Author: Phoebe Simon
Add Alternative Text (alt text) for images
Individuals with visual challenges use assistive devices to read the content on a social media post. Since images cannot be seen, these visitors use assitive devices to read an image's alt text. Providing this information allows people to visualize images when they cannot see them.
- Avoid starting with phrases like "image of" or "photo of."
- Provide a concise and meaningful description of the image in context.
- If the image contains text, transcribe it accurately.
Add Video Captions
Captions are crucial for our social media visitors who have hearing challenges. While some platforms will automatically generate video captions, it is important to always manually edit them.
- Correct punctuation and word errors.
- Identify specific speakers and describe important sounds or music where applicable.
Write Accessible Text
Content on your social media posts should be written in plain language. While abbreviations are prevalent in state government, use them sparingly and provide context if needed.
- Write hashtags in Pascal Case (example: #AccessibleContent) and put blocks of hashtags in a separate comment rather than inline.
- Use gender neutral terms in your posts.
- Avoid using alternating capital letters (example: aLtErNaTiNg CaPs)
- Avoid using words with all caps (example: ALL CAPS).
Create Accessible Visuals
- Avoid relying solely on color to convey meaning and ensure adequate color contrast.
- Refrain from using animated images with flashing or excessive movements.
- Limit the amount of text on images to keep them clear and readable.
Emojis
Although tempting, use emojs sparingly and not as a replacement for actual words. When they are used, put them at the end of sentences.
- Avoid using emojis as bullet points.
- Choose emojis over emoticons, as they are more widely understood by assistive technologies.
- Consider avoiding memes, as their humor is often difficult to convey through text descriptions alone.