Let’s Talk Inclusivity: A Guide to Mindful Accessibility on Social Media
For many of us, opening up an app and scrolling through social media is second nature to us. We can scroll whilst we watch TV, whilst chatting to a friend or travelling on the noisy commute back home.
However, this isn’t the case for everyone.
Consider this, an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability, that’s 16% of the global population! (source). This can make scrolling through social media extremely difficult and frustrating when accessibility aids aren’t considered by the majority of posters.
What is accessibility?
Accessibility refers to the practice of ensuring that the content you share online is usable and understandable by people of all abilities. It's about creating an inclusive online space where everyone, regardless of their physical or cognitive capabilities, can fully engage with and enjoy your content. Making your posts accessible is not just a considerate act; it's a commitment to inclusivity and reaching a wider, more engaged audience that includes everyone.
What is considered non-accessible content?
There are no hard and fast rules about what is considered non-accessible, but it is about considering how easy - or not easy - your content is to absorb for different people. Non-accessible content can cause all sorts of frustrating, disruptive experiences for the user that simply make them want to click or scroll off. For example, videos with a lot of background noise can be hard to hear, or lots of small text that blends into the background will be totally unreadable for some, and don’t get us started on adding emojis throughout your text.
Making accessibility a part of your strategy is super simple once you know where to start. We have prepared our top tips to help make your content accessible for all audiences.
Our 10 top tips:
1. Alt Text for Images
Adding descriptive alt text to your images is like providing a verbal description of the visual content. This is particularly valuable for users with visual impairments who rely on screen readers. Add alt text when you upload a photo to your social media. It will vary across different apps, but you will tend to find the option to add alt text when drafting your post or in the post settings afterwards. Remember to keep it succinct, yet informative, aim for approximately 125 characters as a general guide and use keywords for clarity.
2. Use Descriptive Captions
Crafting captions that go beyond the obvious adds depth to your content. Descriptive captions provide context for your posts, benefiting not only visually impaired users but enhancing the experience for all followers.
3. Readable Fonts and Contrast
Whilst trendy, fancy fonts can be fun, but choosing readable fonts is crucial for screen readers. Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background to help users with visual impairments and those viewing content in various lighting conditions or dark mode.
4. Caption Videos
Captions or subtitles in videos are essential for users who are deaf or hard of hearing and for those who simply prefer to watch videos without sound. This simple addition can significantly improve the inclusivity of your video content and will inevitably boost your engagement time. Not only that, captions can help to give you an SEO boost, which is a handy bonus!
5. Image Descriptions in Stories
For Instagram Stories, add text descriptions or use the alt text feature for images. Navigate to your story, select the image, tap the three dots (...), and choose "Edit Alt Text" for an inclusive storytelling experience.
6. Hashtag Considerations
Have you heard of Pascal Case? Write your hashtags by capitalizing the first letter of every word. This allows screen readers to read them properly, as they can look like an entire word or a bunch of random letters stringed together if you don’t. For example, #AccessibleDesign is easier to interpret than #accessibledesign. It is also advisable to add hashtags at the end of your caption, rather than dotted randomly throughout, the same goes for emojis as screen readers will also read them out, throwing off your perfectly crafted copy! Save them for the end.
7. Use Inclusive Language
Need we say it? Using language that is inclusive, respectful and free from discrimination or derogatory terms creates a much more inviting and inclusive space. It may seem obvious, but these days it can be easy to slip offensive words and phrases into copy without realising. For example, it would be politer to say “a person with a disability” rather than “a disabled person.” Language is constantly evolving, so remember to be open-minded and continue to learn about preferred terms as and when you can!
8. Encourage Descriptive Comments
Foster engagement and provide additional context by encouraging and engaging with followers to leave descriptive comments. This not only enhances interaction but also benefits users relying on screen readers.
9. Engage with Accessibility Communities
Follow and engage with accessibility advocates and communities on Instagram. This can provide valuable insights and feedback on how to improve the accessibility of your content. Hootsuite recommends the following accounts:
@HashtagHeyAlexa
@PatrickMGarvin
@SFdirewolf
@BlackDisability
We like:
10. Regularly Review and Update Accessibility Practices
Instagram and other social media platforms frequently update their features. Stay informed about new accessibility tools and practices, and update your content accordingly. Check out the following resources to stay in the know about current accessibility features across socials:
Facebook & Instagram:
Twitter:
YouTube:
Pinterest:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
Enhance Your Accessibility Toolbox
Whilst there are hundreds of tools out there to further support your commitment to accessibility, these handy links will get you started on your accessibility strategy!
Contrast checker: https://contrastchecker.com/
Automatically add captions to your videos: https://www.capcut.com/tools/add-subtitles-to-video
Readability checker: https://readable.com/
