The last thing you’d ever want to do is exclude a person or group of people through your marketing. Yet many marketers and writers have made this mistake. Here’s what inclusive content really means, why you need to be creating it, and how to do it in a meaningful way.
What Does “Inclusive Content” Mean?
Inclusive content is any form of media (such as a blog post, a video, an image) that speaks to a broad and diverse audience without excluding anyone.
Use Diverse Images
Include photos of people from different backgrounds in your blog posts.
- This can include people of color, non-traditional families, and people of different sizes and abilities.
- Do away with stock photos altogether if you want to focus on writing more personally.
What does it mean to be more inclusive?
Being more inclusive with your content is about increasing the number of audience members who will be able to relate to your content, or see themselves within it. Avoid using discriminatory terms and do your research carefully when writing content so as to not intentionally cause harm.
Conclusion: How to Create Inclusive Content
Remember, this is just the beginning. Creating inclusive content is an ongoing process that requires you to grow and learn as a writer.
- Bookmark the stock photo libraries I highlighted and read up about inclusive words and phrases even more. Then get writing.
Use Inclusive Language
The words you use matter. They have the power to inspire, but they also have the ability to divide and exclude.
- When it comes to creating inclusive content, be careful about the language you choose. Adopting gender-neutral language should be the bare minimum.
Benefits of Inclusive Content
Grows your business
- Widens your target markets
- Raises the profile of your brand with everyone
- Inclusive content sells better
- Demonstrates your brand’s commitment to change
- More than half of consumers want to purchase brands that prioritize diversity and inclusion
Ask for Audience Input and Additional Help
Everyone has very different world views, and no one gets inclusive writing correct the first time you try it
- The more you discuss your work openly and invite readers to have their say, the quicker you can start creating genuinely inclusive content
Write in an Accessible Way
Use short words and short sentences to make it easier for readers to skim your content.
- Avoid industry jargon, abbreviations, and other specialized terms that the average consumer won’t understand. Use bullet points to break down lists of information.
Look for Blind Spots
Identify and fix your blind spots
- A target audience may help narrow your focus and improve your PPC campaigns, it won’t necessarily win you fans when it comes to your content.
- If language and imagery you use only appeals to a specific demographic, you risk alienating potential new customers.
- Inclusion and inclusivity are key
Make Your Content Accessible
If you want your writing to be accessible, then you need to start by making your entire site accessible
- Make sure screen readers can interact with every page on your site, but especially your blog.
- Attractively present your content from an accessibility standpoint
- Captions should also be added to videos.
