Before hitting post on Instagram, do you think about how accessible your post is? Did you include closed captions, descriptive alternative text for photos or use dyslexia-friendly fonts?
If not, then it’s time to consider how to make your posts more inclusive. Imagine if someone who is deaf or hard of hearing comes across your TikTok. Without captions, they have no way to follow along. Or think about someone who is visually impaired. Could a clear image description help them better understand your Instagram post?
Making posts accessible is especially important when creating content for an organization or business but it can also be beneficial in personal content as well.
Here are some tips and tricks to make your social media content more accessible.
Image and visual content
When producing visual content, graphics or statements, it’s important to think about how easy it is to see, read and interpret your content. Visual accessibility can help make a difference for people with low vision, colorblindness or reading difficulties.
- Use high contrast colors between image and visual content.
- Avoid text-heavy images or ensure text is large and easy to read.
- Use simple, clear visuals and avoid flashing content.
- Use dyslexia-friendly fonts.
Descriptive alternative text
Screen readers use descriptive alternative text to describe content and purpose of an image for those who can not visually see the image.
- Add custom alt text in Instagram’s advanced settings (Settings > Accessibility > Write Alt Text).
- Describe what’s important in the image, not every detail.
- Keep alt text concise and objective, less than 100 characters if possible.
Captions
Captions are a great tool to communicate with an audience, but it is important that captions are not confusing or overwhelming to different kinds of audiences.
- Write clear and descriptive captions. Explain the context or message of the image.
- Use CamelCase for hashtags (e.g., #HerCampus not #hercampus).
- Avoid long blocks of text and use line breaks.
- Include image descriptions in the caption if alt text isn’t enough or for multi-image posts.
Video and audio
Those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have sensory processing differences may need additional accessibility accommodations in order to understand and engage with your content.
- Include closed captions or subtitles for audio or spoken content.
- Add audio descriptions if visuals are important to understanding the content.
- Make sure background music doesn’t overpower dialogue.
- If using Reels or Stories, use Instagram’s auto-caption feature or add text manually.
- TikTok also has an auto-caption feature.
- Be sure to check automatic captions for mistakes or misspellings.
Language and readability
The way we use language in our posts plays a key role in how well people can understand and engage with content.
- Use plain language and avoid jargon or slang when possible.
- Consider neurodiversity: keep content organized, break ideas into chunks and avoid overstimulation.
These are not requirements for posting content, but just an overall list of good practices to consider before hitting that post button. Let’s continue to make social media an inclusive and enjoyable place for everyone!