Foolish Mortals
2022
Accessibility and Marketing Consultant for Inklingwood Studios
In this project, the Studio's social media strategy
increased their Search Engine Optimization (SEO), reach, and accessibility
on social media (e.g. Kickstarter and game trailer).
Website Diagnosis
I evaluated the website for accessibility and SEO and found out it lacked, among other aspects: adequate heading structures, alt text and meta descriptions.
I wrote a report on the identified issues with recommendations to fix them: by improving heading structures, including alt text for all images, and redacting meta descriptions on the webpages, both the accessibility and SEO would be enhanced.
The website has since implemented a meta description in their homepage.
Alt text (social media)
After my consultation, Inklingwood Studios started writing alt text for social media images.
This means that blind users are able to see them when they come across it, and search engines prioritize that content in relevant contexts, because they're able to understand what the images contain.
For instance: in the Kickstarter, some images have an alt text transcribing the text that is displayed on them. It is hidden in the code.
Subtitles on the trailer
I estimated that applying closed captions to the trailer would increase the trailer views by at least 7%: it would increase SEO and allow more potential players to understand it. Because many of the game's pledgers may speak English as a second language, and others may be hard of hearing or neurodivergent, subtitles would ensure an increased comprehension of the trailer for a great number of users.
After recommending the use of closed captions, Inklingwood Studios wrote subtitles in English for the video. As expected, the trailer had a 7%-18% view increase within two weeks. In those two weeks, 38% of the users watched it with subtitles - 771 with to 1257 without subtitles.
While other factors may have contributed to those percentages, we believe that applying the subtitles had a great and consistent impact on the trailer views.
Color Contrast
The Kickstarter campaign for the videogame had an image showing its stretch goals.
Using Color Contrast Checker, I identified and reported on its color contrast being too low: it could make reading it harder for players with visual impairments. I used the same tool to ensure that the final image had sufficient contrast according the WCAG 2.1 Guideline 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).
The color contrast was then enhanced for all stretch goal updates and the stretch goal became easier to read.
Game Usability
Having playtested the game's demo, I provided insights on details to reduce confusion with the players and enhance usability.
An example is found in the menu icons: a lightbulb, a book and a cogwheel. As a user, with those icons, I interpreted: "The LIghtbulb should be for hints and the Book should be to save progress". However, I was wrong. The lightbulb shows points of interaction in the landscape, and the book shows hints.
One of my recommendations that has since been applied was to provide a text label for each of those icons, in order to clarify the player on their functions.