Accessible Web Content 3: Writing Guidelines for Accessible Websites
This article is written as part of our Accessible Web Content series.
Maximum and suggested word counts
Mangrove websites are designed and developed with layer types and components that in turn form the unique pages upon which our sites are designed. While the strategy behind every website is different, as a general rule, we recommend the maximum counts outlined below.
Page headlines
Description: H1: page name
Maximum word counts: 3 words
Page subheads
Description: H2/H3/H4: subheads placed throughout the page to break up content
Maximum word counts: 2 words
Story headlines
Description: H1: story/news/event name
Maximum word counts: 6 words
Story subheads
Description: H2: story/news subhead, appearing directly under the headline
Maximum word counts: 12 words
Opening messages
Description: Larger opening text introducing a section
Maximum word counts: 25 words
Intro text
Description: Smaller intro text expanding on the intro to the section or intro text for a page
Maximum word counts: 50 words + subhead
Executive summaries
Description: Short summaries shown at the top of content-heavy pages
Maximum word counts: 30 words
Short excerpt
Description: Short excerpts describing a story/news/event post – often appears as preview text on other pages promoting the post
Maximum word counts: 8 words
Long excerpt
Description: Longer excerpt offering a more descriptive explanation of a story/news/events post
Maximum word counts: 40 words
Full-width callout
Description: Larger callout promoting another section or page within the site
Maximum word counts: 25 words + subhead
Half-width callout
Description: Smaller callout promoting another section or page within the site
Maximum word counts: 15 words + subhead
Short blurb
Description: Small chunk of text linking to another page or describing an element on the page
Maximum word counts: 15 words + name of blurb
Call to action
Description: Text promoting a specific action by the user
Maximum word counts: 8 words + button
Testimonial
Description: Quotes
Maximum word counts: 40 words + name/title
Buttons
Description: Button label text
Maximum word counts: 1-2 words
Page content
Description
Paragraph content, typically the most lengthy on the page. Can include subheads, bulleted and numbered lists, etc. Is sometimes broken up by other layer types to make the content more readable and scannable.
Including all other content on the page, 300 word minimum for best SEO — an average of 600-700 words for page content across the site is optimal for SEO but quality of content is most important. Some pages may require a longer length.
FAQs
Description: Question and answer
Maximum word counts: 8 word question, 50 word answer
Label or caption
Description: Caption, credit or label under an image or graphic
Maximum word counts: 15 words
WCAG Compliance
WCAG compliance is not the end-all be-all of accessibility. Even if your website is 100% AAA WCAG compliant, it still won’t be accessible to everybody. That said, it’s a great tool to use to gauge needs and how to move forward.
Relevant WCAG Criterion
For more detailed information straight from the source, visit the following page:
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A Certified B Corp, Mangrove is a woman-owned website design and development company with a diverse, talented team distributed around the globe. We’ve been building websites since 2009 that amplify the work of change-making organizations and increase the competitive power of businesses owned by historically marginalized people.
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