when that would make the links unclear.

Images

  • Add alternative text to images that communicate information.
  • Describe the image’s purpose or meaning in context rather than every visual detail.
  • Mark decorative images as decorative or use empty alt text when the CMS provides that option.
  • Do not begin alt text with “image of” or “picture of” unless that information is important.
  • Do not put important information only in an image.
  • If an image contains important text, provide the same information as real text on the page.

Lists and Tables

  • Use the CMS list tools instead of typing your own bullets or numbers.
  • Use numbered lists when sequence matters and bulleted lists when it does not.
  • Use tables for data, not page layout.
  • Identify table row and/or column headers.
  • Keep tables simple and avoid merged or split cells when possible.

Documents and Multimedia

  • Make sure PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint files, and other downloads are accessible before posting.
  • Use an accessible HTML webpage instead of a document when the information can reasonably be web content.
  • Provide accurate captions for videos with spoken audio and review automatically generated captions.
  • Provide a transcript for audio-only content.
  • Make sure important visual information in video is communicated audibly or through audio description when needed.

Writing and Before Publishing

  • Use clear, plain language appropriate for the audience.
  • Explain unfamiliar acronyms the first time they are used.
  • Do not rely only on color, shape, size, or location to communicate instructions or meaning.
  • Review the page with the CMS accessibility checker, if available.
  • Preview the page and correct accessibility issues you can address before publishing.

Accessibility is a shared responsibility. Use this checklist as a practical starting point and seek additional accessibility expertise when needed.

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