Social media is used and enjoyed by many people, including those with a variety of disabilities, and across a variety of devices.
Social media content is subject to the same accessibility rules as other online content, but many of the same basic concepts of accessibility apply, such as alt text, color contrast, video captioning, and more.
When creating social media content, you will need to use each platform’s own tools and directions, but be sure that you follow these basics.
-
Use plain, easy-to-understand language
-
Limit the use of emojis and special characters; too many can potentially cause issues for screen readers
-
Use “PascalCase” or “CamelCase” for hashtags to make it easier to read (e.g., ThrowbackThursday vs. #throwbackthursday)
-
Add alt text for images and graphics
-
Include captioning, subtitles, or transcripts for videos
-
Follow color contrast rules