Inclusive language means that no reader should feel forgotten or disrespected by your writing because of their background or identity. To check for inclusive language, ask yourself if the text could confuse or offend someone based on their:

Exclusive language is often unintentional, which is why you need to be proactive about evaluating your writing. Also, many words and phrases come from a sketchy origin, and you may not even know! So try not to use metaphors, idioms, or other non-literal phrases since they are not universal, and they may be unintentionally hurtful.

We are writing for a hugely diverse audience. Our customers span across continents, age ranges, genders, education levels, and industries. Consider which audience you are writing to and the diversity within that audience. If you’re not sure who you’re writing for, figure that out first!

Will your sentence make sense without that extra word? Cut it. Are you using a technical word where a basic word would make more sense? Replace it. Do your sentences last over several lines? Split it.

Think about what you do and don’t know about your audience and about their situation. Use gender-neutral pronouns. Use common language that people from all kinds of linguistic backgrounds will be familiar with.

Make sure you supply the right amount information a user would need to be aware of their situation and how they can navigate through. Don’t give irrelevant information, but give enough to orient them.

Dividing text visually can help make text more readable. Use bullet point lists and headings to divide information logically. Limit paragraphs to a couple of lines.