An ally is someone who actively promotes and aspires to advance cultural inclusion through intentional, positive, and conscious efforts to benefit people as a whole.  

It’s the process of building relationships built on trust, consistency, and accountability. 

Each and every one of us can be an ally: 

• White women can be allies to people of colour 

• Men can be allies to women   

• CIS* people can be allies to members of the LGBTQIA+ community  

• Abled-bodied people can be allies to those with different abilities 

• Economically privileged people can be allies to those who are not 

*A CIS person is someone whose gender is the same as the sex assigned at birth  

  
To be true allies, it’s not enough for us not to be racist, we need to be actively anti-racist.  For example, as a white person, I feel invited pretty much everywhere – because I usually am. I see people who look like me used in marketing material everywhere – which makes me feel welcome. We need to be inclusive and visually represent everyone, so they know they’re welcome.  

What should you do now? 

OK, so that was a lot of info for you to absorb. But what should you do now to be more inclusive? Here are some things you could do right now to be more inclusive.  

• Check your website’s accessibility: Make sure your website is accessible to everyone—because everyone deserves to navigate it with ease. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and their Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) offer great tools to help you with this. You can find them here: WAI Tools 

• Enhance your web images: Don’t forget about alt tags for your images—they’re essential for those using screen readers. Also, ensure that your colours and fonts are easy on the eyes so that everyone can comfortably read your content 

• Understand your audience: Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Do you feel welcome when you visit your social media, website, or see your ads? To dive deeper, consider creating a questionnaire to get direct feedback on how your messaging and content make people feel 

• Be thoughtful about your visuals: When choosing photos, graphics, and videos, aim for inclusivity. Make sure your visuals reflect a wide range of people and experiences, and that they resonate with everyone who might see them 

• Review your language: Ensure your language is clear and accessible. With the average reading age in the UK around 9 years old (shocking, I know), simplicity is key. Avoid complex jargon and barriers that might alienate some readers 

• Avoid stereotypes: Stereotypes can be hurtful and show a lack of understanding. Focus on empathy and respect in your messaging, and strive to reflect the true diversity of your audience 

• Educate your team: Make sure everyone in your organisation understands the difference between diversity and inclusion – and why both are so important. A well-informed team is crucial for creating a genuinely inclusive environment 

• Ensure diverse representation: Actively seek out and include a diverse range of voices and perspectives in your marketing materials. This could mean featuring people from various backgrounds, abilities, and identities in your campaigns to better reflect your audience 

• Be culturally sensitive: Pay attention to cultural nuances and ensure that your content is respectful and accurate. Avoid using imagery or language that could be seen as culturally insensitive or appropriative 

• Solicit and act on feedback: Regularly ask for feedback from a diverse group of people and be open to making changes based on their suggestions. This will help you stay aligned with the needs and expectations of your audience 

• Celebrate inclusive events: Align your marketing campaigns with relevant observances and events that celebrate diversity and inclusion. This demonstrates your commitment and keeps your brand engaged with important conversations 

• Measure and track progress: Set goals for your inclusivity efforts and regularly measure your progress. Use metrics to evaluate how well you’re meeting your inclusivity goals and identify areas for improvement 

By making these adjustments, you’re not just improving accessibility – you’re also showing that you value and respect every individual who interacts with your brand. 

Marketing, at its heart, is all about connecting people with products and services that can help solve their problems. But effective marketing is about bringing people together.  

Embracing inclusivity will help make a real difference to people’s lives – and your business bank balance. Hooray! 

But remember, inclusivity isn’t a one-time thing; it’s a continuous journey. Make time to reflect on your current practices, keep learning, and make inclusivity a core part of your approach. 

Need a hand with creating a diversity and inclusivity strategy? We’re here to help – just give us a shout!