Social Media Accessibility
Social media accessibility involves creating content that can be accessed, understood, and engaged with by people with disabilities, ensuring your social media presence is inclusive and reaches the widest possible audience.
Why social media accessibility matters
Expands your audience reach
Over 1 billion people worldwide have disabilities, making your content accessible significantly expands your potential audience and customer base.
Improves SEO and discoverability
Many accessibility practices, like alt text and captions, also improve how search engines and social media algorithms understand and promote your content.
Demonstrates brand values
Prioritizing accessibility shows your commitment to inclusion and social responsibility, building trust and loyalty with all audiences.
Often required by law
Many countries have accessibility requirements for digital content, and social media increasingly falls under these regulations.
Common accessibility barriers in social media
Visual content without descriptions
Images without alt text prevent screen readers from describing visual content to users with visual impairments
Videos without captions exclude users who are deaf or hard of hearing
Poor color contrast makes text difficult to read for users with visual impairments
Text embedded in images cannot be read by screen readers or translated
Audio content without alternatives
Podcasts without transcripts exclude users who are deaf or hard of hearing
Video content without captions prevents access to spoken information
Audio-only content without visual alternatives limits accessibility
Complex or unclear content
Complicated language may be difficult for users with cognitive disabilities
Unclear navigation can confuse users with various disabilities
Time-sensitive content may not allow enough time for users with disabilities to engage
Essential accessibility practices
Alt text for images
Descriptive alt text that explains what's happening in images
Context-relevant descriptions that relate to your post's message
Keep it concise, typically under 125 characters for optimal screen reader performance
Skip decorative images, use empty alt text for purely decorative elements
Video accessibility
Closed captions for all spoken content in videos
Audio descriptions for important visual information not conveyed through dialogue
Transcript provision for longer video content
Clear visual contrast and readable text in video content
Text and formatting accessibility
High color contrast between text and background colors
Clear, simple language that's easy to understand
Proper heading structure using platform heading features when available
Descriptive link text instead of "click here" or "read more"
Platform-specific accessibility features
Instagram accessibility
Alt text for images, Add descriptions through the "Advanced Settings" when posting
Story captions, Use the automatic captions feature or add manual captions
Clear contrast in Story graphics and text overlays
Descriptive hashtags that are relevant and readable
LinkedIn accessibility
Alt text for images, LinkedIn allows detailed image descriptions
Video captions, Upload caption files or use LinkedIn's automatic captions
Clear document formatting in LinkedIn articles and posts
Professional headshots with descriptive alt text for profile images
TikTok accessibility
Auto-captions, Allow automatic captions for video content
Text overlay, Make sure text in videos has good contrast and is large enough to read
Voice descriptions, Verbally describe important visual elements in videos
Hashtag accessibility, Use camelCase for multi-word hashtags (#SocialMediaTips instead of #socialmediatips)
Facebook accessibility
Image alt text, Facebook auto-generates alt text, but you can edit it for accuracy
Video captions, Upload SRT files or use Facebook's automatic captioning
Clear link previews, Make sure shared links have descriptive titles and descriptions
Event accessibility, Include accessibility information for in-person events
Content creation accessibility guidelines
Writing accessible captions
Use plain language that's easy to understand
Define acronyms and technical terms when first used
Structure information clearly with line breaks and logical flow
Include relevant context for images and videos in your captions
Creating accessible visual content
High contrast ratios, at least 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text
Readable fonts, avoid overly decorative or difficult-to-read typefaces
Sufficient text size, make sure text is large enough to read on mobile devices
Clear visual hierarchy, use size, color, and spacing to organize information
Video accessibility best practices
Face the camera when speaking to help with lip reading
Speak clearly and at a moderate pace
Describe visual elements that are important to understanding the content
Use good lighting to make sure clear visibility of speakers and content
Testing your content for accessibility
Screen reader testing
Use built-in screen readers, VoiceOver (iOS/Mac) or TalkBack (Android)
Manage with keyboard only to test functionality without a mouse
Check reading order to make sure content flows logically
Test alt text quality by listening to how images are described
Visual accessibility testing
Check color contrast using online contrast checkers
View content in grayscale to make sure information isn't conveyed by color alone
Test at different zoom levels to make sure readability at 200% magnification
Review on different devices to make sure accessibility across platforms
User feedback and testing
Include people with disabilities in your content testing process
Ask for feedback from your audience about accessibility
Monitor comments for accessibility-related questions or concerns
Continuously improve based on user feedback and new best practices
Accessibility tools and resources
Alt text and description tools
Automatic alt text generators as starting points (but always review and edit)
Image description services for complex graphics and infographics
Screen reader testing tools to check how your content sounds
Caption and transcript tools
Automatic captioning available on most social platforms
Professional captioning services for important or complex content
Transcript generation tools for podcasts and long-form video content
Design accessibility tools
Color contrast checkers to make sure readable text
Font accessibility guides for choosing readable typefaces
Layout testing tools for checking visual hierarchy and spacing
Building an accessibility-first mindset
Integrate accessibility into your workflow
Include accessibility in your content creation checklist
Train team members on accessibility best practices
Budget for accessibility including tools and potential service costs
Review and update accessibility practices regularly
Engage with the disability community
Follow disability advocates and accessibility experts on social media
Listen to feedback from users with disabilities
Participate in accessibility discussions and education
Support accessibility initiatives and organizations
Measuring accessibility impact
Reach and engagement metrics
Audience growth from accessibility improvements
Engagement rates on accessible vs. non-accessible content
Feedback quality from users appreciating accessible content
Brand sentiment improvements related to inclusion efforts
Accessibility compliance metrics
Alt text completion rate across all visual content
Caption accuracy and availability across video content
Color contrast compliance in all visual designs
Plain language usage in content creation
Social media accessibility with SocialRails
SocialRails supports accessibility through:
Automatic alt text generation, AI-powered image descriptions as starting points
Caption templates, Pre-formatted structures for accessible content
Color contrast checking, Built-in tools to make sure readable designs
Multi-platform accessibility, Consistent accessibility features across all 9 platforms
Performance tracking, Monitor how accessible content performs across platforms