Making Social Media Accessible

Did you know that over 2.2 billion people worldwide have some form of visual impairment?

For many, accessing social media content can be challenging if it is not designed with accessibility in mind. By making your social media content accessible, you not only connect with a broader audience but also enhance the user experience for everyone.

What is Digital Accessibility?

Digital accessibility involves creating content that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and understand. It is not just about compliance, it is about fostering inclusivity and enhancing the user experience. Here’s why digital accessibility matters:

Broadens Potential Audience: More people can access and engage with your content, expanding your reach.

Improves Search Engine Optimisation: Search engines favour content that follows best practices for usability, which includes accessibility standards.

Compliance with Legal Requirements: Following accessibility standards helps businesses comply with legal requirements, avoiding potential lawsuits.

Enhances Brand Reputation and Customer Loyalty: Demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity strengthens brand reputation and fosters customer loyalty.

Key Considerations for Accessibility 

When developing an accessibility plan, consider the diverse needs of your audience, including those with:

Visual and Auditory Impairments

According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 2.2 billion people have some form of visual impairment. To accommodate these users, include descriptive alt text in your posts for images and videos. Additionally, ensure your video content includes captions and transcripts for those with hearing impairments.

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity encompasses alternative thinking styles such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, and ADHD. Using clear, straightforward language helps ensure your content is accessible to everyone. Avoid using jargon and complex terms, and structure your content logically.

Best Practices for Accessibility 

Use Clear, Readable Fonts: Stick to platform default fonts and avoid over-formatting. This improves readability and ensures your content is easily digestible.

Ensure High Contrast: Maintain high contrast between text and the background in your graphics to increase readability for those with visual impairments. For example, use dark text on a light background or vice versa.

Describe Visual Elements Concisely: When adding alt text, focus on the essential information without unnecessary prefixes like “image of.” This helps screen readers convey the content efficiently.

Understand Emoji Meanings: Use emojis sparingly and avoid them as bullet points. Excessive emojis can be confusing for screen readers, making content fragmented and hard to understand.

Use Camel Case for Hashtags: Write hashtags in camel case (e.g., #AccessibleContent) and place them at the end of posts. Camel case improves readability for screen readers by separating words.

Reflect Diverse Audience Preferences: Avoid ableist language and be mindful of how your language may be interpreted. Respecting diverse preferences ensures inclusivity and respect for all users.

Test Your Content: Read your content aloud and use tools to check accessibility. Testing helps catch potential issues and ensures clarity and respectfulness in your message.

Examples of Accessible Social Media Content

Good Example: Twitter Support

This Twitter post is great for accessibility because it uses:

1. Clear ALT Text: The image includes descriptive ALT text, so screen readers can convey its content to visually impaired users.
2. Simple Language: The text is straightforward and easy to understand, making it accessible to people with cognitive or learning disabilities.
3. Easy-to-View Images: The images are clear and have high contrast, making them visible to users with various visual impairments.

Bad Example: Greggs

This Twitter post from Greggs presents some accessibility challenges:

1. Unclear and Hard to Read: The post is difficult to read due to the excessive use of emojis. The non-standard text format disrupts the flow of information and can confuse users, making it hard to quickly understand the message.
2. Screen Reader Impact: For users who rely on screen readers, the post reads out each character and emoji individually. For example, instead of reading “Sausage Roll in Bio” a screen reader would read “S” followed by “yellow square”, “A” followed by “blue square” and so on, which can make the content fragmented and challenging to comprehend.

Tools and Resources for Accessibility

To further enhance your social media accessibility, consider using these tools and resources:

• WebAIM Colour Contrast Checker: This tool helps you ensure your text has sufficient contrast against its background.
• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool: Use this tool to evaluate the accessibility of your web content.
• Alt Text Tester: Test how well your alt text descriptions convey the necessary information.
• Accessibility Insights for Web: A browser extension that helps you identify and fix accessibility issues.

Conclusion

By following these guidelines, you can make your social media content more accessible, inclusive, and engaging for everyone. Embracing accessibility not only broadens your audience but also demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity, enhancing your brand’s reputation and fostering customer loyalty. Start implementing these practices today and contribute to a more inclusive digital world. Remember, accessibility is not just a requirement, it is an opportunity to connect with and serve a diverse audience.

Need help with making your content accessible? Get in touch with us today for more information on how we can help make your content accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 principles of social media accessibility?

The four principles of content accessibility are:

1. Perceivable: Content must be presented in a way that users can see or hear.
2. Operable: Interfaces must be navigable and usable by all users.
3. Understandable: Information and operations must be clear and predictable.
4. Robust: Content must work with various technologies and be future proof.

What is the most accessible social media platform?

X (Twitter) stands out as one of the most accessible social media platforms for several reasons:

1. Image Descriptions (ALT Text): Users can add descriptive text to images, supporting visually impaired users.
2. Video Captions: Captions can be included in videos, making content accessible to those with hearing impairments.
3. Keyboard Navigation: The platform is fully navigable via keyboard, benefiting users with mobility impairments.
4. Screen Reader Compatibility: Twitter works well with screen readers, enhancing usability for visually impaired users.
5. Simple Interface: Its straightforward, text-focused design is easier to navigate for users with cognitive disabilities.
6. Active Development: Twitter continuously updates its accessibility features based on user feedback.