Color and Contrast – Making Your Content Readable for Everyone

Publication Date: 07/27/2024

Color is powerful. It can evoke emotions, guide attention, and create beautiful designs. But when color becomes a barrier to reading your content, it stops being helpful and starts being exclusive. Understanding color contrast isn’t just about following rules – it’s about ensuring your message reaches everyone.

The Numbers That Matter

4.5:1 – The magic ratio for normal text 3:1 – The minimum ratio for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold) 7:1 – The gold standard for enhanced contrast

These ratios represent the difference in brightness between your text and background colors. The higher the ratio, the easier it is to read.

Who Benefits from Good Contrast?

• 8% of men and 0.5% of women have some form of color blindness
• People with low vision may struggle with low contrast
• Aging users often experience decreased contrast sensitivity
• Everyone benefits in challenging viewing conditions (bright sunlight, dim lighting, older monitors)

Beyond Black and White

Good contrast doesn’t mean everything must be black text on white backgrounds. You can maintain your brand colors while ensuring readability.

High-Contrast Color Combinations:

• Navy blue (#003366) on white
• Dark purple (#4A154B) on light gray (#F8F8F8)
• Forest green (#2D5A2D) on cream (#FFF8DC)

Common Contrast Mistakes

1. Light Gray Text Many designs use #999999 or #CCCCCC text, which fails contrast requirements.

2. Colored Text on Colored Backgrounds Blue links on purple backgrounds might look stylish but are often unreadable.

3. Text Over Images Overlaying text directly on photos without ensuring contrast.

Testing Your Color Choices

Free Online Tools:

• WebAIM Contrast Checker
• Colour Contrast Analyser
• Stark (browser extension)

Built-in Browser Tools: Chrome DevTools now includes contrast ratio information in the color picker.

Practical Solutions for Content Editors

1. Text Over Images Instead of placing text directly on photos:

• Add a semi-transparent dark overlay
• Use a solid colored box behind text
• Choose images with consistent, contrasting areas

2. Link Colors Ensure links are distinguishable from regular text through:

• Sufficient color contrast
• Underlines or other visual indicators
• Different contrast ratios when hovered/focused

3. Button Design Make sure button text contrasts well with button backgrounds, especially for call-to-action buttons.

Color-Blind Friendly Design

Don’t rely on color alone to convey information:

• Use icons alongside color coding
• Add patterns or textures to charts
• Include text labels for important color distinctions

Example: Instead of: “Click the green button to continue” Use: “Click the ‘Continue’ button below”

Real-World Examples

Good: University website with dark blue (#002855) navigation text on white background (contrast ratio: 8.2:1)

Bad: Light blue (#87CEEB) links on white background (contrast ratio: 1.8:1 – fails requirements)

Solution: Darker blue (#0066CC) links on white background (contrast ratio: 4.5:1 – passes!)

Emergency Content Fixes

If you discover contrast issues on live content:

Quick Fixes:

1. Darken light text colors
2. Lighten dark background colors
3. Add background boxes to text over images
4. Use border or shadow effects for subtle text enhancement

Content Editor Action Plan

1. Install a contrast checker browser extension
2. Test your most-viewed pages with the contrast tool
3. Create a color palette of pre-approved, accessible color combinations
4. Document your standards so all content creators know the approved colors

The Bigger Picture

Good contrast isn’t about making websites boring – it’s about making them inclusive. When you ensure sufficient contrast, you’re not just helping people with disabilities; you’re creating content that works better for everyone, in every situation.

Remember: If people can’t read your content, your message is lost. Contrast is the foundation that makes everything else possible.