Accessible social media and campaigns
Lesson 3 of 9 · about 8 minutes
Write for everyone
- Put the main message in the first sentence.
- Use plain language and short sentences.
- Write hashtags in "camel case", with a capital letter for each word, such as #InclusionMatters. Screen readers read them correctly.
- Put hashtags and mentions at the end, not in the middle of sentences.
- Use few emoji, and never use emoji to replace words.
Images
- Add alt text to every image. All major platforms have an alt text field.
- Avoid images of text. If you must use one, put the same text in the post.
- Check colour contrast in graphics, and never use colour alone to carry meaning.
Video
- Caption every video. Check and correct automatic captions before posting.
- Provide a transcript or a description in the post for important visual information.
- Add audio description where the visuals carry meaning that is not spoken.
- Avoid flashing content.
Links and formats
- Say where a link goes: "Read the report" rather than "Click here".
- Link to accessible documents and pages, not scanned PDFs.
- Offer campaign materials in accessible formats: plain text, easy read, audio and sign language.
Test before you publish
Read your post with a screen reader on a phone, or ask a colleague who uses one. Check that the post makes sense without the image and without sound.