This month, we’ve released some major improvements to accessibility on the Webex Events platform and the Event App. Watch the following video, or keep reading to find out more!  

Alt text 

We’re excited to announce that planners and attendees can now add alt text to images! This is a huge deal since alt text is vital for explaining visual content. Alt text is essentially the text equivalent of an image, and it describes what’s happening, greatly helping those who don’t see the image. 

Screen readers announce alt text for people, primarily folks who are blind or have low vision and rely on assistive technology to navigate websites and read web content. Alt text also appears when images don’t load due to low bandwidth issues, or when images are turned off in a browser to ease cognitive load. Plus, it improves Search Engine Optimization (SEO). So, adding alt text in the platform and beyond is a win-win for everyone!

Adding alt text in Webex Events 

After reading the last paragraph, I’m sure you’re super jazzed to start adding alt text to images far and wide throughout Webex Events. Well, I’m excited to tell you how! 

After selecting an image to upload to an area of the Webex Events platform, click the Add alt text button. Add a brief description up to 250 characters about the image, or check the Mark as decorative box if the image is more of an embellishment or a background element that doesn’t add contextual information. When you’re done, click Save and continue through the upload process. 

Keep in mind, at this time it’s not possible to edit alt text. To change alt text you’ve already added to an image, you’ll need to re-upload that image. 

We’ve created a new article in our knowledge base that has tips and resources for writing great alt text to help you learn more. Be sure to update your Branded App to the latest version so attendees can start using alt text!

Focus indicators 

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time keeping track of some things, whether it’s the last time I saw my keys and phone, or which tab I opened last (I usually have too many tabs open to count). Oops! So, I really appreciate this next accessibility improvement to the Webex Events platform, and hopefully you will, too.  

We’ve added focus outlines to the platform to provide a visual frame of reference and help you quickly understand what part of the platform you’re interacting with. Focus indicators clue you in on which elements are clickable, like buttons, expandable menus, items in the Event navigation bar, and checkboxes. They're also incredibly important if you’re navigating the platform with a keyboard and aren’t using a mouse.  

We're excited to bring more accessibility improvements to you in the near future, so stay tuned! 

That's all for today, folks! Here are your next steps: 

1. Explore these new changes on the Webex Events platform 

1. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly updates, tips, and more!