How to make your Digital Marketing more Inclusive for neurodivergent consumers

In today’s marketing world, diversity and inclusion in many different areas have become a much more important consideration for brands as well as employers, with many starting to hold themselves accountable and put genuine measures in place. Digital accessibility is the principle of ensuring those with disabilities, such as sight or hearing loss. But many people like neurodivergent people have a hidden disability, albeit one that still affects their experience of navigating online.

It’s estimated that one in seven people is considered to be neurodivergent. That’s a large portion of the world’s population. Neurodivergent people see and experience the world differently to neurotypical people (those whose brain functions are seen as ‘standard’). Autistic people, dyslexic people, dyspraxic people, and those with ADHD, for instance, are part of the neurodivergent population.

Developing digital communications and accessible designs that are inclusive to neurodivergent consumers and those with all sorts of disabilities will ensure you’re not alienating people because of their differences—it will also help you connect with a wider audience of highly-engaged users.

Here we look at how you can make your content more inclusive for neurodivergent users while considering the vital importance of neurodiversity in marketing.

01 Make your messaging plain & simple to the point

To make your copy and communications more inclusive to neurodivergent consumers, you should always write in a way that is literal, punchy and to the point.

Avoid abstract phrases where possible and only include what is absolutely vital in your communications. If you use obscure language or jargon, you’re likely to confuse certain users and they will go elsewhere.

Let’s say you’re a brand that makes folding bicycles. A sentence like this on your website might confuse or put off some site visitors:

With a bi-folding titanium patented microframe, our flagship folding bike will make you fly across the city streets.

Here, the copy lists jargon-like details that display no clear benefit. The term ‘fly’ may also confuse a neurodivergent reader, as literally speaking, bikes don’t fly.

Here’s a more inclusive sentence that addresses these issues:

Our most popular folding bike packs away in minutes and its lightweight frame makes it a joy to ride through city streets.

Here are a few more hints on how to make your copy more inclusive:

• Write in the active voice rather than the passive voice as much as you can, e.g. “store the bike indoors” instead of “the bike can be stored indoors”.

• Take the time to edit your copy a few times before signing it off. That way, you can ‘trim the fat’ and get rid of anything that you feel isn’t critical to your key messaging

• Make sure your content follows a logical format. Tell a story that guides your user step-by-step

• Break your content down into small, scannable chunks. Don’t overuse font formatting like bold or italics, and use logical subheadings to navigate your users through your content

• Use a platform or app like Hemingway, Readable or ChatGPT for AI-powered feedback on how to make your copy punchier and easy to read

02 Choose cohesive color schemes

Another important inclusive consideration when it comes to inclusive content is visuals more specifically, colors.

Many neurodivergent users find it challenging to process colors that appear too bright or contrasting. So, using more understated colors with pastel tones or single-hues will make your content designs (landing pages, blog posts, emails, app screens, etc.) less overwhelming.

Using a maximum of three complementary colors on a white background is generally the best approach when it comes to making your content design more inclusive for neurodivergent users. Using these colors consistently on-page is also important as it will reduce mental stress or burnout.

For instance, you can assign one color to anchor text, one color to CTA buttons, and one color to headings to avoid confusion or frustration.

03 Offer your content in a choice of formats

One of the most effective ways of making your digital marketing content is to offer it in a range of formats. Doing so will ensure your consumers can access what you have to offer in a way they feel most comfortable.

Here are some formats to consider:

• Audio reading or transcription features that narrate your text and offer audio prompts as your consumers browse through your content

• Fully descriptive subtitles for any form of video or animated visual content, like Mayoclinic’s informational videos, complete with embedded subtitles and video transcripts:

• Extra pieces of user experience (UX) or microcopy that offers practical prompts or descriptions as you hover over every design element (buttons, text, imagery, input boxes, etc.). This can provide clear advice on how to navigate your way through the page. Mayoclinic, for example, offers its users an interactive on-page keyboard to make it easier for its users to search for information on diseases and conditions:

04 Be more aware of digital accessibility

Considering neurodivergent users for your online content is just one part of a greater awareness of accessibility issues for your brand.

The Digital Marketing Institute has been partnering with accessibility experts TPGi to create UX practices that cater to all users of our programs, resources, webinars and other areas. This includes working within official Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG ) and performing a VPAT to ensure conformity to those.

To learn more about digital accessibility, read our three-part series on what marketers need to know, check out our webinar on accessibility, and listen to our podcast on accessibility featuring two guests who speak from their own experiences of autism and sight loss.