Write accurate but concise alt text.

• Alt text should describe the most relevant parts of an image.
   
  • Ask yourself:
     
    • What’s the most valuable things to know about the image?
       
    • What does the image communicate?
       
    • What are the parts you need to describe to get your point across to a reader?
       
• Be concise: describe the image with roughly 20 words.
• You can practice writing appropriate alternative text by visiting the Poet Training Tool.

Use headings to give pages a logical and systemic structure.

• H1 for page titles
   
• H2 for sections
   
• H3 to H5 for subsections

Link text should tell the user where the link will take them.

• Avoid using language like "Click here" for link text.

Use bulleted or numbered lists when describing a series of items. Lists help users comprehend text more quickly. Writers can use them to reduce reader fatigue resulting from trying to comprehend dense or complex paragraphs.

• This means avoiding tables whenever possible.
   
• Present key terms and concepts
   
• Organize information into meaningful chunks
   
• Convey sequencing necessary for processes and procedures
   

Keep your paragraphs short.

• Paragraphs should be from 1 to 3 sentences.
   
• Shortened paragraphs make it easier for users to skim the page and easily find the information they're looking for.

Color contrast is measured as a ratio of brightness to darkness, the brightness of a color against the darkness of the color it appears on top of.

• Make sure foreground and background colors and all other visual indicators contrast each other substantially.
   
• Do not use Color as the sole means of conveying information. 
   
• When unsure, use a color accessibility checker, such as the WebAIM color contrast checker.
   

Simplify tables and include a header row and/or column and a summary, either in a caption or alt text.

• Associate descriptive text about a table with its respective table by including a <caption> element in HTML or alt text in Microsoft Word. 
   
• Captions are not necessary for each table, but can be helpful for screen reader users.
   
• Don't repeat the same text in the caption that appears in a heading preceding the table.
   
• The table caption can be visually formatted and positioned above or below the table as needed, but on webpages, the <caption> element must be the first one after the opening <table> tag.

if you have any questions about using tables on a web page, please reach out ASC Web Services.