Making Social Media Accessible

Introduction

Social media has become an undeniable force in our lives.

It’s a place to connect with friends and family, share experiences, and learn about the world around us.

Social media is also a powerful tool for brands, shaping perceptions and reaching global audiences.

But for people who are blind or partially sighted, social media can sometimes present challenges and unintentionally create barriers to inclusion.

Fortunately, there are simple things creators can do to ensure their content reaches everyone, encouraging a more inclusive online space.

This July, during Disability Pride Month, we want to celebrate the power of accessible social media.

In this blog post, we’ll explore some key principles of social media accessibility, equipping you with the knowledge to create content that everyone can enjoy.

Read on to learn how!

Social Media Accessibility Matters

According to the CNIB, over 1.5 million Canadians live with sight loss, and an estimated 5.59 million more have an eye disease that could cause sight loss.

A significant portion of this population utilizes screen reader technology to navigate the internet, including social media platforms.

Social media accessibility ensures everyone has the opportunity to engage with content and participate in vibrant online communities.

It creates a sense of belonging and empowers people who are blind or partially sighted to connect and share their voices.

The Power of Alt Text

One of the most important aspects of social media accessibility is “alternative text,” also known as alt text.

Alt text is a brief description of an image that is read aloud by screen reader software. According to an article by a digital agency, missing alt text accounts for 61% of homepage accessibility errors.

Here’s how crafting good alt text can make a big difference:

• You’re scrolling through your social media feed and encountering a post with a funny meme. You’d like to share this joke with your friend with sight loss, but without alt text, a screen reader user wouldn’t understand the context and might miss out on the joke.
• Alt text can also be crucial for conveying important information. For example, a post promoting a charity event with an image of the event poster would need alt text describing the event details, date, and time so everyone could attend.

Imagine you’ve received an invitation to an exclusive event. It’s a night filled with music, laughter, and delicious food – everything you enjoy.

The invitation promises a lively atmosphere, vibrant decorations, and live performances. You’re eager to experience it all.

Elated, you arrive at the venue, only to find a locked door. There’s no doorbell, no way to announce your arrival. You hear the muffled sounds of enjoyment coming from inside, but you’re left standing outside, excluded from the experience.

This is what encountering social media posts without alt text can be like for someone who is blind or partially sighted. The images may be visually captivating or hold important information, but without that key description (the alt text), it’s like a locked door. The person can’t access the message or meaning behind the image, leaving them excluded from the online conversation.

By including alt text, you become the welcoming host, unlocking the door and allowing everyone to experience the full picture – both literally and figuratively.

Crafting Effective Alt Text

Here are some best practices for writing effective alt text:

• Be concise and clear: Aim for around 125 characters to avoid overwhelming screen reader users.
• Focus on the essential information: Describe the main subject of the image and its purpose within the context of the post.
• Use keywords: While avoiding keyword stuffing, consider including relevant keywords that accurately reflect the image content.
• Skip unnecessary details: Don’t describe decorative elements or unnecessary details.
• Be specific: Instead of simply saying “a dog,” describe the breed, color, or action in the image.

Additional Accessibility Tips

While alt text is a crucial part of social media accessibility, there are other steps you can take to create inclusive content:

• Limit emojis: Emojis can be visually appealing, but screen readers often announce them by reading out the individual characters (e.g., “smiley face with sunglasses”). Excessive emojis can make the message difficult to understand.
• Use camel case for hashtags: Hashtags written in all lowercase letters can be challenging for people with low vision, or users of screen readers to interpret. Capitalizing the first letter of each word (e.g., #DisabilityPrideMonth) makes them easier to understand. When the first letter of each word is capitalized, screen reader users in particular are more likely to read the hashtag as intended vs. reading it as one, long and jumbled word.
• Provide clear and concise captions for videos: Captions allow viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing to follow the audio content. Descriptive captions can further enhance the experience for blind or partially sighted viewers by describing visual elements like settings, actions, and facial expressions.
• Use color contrast wisely: People with low vision may struggle to read text with poor color contrast. Opt for color combinations that are easy on the eyes, such as black text on a white background, or yellow text on a dark blue background.
• Use plain language: Avoid overly complex sentence structures and jargon. Aim for clear, concise writing that is easy to understand for everyone.

Final Thoughts

By incorporating these accessibility tips into your social media strategy, you can create content that is engaging for everyone. A more inclusive online space creates a sense of belonging and empowers individuals who are blind or partially sighted to connect and participate in the digital world.

Let’s celebrate Disability Pride Month by making social media a platform for everyone to connect, share, and thrive!