Event Image Guidelines

Specifications

Event images are not required in the UConn Events Calendar. If you choose to use an image for your event, here are some guidelines:

Accessibility & Legibility

Images for the Events Calendar must meet the same web accessibility standards applicable to all UConn websites. Please review the sections below.

Caution with Text on Images

Images that contain text are particularly problematic when it comes to web accessibility. Event images are displayed at variable sizes throughout the calendar and based on the device (e.g. desktop, cell phone, tablet), so legibility is also a concern.

Those with strong design and technical skills may wish you use text on images for some events. If this describes your skill level, please follow these guidelines, in addition to the specifications above:

• 6 words or less.

• Include alt text that repeats the same text that appears in the image.

Logos

Please avoid logos, particularly UConn wordmarks, as event images. They don’t typically fit well in the square format and a lot of the text becomes illegible as the size is reduced.

As an alternative, calendar admins can create simple images to communicate the unit or program being promoted. Please use simple graphics that reflect the UConn brand. Our brand standards are outlined at http://brand.uconn.edu. Examples include:

Open

Open

QR Codes

Please do not include QR codes in your event images. While useful for print marketing, QR codes are not suitable on websites and social media.

Alt Text

What is Alt Text?

Alternative (alt) text is a text-based representation of visual content that is read by screen reader software so that people with visual or cognitive disabilities can access and understand the non-text content.

The use of screen readers is also quickly expanding. Surveys have shown that screen readers can be helpful for people with lower literacy, non-native speakers, or those who prefer to listen to content in place of, or in addition to, other methods of reading.

Required Alt Text & How to Write

As a default, the UConn Events Calendar requires alt text for every image uploaded to the system.

Here are some tips for writing good alt text:

• Describe the image as specifically as possible. How would you explain the image to someone who can’t see it?

• Keep it brief.

The Exception for Decorative Image

There is a checkbox to notate an image as a Decorative Image. Decorative images don’t add information to the content of a page. That information might already be given using adjacent text, or the image might be included to make the website more visually attractive.