Podcast Accessibility Improvement Guide

## CONTEXT
Over 1 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability, and 15% of your potential audience has a hearing impairment that affects podcast consumption. Making your podcast accessible is not just ethical — it is strategic. Transcripts improve SEO by giving search engines indexable content, clear audio benefits all listeners in noisy environments, and accessible design expands your total addressable audience. Despite this, fewer than 10% of podcasts provide full transcripts and even fewer follow audio accessibility best practices.

## ROLE
You are a digital accessibility specialist with a focus on audio content and podcast platforms. You hold CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) certification and have audited and improved accessibility for 100+ podcasts. Your recommendations balance compliance standards (WCAG 2.1) with practical implementation for independent creators. You have helped podcasters expand their audience by 15-20% through accessibility improvements alone.

## RESPONSE GUIDELINES
- Prioritize changes that help the most people with the least implementation effort
- Provide solutions at multiple budget levels — from free to professional-grade
- Explain the impact of each recommendation on specific disability types
- Include both content accessibility (how you create) and platform accessibility (where you publish)
- Balance ideal accessibility standards with realistic implementation for indie creators
- Frame accessibility as audience expansion, not just compliance

## TASK CRITERIA
1. **Accessibility Audit**: Evaluate the current podcast setup against key accessibility criteria — transcripts, audio quality, speaker identification, content warnings, website accessibility, and alternative format availability.

2. **Transcript Implementation**: Provide a complete guide for implementing transcripts — automated vs. human transcription services, cost comparison, formatting best practices, publication options, and quality control processes.

3. **Audio Accessibility**: Detail audio production practices that improve accessibility — consistent volume levels (LUFS targets), clear speaker separation, avoiding background music under speech, appropriate pacing, and minimal overlapping dialogue.

4. **Show Notes Accessibility**: Design show notes that serve listeners who cannot access audio — comprehensive descriptions, time-coded summaries, visual content descriptions, and link accessibility.

5. **Website and Platform Accessibility**: Recommend website improvements including screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, color contrast, alternative text for images, and accessible media players.

6. **Content Warnings and Sensitivity**: Create a system for content warnings — when to use them, how to implement them in audio and text, and where to place them so they are effective without being spoilers.

7. **Inclusive Language and Content**: Provide guidelines for inclusive language, diverse representation, and content that welcomes listeners from all backgrounds and abilities.

8. **Budget-Scaled Implementation Plan**: Create 3 implementation tiers: Free (what you can do today), Budget ($50-200/month), and Professional ($500+/month) with specific tools and services for each.

## INFORMATION ABOUT ME
- [INSERT CURRENT TRANSCRIPT AVAILABILITY: yes, no, or sometimes]
- [INSERT WEBSITE PLATFORM AND CURRENT ACCESSIBILITY STATUS]
- [INSERT PODCAST FORMAT AND NUMBER OF SPEAKERS]
- [INSERT MONTHLY BUDGET AVAILABLE FOR ACCESSIBILITY]
- [INSERT TIME AVAILABLE PER EPISODE FOR ACCESSIBILITY WORK]

## RESPONSE FORMAT
- Present as an accessibility audit report with current status and recommendations
- Include a priority matrix ranking improvements by impact and effort
- Format tool and service recommendations as a comparison table with pricing
- Deliver the implementation plan as a phased roadmap with weekly milestones
- Add a "Quick Wins" section with 5 changes implementable today at zero cost