How Digital Ads can Better Reach Consumers with Low Vision

BY Rachel Cagle
Featured image for “How Digital Ads can Better Reach Consumers with Low Vision”

When designing digital advertisements, there are a lot of factors advertisers need to consider to make them as visible as possible. But are you also taking steps to optimize your clients’ ads for the consumers who have trouble seeing? Christi Olson shared these tips through Search Engine Land for advertisers who want their digital ads to be more accessible to a wider range of consumers.

Align Text on the Left

If you’re mixing an ad’s text alignment, you’re at risk of confusing readers with 20/​20 vision as they try to keep up with where different sections of text begin. And you’re practically dooming the ad’s readability when it’s encountered by anyone with vision troubles. We’re used to beginning the reading process on the left, so that’s where digital ads’ text should begin as well. If you make a consistent path for the eyes to follow, the ad’s content will be easier for everyone to read.

Be Cautious of Color

A study by WebAIM found that 61% of consumers with low vision have issues with light or glare sensitivity and another 46% have contrast sensitivity. Additionally, there are plenty of colorblind consumers out there who can’t distinguish certain colors from others. So, it’s crucial to be mindful with an ad’s color scheme. Olson suggests using a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for an ad’s text (the equivalent of gray text on a white background). 

Be Mindful of Font Choices

Thin, wavy fonts look nice, but let’s face it, they’re a hassle to read. And the smaller the font size, the more of a chore reading becomes. Therefore, Olson urges advertisers to use basic fonts with sizes no smaller than 12. Also, don’t using blinking or moving text; that’s just irritating.

You can review examples of your clients' current display ads by running a Digital Audit on AdMall from SalesFuel. That way, you'll go into your pitch knowing exactly what your client needs to work on.


Share: