We live in a world of increasing diversity and inclusion, and it’s more important than ever to ensure your publications are borderless and reach a wide range of audiences. Luckily, various techniques come in handy that foster tolerance and understanding and let you build a strong and dedicated following. From using inclusive language to engaging diverse communities, these strategies will help you make people comfortable and encourage the acceptance of everyone.

What is Inclusive Content? 

Inclusive content (IC) is anything published that strives to be diverse by providing a sense of belonging to all readers regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or other identity markers. It seeks to make everyone feel included, valued, and seen without sacrificing its message or quality. In other words, it ensures everyone is represented and heard.

Generating diverse podcasts, videos, and blog posts are crucial because it allows you, as a creator, to communicate with the broadest possible audience in a meaningful way. It also shows your readers that you value their diverse perspectives and are willing to go out of your way to ensure they feel represented and appreciated. Plus, creating an IC strategy helps ensure your publications remain relevant and resonant even as demographics shift and evolve.

What Can Be Done to Make Your Publishing Activity More Comprehensive? 

In pursuing far-reaching diversity, you may consider re-fashioning your strategy to emphasize more inclusivity. How do you do that? Multiple approaches exist, yet the core ones are right below. Check them out:

Become Aware of Unconscious Bias

One of the first steps in creating more IC is to become aware of unconscious bias. Unconscious bias is a tendency to favor certain people or groups due to ingrained cultural beliefs or stereotypes. This can manifest in ways such as using words or images that exclude certain individuals, relying primarily on the same sources for quotes or data, or using outdated language that fails to recognize various issues. 

Make Your Publications Accessible to Everyone

Next, accessibility. Creating widely accessible publications is essential to make them diverse. To do this, consider adding captions to videos, providing transcripts for audio content, and using descriptive language on images or infographics. Additionally, look for ways to make your publications easier to read on mobile devices and ensure it is optimized for people with disabilities who may need to use assistive technology. Don’t hesitate to use  VistaCreate features to make clips easier to consume and understand. 

Hire Diverse Writers

Hiring diverse writers helps ensure your publications remain appropriate, providing various perspectives that may otherwise be overlooked. When recruiting writers for your team, consider the various life experiences they bring and how they may shape the content they create. If you already have an existing team, look for ways to encourage collaboration among members so that each person’s unique perspectives can be heard.

Remove Stereotypical or Biased Language

Auditing your language for any expressions or words perceived as biased or stereotypical is necessary when developing a posting strategy. This includes avoiding words that could be seen as harmful such as “disabled” or “special needs,” in favor of terms that celebrate inclusion, such as “uniquely abled” or “differently abled.” Moreover, when discussing different cultures and customs, strive to use respectful language that honors the rich history of these groups rather than perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

Welcome Feedback from Diverse Audiences

Be open to feedback from all readers, regardless of their identity or background. Inviting feedback from diverse audiences helps ensure your publications remain diverse and lets you better understand how different people respond to your work. It also gives you the opportunity to make changes quickly to remain attuned to the evolving needs of your readers.

Use Gender-Neutral Language Whenever Possible

Using gender-neutral language can help make everyone feel included and respected regardless of gender identity or expression. To make your publications more gender inclusive, look for language that may be perceived as sexist or patriarchal and move away from using gendered pronouns such as “he” or “she” in favor of more neutral terms like “they” or “one.” Also, consider revising titles or descriptions, so they no longer rely exclusively on male pronouns.

Include a Variety of Genders in Photos, Videos, and Texts

Multi-gender photos, videos, and written publications ensure that all readers feel represented and accepted. To do this, look for ways to incorporate images featuring diverse genders into your visuals. 

Diversify Your Media Sources

Seek diverse media sources to ensure that all voices are represented in your work. Rather than relying on the same outlets you’re familiar with, look into alternative publications and individuals who may provide a different perspective. By diversifying your media sources, you’ll be more likely to uncover data points or stories you might have overlooked. 

Connect Your Publications to Real-Life Issues That Affect Everyone

Doing so can help make it more inclusive by showing that you understand their experiences and are aware of their challenges. Identify stories or topics relevant to numerous identities or backgrounds and provide thoughtful commentary to help readers see how their lived experiences can be applied to the topic. 

Conclusion 

Creating diverse content is a positive step toward showing readers that their diverse perspectives are valued and appreciated. By taking the time to reflect on how unconscious bias might be influencing your publications and striving to include a variety of voices and perspectives, you can ensure that anything you produce remains relevant and resonant now and in the future.