You’ve set up podcast hosting, created a killer title, and lined-up guest appearances for upcoming episodes.
But did you know that one in five people in the United States has a disability? That’s a lot of people! And many of those people listen to podcasts. Podcast listenership has been on the rise in recent years. So, your podcast must be accessible to everyone who wants to listen. This blog post will discuss five steps on how to make your podcast accessible for all listeners!
Why Should Your Podcast Be Accessible?
There are many reasons why your podcast should be accessible to everyone. Accessibility makes your content available to a broader audience, increasing listenership and engagement. In addition, making your podcast accessible demonstrates your commitment to inclusion and diversity. This is an important message that we should all be sending out into the world.
How To Make Your Podcast Accessible?
1. Publish a Transcript
One of the easiest ways to make your podcast more accessible is to publish a transcript. This will give deaf and hard-of-hearing listeners a way to follow along with the conversation, and it will also be helpful for listeners who are not native English speakers. You can either publish a full transcript of each episode or just include critical highlights.
Transcription services can be expensive, but a few affordable options are available. If you’re on a budget, you can try out a transcription service like Rev or Trint.
If you’re not interested in having a full transcript for each episode, you can also use speech recognition software to create a rough transcript of your podcast. This won’t be perfect, but it will give listeners a general idea of what was said.
Tools like Dragon Speech Recognition and Google Docs’ Voice Typing can be used to create rough transcripts.
2. Provide Captions on Video Components
Many podcasts include video components, such as interviews or demonstrations. If these videos are not captioned, they will be inaccessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing listeners.
Fortunately, adding captions to your videos is a relatively straightforward process. There are various services that can help you with this, such as Rev and Vimeo Subtitles. You can also create captions using a tool like YouTube’s Caption Editor.
Be sure to test your captions for accuracy and completeness. It’s also essential to ensure that the text is readable, especially when using a dark background or small font size.
3. Make Your Content Downloadable
Another way to make your podcast more accessible is to ensure that all of your content is downloadable. The content includes episode transcripts, captions, and any other supplementary materials.
You can use a tool like Dropbox or Google Drive to share your downloadable content with listeners. Alternatively, you can embed download links in your website or email newsletters.
Making your content available for download makes it easier for listeners to access, regardless of their internet connection or device.
4. Provide a Video Component
Many people with disabilities prefer to consume content in a visual format. If your podcast doesn’t include any videos, you’re missing out on a large audience.
Including videos in your podcast can be a great way to engage listeners and add value to your content. You can use videos to introduce episodes, recap previous episodes, or provide additional information.
Be sure to caption your videos and make them accessible to all viewers. You can use a tool like YouTube’s Caption Editor to create captions for your videos.
In addition, be mindful of the way you present your videos. Avoid using flashing lights or rapid movement, which can be jarring or distracting for some viewers.
5. Provide an Accessible Website
Your website is the first stop for many potential listeners. If your website is not accessible, they will be unable to access your podcast or any of its content.
There are several ways to make your website more accessible. You can use a tool like WebAIM’s Screen Reader Checklist to test your site’s accessibility issues.
You can also use a tool like WAVE to check for WCAG compliance.
In addition, be sure to use accessible fonts and colors, and make sure that your website is easy to navigate.
Conclusion
Making your podcast accessible is essential because it’s the right thing to do and can help you reach a wider audience. You can easily make your podcast more accessible to all listeners by following these five steps.