Planning, drafting, publishing, and monitoring web content can feel like a full time job. Add in quality assurance, accessibility compliance, and improving search engine optimization and it can start to feel a bit overwhelming. However, getting started is as easy as blocking out a consistent time on your calendar each week to check in with your content.
Getting Started – Acquia Optimize Access and Reports
If you have access to Acquia Optimize, you should receive a report each week outlining results from the latest scan. This report provides an overview of your sites quality assurance, accessibility, and search engine optimization. To learn more about this report see Acquia Optimize: Review Scan Report.
After reviewing your scan report, decide how much time you can dedicate each week to making edits to your content. Here’s an example of what you can get done in 15, 30, and 60 minutes each week.
15 Minutes – Fix what’s broken
If you’re short on time, the best thing you can do is spend a 15 minutes each week fixing anything that’s broken.
This includes:
- Resolving broken links
- Correcting misspelled words
- Remediating accessibility errors
- Reviewing policy violations
Set your timer for 15 minutes
After reviewing your weekly scan report, set a timer for 15 minutes and fix as many broken images and links as you can. If you finish fixing all the broken links and images (or you don’t have any to begin with) and you still have time on the clock, move onto correcting any misspelled words. Once you are done with these issues, focus on resolving any accessibility errors and finally policy violations.
Continue in this order each week until your weekly report is free of errors. Once your site is free of issues, spend 15 minutes each week on professional development.
This includes:
- Reading about web accessibility topics
- Catching up on WordPress news
- Improving SEO with Acquia Optimize suggestions
30 Minutes – Review documents, media, and images
If you have 30 minutes each week to dedicate to monitoring and maintaining your website, you can add some additional activities into your routine. First, complete the procedure outlined in the 15 minute section, then spend an additional 15 minutes:
- Reviewing any PDFs published on your site
- Evaluating any media and videos for accessibility
- Optimizing your images
Set your timer for 30 minutes
After reviewing your weekly scan report, set a timer for 15 minutes and fix as many broken images and links as you can. If you finish fixing all the broken links and images (or you don’t have any to begin with) and you still have time on the clock, move onto correcting any misspelled words. Once you are done with these issues, focus on resolving any accessibility errors and finally policy violations.
Next, set your timer for another 15 minutes and review any PDFs to determine if you can update them with a more accessible version, like a webpage. If you don’t have any documents on your site, review any videos you have published and ensure you have accurate captions, descriptions, and transcripts. If you don’t have any videos, review any images you may have published to ensure alternative text descriptions are accurate.
Continue in this order each week until your weekly report is free of errors. Once your site is free of issues, spend 30 minutes each week on professional development.
This includes:
- Learning more about designing for web accessibility
- Listening to a podcast about web accessibility
- Practicing using NVDA screen reader to review webpages
60 Minutes – Learn a new skill
If you have 60 minutes each week to dedicate to monitoring and maintaining your website, you can add some additional activities into your routine. First, complete the procedure outlined in the 15 and 30 minute sections, then spend 30 minutes learning a new skill.
Set your timer for 60 minutes
After reviewing your weekly scan report, set a timer for 15 minutes and fix as many broken images and links as you can. If you finish fixing all the broken links and images (or you don’t have any to begin with) and you still have time on the clock, move onto correcting any misspelled words. Once you are done with these issues, focus on resolving any accessibility errors and finally policy violations.
Next, set your timer for another 15-30 minutes and review any PDFs to determine if you can update them with a more accessible version, like a webpage. If you don’t have any documents on your site, review any videos you have published and ensure you have accurate captions, descriptions, and transcripts. If you don’t have any videos, review any images you may have published to ensure alternative text descriptions are accurate.
Finally, set your timer for a final 15-30 minutes and practice a new skill.
This includes:
- Reviewing Accessibility Guides and Resources
- Creating accessible media
- Making accessible documents
- Learning about user personas
- Exploring Learning Opportunities
- Scheduling a meeting with the OIT Web Accessibility Team
Continue in this order each week until your weekly report is free of errors. Once your site is free of issues, spend 60 minutes each week on professional development.