Inclusivity is essential. See how your marketing measures up.

Every marketing message tells a story. But whose story is it? As audiences grow more diverse, successful companies go beyond showing different faces. They create marketing that truly resonates with people from all walks of life, abilities, and experiences. Yet, many organizations wonder if their efforts really make a difference or just check off boxes.

This is where the inclusive marketing audit comes in. It’s a step-by-step approach to examine your marketing strategy, content, and practices. You look through the lens of accessibility, representation, and cultural awareness. The review helps you find both opportunities for improvement in connecting with diverse audiences. Here’s how to get started.

1. Brand voice and messaging

Inclusivity starts with words. Review the tone, language and imagery in your marketing materials to ensure they are culturally sensitive and welcoming. Ask yourself:

• Are you using plain language to make content accessible across literacy levels?
• Does your messaging avoid stereotypes or exclusionary phrases?

Example: A mental health nonprofit shifted its messaging from “combatting stigma” to “fostering open conversations” after realizing that warlike language might alienate trauma survivors.

2. Visual messages

Visuals are a powerful way to communicate inclusivity. They should reflect a wide range of cultures, abilities and identities authentically. Ask yourself:

• Do your images and videos represent the diversity of your target audience?
• Are design elements accessible (e.g., high color contrast, alt text for images)?

Example: A tech company launched a recruitment campaign using stock photos of diverse teams. Feedback revealed the photos didn’t feel authentic, so the company featured real employees and their stories, which increased involvement and trust.

3. Content accessibility

Inclusivity also means ensuring your content is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. Ask yourself:

• Does your website comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines? WCAG 2.1 outlines ways to make web content more accessible. This includes helping people with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological differences.
• Are videos captioned and documents screen-reader friendly?

Example: A university discovered its admissions website wasn’t fully accessible for visually impaired students. After adding alt text to images and ensuring PDFs were screen-reader friendly, applications from this group increased by 15%.

4. Channel strategy

Reaching diverse audiences often means diversifying where and how you communicate. Ask yourself:

• Are you using platforms popular in different communities?
• Do your media partnerships reflect diverse perspectives?

Example: A beauty brand expanded its influencer campaigns to include creators from underrepresented ethnic groups. By using their platforms, the brand expanded its customer base and earned praise for authenticity.

5. Inclusive Campaign Strategy

Your campaigns should consider cultural calendars, holidays and traditions of diverse groups. Ask yourself:

• Are your campaigns sensitive to different cultural norms and values?
• Do they challenge stereotypes or reinforce them?

Example: A retailer’s Lunar New Year campaign featured traditional imagery and stories from employees celebrating the holiday in their way. The campaign cultivated a deeper connection with Asian American customers.

6. Customer experience

Inclusivity extends to every customer touchpoint. Ask yourself:

• Are your feedback systems accessible to non-English speakers or people with disabilities?
• Is your customer support available in multiple languages?

Example: A financial institution added multilingual support to its customer service hotline and saw a 20% increase in customer satisfaction scores.

7. Language and translations

Multilingual content is vital for inclusive marketing, but direct translations can miss cultural nuances. Ask yourself:

• Are your translations culturally relevant, not just literal?
• Do you use transcreation to maintain meaning across languages?

Example: A global nonprofit’s slogan, “Empowering Change,” was poorly translated into some languages as “Giving Power.” By reworking it with native-speaking experts, the nonprofit avoided alienating local audiences.

8. Diversity in marketing teams

Who creates your marketing matters. A diverse team can provide perspectives that help avoid blind spots. Ask yourself:

• Does your team reflect the diversity of your audience?
• Are team members trained in cultural competency?

Example: A food brand’s campaign was criticized for cultural insensitivity. After forming a diverse advisory board, the brand relaunched the campaign with positive feedback and stronger sales.

Final thoughts

Inclusive marketing is about making a commitment to understand and serve your audience better. By evaluating language, visuals, and accessibility, you can create marketing that truly connects and inspires.

Ready to get started? Contact us at info@hookpr.com or call 302-228-6689.