Access for all: 10 ways to ensure your social content is inclusive

From planning to posting, content accessibility should be considered at every stage of the process. It isn’t only the right thing to do, it’ll help enhance your brand’s reputation; promoting inclusivity and widening reach.

Where should you start? This guide covers the key ways to make your social content accessible to as many people as possible.

1. Include alt text
Alt text can be added across core social channels. It provides a text alternative to images, making them accessible to people with visual impairments, as screen readers can use it to describe the asset.

2. Be detailed
When writing alt text, paint a picture and be descriptive. Remember to include context, for example, explaining intended humour.

3. Add closed captions to videos
Closed captions provide a text version of a video’s audio, making it accessible to people with hearing impairments. Tip: you can use technology to add these to live videos too.

4. Keep things simple
Make sure the language you use is easy to understand. Avoid jargon or technical terms that could exclude people with cognitive or learning disabilities.

5. Provide transcripts
For any audio, provide a transcript. This creates multiple ways to understand the content.

6. Don’t make assumptions
Whether communicating about gender, ethnicity, motivations, or elements outside the frame, only include what you know to be true.

7. Create colour contrast
Use colours with high contrast to ensure the content is readable for people with visual impairments.

8. Avoid flashing content
Flashing can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. If you’re unable to avoid adding flashes to a video, provide a warning…

9. Test & re-evaluate
Before posting, check the accessibility of the content – there are online tools for this. Review your alt text too, and spot-check captions for errors.

10. Don’t forget about paid campaigns
Apply the same rules to the content in your paid campaigns as you would your organic content.

Ready to enhance your social content’s inclusivity and effectiveness? Contact Brands2Life today to learn how our experts can help you implement these 10 accessibility strategies and supercharge your social. Don’t miss out, reach out to us now for a brighter, more inclusive social presence!