Social Media for everyone: simple steps to improve accessibility

This blog is written by Heather Pennington and Alex Stewart from the Learning and Teaching Academy.

Social media is a powerful way to connect with students, colleagues and the wider community, but if accessibility isn’t considered some people may miss important information or struggle to engage with your content. The good news is that a few simple changes can make a significant difference and help ensure your message reaches as many people as possible.

Here are some practical ways to make your social media content more accessible:

• Add alt text to images

Alternative text (alt text) provides a description of an image for people using screen readers. Most social media platforms, including X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, allow you to add alt text when uploading images. When adding alt text, focus on the image’s purpose and key message rather than describing every detail. Learn more about writing effective alt text from the WC3 Web Accessibility Initiative.

• Always caption videos

Captions help people with hearing impairments access video content, and they can also benefit users watching in noisy environments or with the sound turned off. Many platforms provide automatic captions, but these should always be reviewed for accuracy before publishing and where possible a transcript should be provided.

• Use emojis thoughtfully

Emojis can add personality and boost engagement, but excessive use can create difficulties for screen reader users. Screen readers announce each emoji individually, which can make posts difficult to follow. Use emojis sparingly and avoid placing them in the middle of sentences where they may interrupt the flow of content.

• Write clear hashtags

When using hashtags, capitalise the first letter of each word (known as CamelCase) because this will make it easier for everyone to read and makes it easier for screen readers to interpret accurately.

For example:

#CardiffUniversityOpenDay

not

#cardiffuniversityopenday

• Use plain English

Keep posts concise and easy to understand by avoiding unnecessary jargon, unexplained acronyms, and overly complex language. Clear communication benefits all users and helps to ensure your message is understood quickly.

Learn more

For additional guidance visit:

• Hootsuite social media accessibility and inclusive design tips
• Guidance from the RNIB on How to make your social media accessible
• Planning, creating and publishing accessible social media campaigns from Gov.uk

Need help?

For more tips on enhancing accessibility explore the Digital Accessibility Guide today and put accessibility and inclusion at the heart of your teaching and learning this year.

Contact us

If you’d like further support or have suggestions for future blog topics, please get in touch us at the Learning and Teaching Academy at [email protected].