Considerations for Publishing a Page to the Web

Web content managers have many considerations when it comes to publishing content to their domains. First, there are a few action items to consider before readying the content to post. We have included these actions in the pre-publishing checklist below. Some of the actions should be done sequentially, while others can be done independently. However, all items from the pre-publishing checklist should be completed prior to publishing.

Pre-publishing checklist

Below is a pre-publishing checklist web content managers should use before considering or finalizing content for publication. Please note that all checklist items will not be relevant to all types and uses of digital content.

1. Set and refer to policies for creating digital content.
   1. Determine if accessibility is incorporated into agency web content publishing policy by reviewing relevant policies and using the Accessibility Policy Framework.
      1. If not, include accessibility requirement information in an existing policy or create a new one; see the Policy Framework Communications page for suggested language.
      2. If yes, proceed to item No. 2 on this list.
2. Solidify authorities and set standard operating procedures for posting content.
   1. Ensure web content managers have the ability to reject content and send back to the content creator while also pointing to remediation resources.
   2. Create standard operating procedures (SOPs) to set guidelines for content creation, including specifying a timeline for review to ensure web content managers have the appropriate amount of time to review content prior to target publication date.
   3. If management requires you to publish nonconforming content, require that documentation in writing and include it in your records.
3. Determine if the content will be public facing.
   1. If yes, it is subject to the Section 508 standards and must be accessible.
   2. If no, move on to step No. 4.
4. Determine if the content is agency official communication.
   1. If not and it is not public facing, Section 508 standards do not apply, but other policies or requirements may; review relevant internal policies.
   2. If yes, ensure all relevant Section 508 standards are met prior to publication.
5. Test and determine the severity of the nonconformant content. Conduct a review of the content to determine the number and severity of accessibility errors:
   1. If significant remediation is required, send content back to the creator for remediation. Include content creation resources or checklists such as those found on Section508.gov to ensure content is created accessibly.
   2. If not, determine if the web content manager or their team can readily remediate content or if the content should be returned to the content creator based on established SOPs.
6. Determine what type of content is being created and apply the appropriate accessibility tools, guidelines and checklists to ensure the content is accessible:
   1. For presentations, use best practices on creating accessible presentations.
   2. For spreadsheets, use best practices on creating accessible spreadsheets.
   3. For documents, use best practices on creating documents.
   4. For PDFs, use best practices on creating PDFs.
   5. For HTML content, use best practices on developing accessible web pages.
   6. For other digital content, see the broader content creation page on Section508.gov.

Publication and Post-Publication Checklist

1. Use native accessibility checkers to check for accessibility issues in your content.
2. Consider what additional remediation or special actions, such as providing to attendees beforehand, etc., should be considered if this content is used in a virtual meeting.
3. Test draft web pages with available accessibility tools once in HTML format.
   1. For website content, one can use testing methodologies such as Trusted Tester or tools such as the ANDI tool.
   2. For color contrast issues specifically, use a color contrast checker.
4. Once posted, regularly check pages for potential issues and required remediation:
   1. Use an accessibility scanning tool to check an entire website, determine prioritized areas for accessibility remediation, and apply manual testing where possible.
   2. For online PDF content, use a PDF checker for more specific review.

For additional resources and processes for publishing accessible content to the web, contact your organization’s Section 508 Program Manager for assistance.

Reviewed/Updated: September 2024