Making your social media content accessible doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your strategy. Instead, it involves making thoughtful adjustments to ensure inclusivity.
Key elements of accessible social media content
1. Use alt text for images
Alt text (alternative text) is a brief description that you can add to images to convey the content to people who cannot see the image, such as those who rely on screen readers.
- Be descriptive: Clearly describe what’s happening in the image (e.g., “golden retriever playing fetch” instead of “dog”).
- Avoid keyword stuffing: Focus on describing the image, not cramming in SEO keywords.Most platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, offer options to add alt text.
Many social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, offer options to add alt text to images.
Here’s a video on how to write good alt text.
Provide captions and transcripts for videos
- Captions: Ensure spoken content in videos is accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing by adding captions. Platforms like YouTube and Facebook support this feature.
- Transcripts: For longer videos, offer full transcripts, giving people the option to read rather than watch.
3. Use accessible hashtags
Hashtags are essential for categorizing content and increasing discoverability, but they should also be accessible.
- CamelCase: Capitalize the first letter of each word in hashtags (e.g., #SocialMediaMarketing). This aids readability for screen readers.
- Keep It Simple: Avoid overly complex or lengthy hashtags.
Check out our Accessible Hashtags video.
Be mindful of color contrast
Color contrast is crucial for ensuring that your text is readable against its background.
- High contrast: Opt for dark text on a light background (or vice versa) to ensure readability for people with color blindness or other visual impairments.
- Avoid color-only cues: Don’t rely on color alone to convey information—use text labels or patterns for clarity.
Write clear and concise copy
Clear and concise copy easier for everyone to understand, and is essential for people with cognitive disabilities.
- Plain language: Use simple, straightforward language that’s easy to understand.
- Break up text: Use short paragraphs, headings, and bullet points to make content more digestible.
Platform-specific accessibility tips
Different social media platforms have different features and limitations when it comes to accessibility. Here are a few platform-specific tips:
- Instagram: Use “Alt Text” when uploading images; add captions to Stories with the “Sticker” feature.
- X: Enable “Compose image descriptions” to add alt text; keep tweets concise for readability.
- Facebook: Use “Edit Alt Text” for images; ensure video captions are accurate.
- LinkedIn: Add alt text to images and keep language simple and professional.