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Accessibility
What alternative do audio-only and video-only files on the website need?
An audio-only file — a podcast, for example — needs a text transcript; a silent video needs a text description or an audio track. Only then does the content also reach people who have difficulty hearing or seeing. The rule applies to recorded content: anything visitors can play on your website that isn't a live broadcast.
One piece of content, two ways to reach visitors
Imagine your website offers a recorded interview as an audio-only file. A deaf visitor can't do anything with it — unless you provide a transcript next to it that they can read. The reverse applies to silent video: an explainer clip with no sound might show how to assemble your product. A blind visitor needs a text description of the images, or a spoken version, for that. The transcript benefits everyone else too: anyone sitting in an open-plan office or on the train without headphones can simply read the content. And search engines can search the text — not the audio recording itself.
How our audit handles audio and video
The automated check reliably detects whether your page contains audio or video elements — including embedded players from well-known providers such as YouTube or Vimeo. If there is no media, the requirement is met and shown as passed. But whether a full transcript exists for an audio recording, and whether it accurately reflects the content, is something no machine can judge — that takes listening and reading along. That's why, whenever media is present, the report honestly marks the criterion as "manual review" rather than automatically passed. At the Gold Standard level, a human listens, reads along, and makes the call.
Creating transcripts without much effort
A transcript doesn't need to be a verbatim record with timestamps — a clean block of running text that captures all spoken content and important sounds is enough. Many recording tools and video platforms now generate a rough draft automatically, which you just need to correct. Publish the transcript directly beneath the player or as a linked subpage. For silent videos, a descriptive paragraph alongside is often enough: "The video shows in four steps how to change the filter — step one …". This way the content is available to everyone, and your page gains searchable text.
- List all the audio and video files on your website — including embedded players from YouTube or podcast platforms.
- Add a text transcript on the same page for every audio-only recording.
- Add a text description to silent videos that names the steps shown.
- Ask your agency to publish new media only together with the text version.
- Have a staff member proofread the auto-generated transcript from your video platform before it goes live.
FAQ
Does a podcast on the website need a text version?
Yes. A recorded audio file only reaches deaf and hard-of-hearing people through a transcript. A clean block of running text that captures all spoken content is enough. It should sit directly next to the recording or be linked from there. As a side benefit, the transcript also makes the content searchable for search engines.
What does a video without sound need to be accessible?
A silent video needs an alternative for people who can't see it: either a text description explaining what's shown, or a spoken audio version. For a short explainer clip, a paragraph right next to the video that names the steps in order is often enough.
Can an automated check evaluate transcripts?
Only partially. Our audit reliably detects whether a page contains audio or video content. Whether a transcript exists and accurately reflects the content can only be judged by a human who listens and reads along. That's why, whenever media is present, the report marks this criterion as "manual review" — at the Gold Standard level, a human makes the call.