Inclusive Marketing Ideas for Neurodivergent People

 

Inclusive Marketing Ideas for Neurodivergent People

It is estimated that one in seven people is neurodivergent and experiences the world differently. As we move into the digital age, we also need to recognize the strengths and challenges faced by neurodivergent people and curate inclusive marketing strategies.

The price of digital accessibility ensures diversity and inclusion in all areas of digital marketing. Developing digital communication strategies and designs that are approachable even to persons with disabilities or neurodivergent consumers ensures that you are not alienating your audience because of their differences and can reach a wider audience for higher engagement.

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation of neurological traits and abilities in human beings. It recognizes that people have different brain-wiring and processing styles and that this diversity should be accepted and celebrated rather than pathologized or stigmatized. The term ‘Neurodiversity’ was coined by the Australian sociologist Judy Singer in the late 1990s. It has since been embraced by various groups advocating for the rights and inclusion of people with neurological differences, such as autism, Aspergers, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome, and others.

It is estimated that one in seven people is neurodivergent and experiences the world differently. As we move into the digital age, we also need to recognize the strengths and challenges faced by neurodivergent people and curate inclusive marketing strategies. As a leading digital marketing agency, SkyTrust has listed out some of the most important things to be remembered when curating content on the basis of inclusivity and accessibility.

How to curate effective digital marketing content for neurodivergent people?

Neurodivergent people experience the world differently. Colors, images, videos, or presentations might not make a similar sense to them as to others. Here are some online marketing tips to make neurodivergent people a part of this system digitally and physically.

• Stick to the point – To make your content more inclusive for neurodivergent people, one of the best strategies is to cut the fluff and keep your message simple and to the point. Avoid using metaphors or jargon, as it may lead your audience in a different direction. Include only the relevant words that convey the literal meaning of your thought. Most importantly, write in an active voice and break the content into small scannable chunks.
• Subtle color scheme – A cohesive color palette is essential for inclusive content consideration. Many neurodivergent people are likely to dislike too bright or contrasting colors. So, pastel and undertone colors might make your digital content more readable for them. It is often preferred to use a maximum of three complementing color tones on a white background and define each color to a content type. For example, set a single color for CTA buttons, one for anchor text, and one color for headings to avoid mental stress and confusion.
• Cover all formats – Consumer marketing involves spreading messages in different styles and formats to a vast audience. Many neurodivergent people might find it challenging to consume information in a single format. Therefore, to make it easily understandable to a mass audience, use multiple formats. Some common formats are – Audio reading, detailed and descriptive subtitles for any video or visual content, Audio prompts of any element as you hover over it, easy customization for brightness or contrast for a particular page or website, etc.

Use non-offensive words – Many times, we use words we feel guilty about after saying. To avoid such situations, ensure to use less offensive terms and be more gender neutral.

Achieving a culture of diversity and inclusion doesn’t only involve running digital marketing campaigns for neurodivergent people, it also requires having neurodivergent marketers on the team to understand details in a real-time manner. To understand the importance of digital marketing, one must be inclusive in the hiring process as well. Many neurodivergent audiences struggle to find successful employment, but focusing on inclusivity in digital marketing can benefit many.

Dan Harris, CEO of Neurodiversity in Business (NIB) said, “Businesses around the country are waking up to the enormous benefits that having a neurodiverse workforce can bring to the table. Neurodivergent individuals can bring single-mindedness, attention to detail, innovative thinking patterns, diligence, and creativity to bear on any number of practical business matters. But they need better support than is currently available.”

Benefits of considering neurodiversity in digital marketing

Below is a list of four benefits that organizations come across while considering the neurodiversity aspect of digital marketing.

• Higher conversions – There are higher chances that if a website fails to deliver its content and design with ease to neurodivergent people, they may not visit it again. Lack of accessibility can lead to great financial implications for the company. Effective search marketing involves converting maximum leads to loyal customers. Creating neurodivergent-friendly design and content leads to higher conversions.
• Great customer experience – A neurodiverse digital consumer market involves special attention to simplicity and clarity in design and content. Multiple menus, complicated designs, and other such complex issues create a difficult user experience for such people. Considering a better-suited environment for neurodiverse groups leads to improved customer experience.
• Brand identity and reputation – Consumers prefer brands to be authentic, diverse, inclusive, and understand their audience properly. To overcome the risk of reputational damage, companies are moving toward the concept of neurodiversity.
• Setting up new standards – Accessibility for all is a major requirement in the digital as well as physical world. We are already at par with the availability of wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc., for neurodivergent people in the physical environment. It’s time to set new standards in the digital world by focusing on inclusivity and accessibility through multiple digital marketing tactics like web marketing, social media marketing, etc.