Let’s start with something obvious. You know that joyful feeling when you stumble on a video that’s exactly what you needed? Maybe it’s a tutorial that teaches you a shortcut that saves your day. Maybe it’s a behind-the-scenes story that pulls back the curtain on a brand you love. Or maybe it’s just a really cute dog doing surprisingly athletic things.
Now imagine that moment being totally out of reach because the video wasn’t designed for you. Maybe you can’t hear the narration. Maybe you can’t see what’s happening. Maybe the captions are wrong or missing. Maybe there’s no transcript so a screen reader can’t help you. Suddenly, that moment of joy becomes a moment of exclusion.
At AOR, we believe content should be for everyone because people come first. Always. And that means designing video experiences that aren’t just beautiful and well-branded but usable, understandable, and accessible to every audience. Video accessibility isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s fundamental to human-centered communication.
Think of video accessibility as giving everyone a seat at the table. It ensures that people with visual, auditory, cognitive, or mobility disabilities can fully experience and understand video content. When a video is accessible, it:
Accessible video often includes features like captions, audio descriptions, transcripts, careful use of color and contrast, readable typography, clear narration, and logical structure. We’ll define all of those terms later in this article.
In short, if your video can be understood without requiring one specific sense or one specific device, you’re doing accessibility right.
But seriously, we hope you’ll come along with us as we bring our expertise to the screen!
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Accessibility isn’t an after-the-fact patch. Trying to tack on captions the day before a video goes live is like trying to frost a cake after you’ve already shipped it to someone’s house.
Instead, accessibility should be baked into the entire creative workflow. When you plan for it early:
Including accessibility from the start is an efficient, smart, people-first design. And honestly, it just makes your content better.
Let’s talk about the big reasons video accessibility matters.
If you’re operating in the United States, your video content may fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 508 requirements. These guidelines ensure that digital content, including video, is accessible to people with disabilities. Many lawsuits have resulted from missing captions, unreadable on-screen text, or inaccessible video players.
Even if you’re outside of U.S. jurisdiction, similar laws exist around the world. Compliance isn’t something brands can afford to ignore.
This one’s simple. People deserve equal access to information. Period. Ensuring that everyone can watch, learn, and participate is a reflection of your values as an organization. It demonstrates empathy, inclusion, and thoughtful communication.
When brands demonstrate accessibility-first thinking, they signal that they see their audience as human beings, not just users or data points.
Captioned videos are watched more often. Transcripts help searchers discover your content. Inclusive design increases engagement because you’re reaching:
Accessibility expands your audience instantly.
Search engines can’t watch your video. Really. They’re not sitting around eating popcorn and analyzing your latest brand story. They rely on text.
That means captions, transcripts, long descriptions, metadata, alt text, structured data, and even on-screen text all help search engines understand your content. This improves:
Accessible video is simply better video. When your content is clear, well-paced, flexible, and thoughtfully structured, it improves the experience for everyone, not just those who rely on accessibility tools.
Good accessibility = good UX.
Here are foundational approaches to integrate accessibility into every project:
Based on standards from ADA Site Compliance and accessibility best practices, here are ten essential features your videos should include:
These features protect your brand legally, but more importantly, they extend your message to everyone who wants it. With accessible videos, you’re not limiting your audience to those who consume content exactly the way you imagined it. You’re inviting more people into the story.
And when you do that, you build trust. You demonstrate that your brand is thoughtful, human, and future-friendly.
YouTube is one of the most accessibility-friendly platforms, but you still need to optimize your content to get the full benefit.
Captions: Text that appears on screen to represent spoken words and important sounds.
Subtitles: Text that translates dialogue into another language.
Audio Description: Additional narration describing visual elements.
Transcript: A written version of the spoken and visual content.
Contrast Ratio: The difference between text and background brightness.
Screen Reader: Software that reads text aloud for people who are blind or low-vision.
Alt Text: Written descriptions of images or visual assets.
WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that define modern accessibility standards.
Keyboard Navigation: Using a keyboard instead of a mouse to browse content.
Closed vs Open Captions: Closed can be turned on or off. Open are always visible.
When brands commit to video accessibility, they unlock a powerful combination of creativity, empathy, and technical excellence. They expand their audience. They future-proof their content. They create better experiences. And they send a clear message: everyone belongs here.
At AOR, that belief sits at the heart of every project. People come first. Accessible video isn’t just a compliance requirement. It’s a way to make your story reach farther, land harder, and resonate with every person who wants to connect with you.
And honestly, who doesn’t want more people connecting with their content?