Social Media

Use Alternative Text

Always include alternative text (alt text) for images or mark them as decorative if they don’t convey important content. Alt text should describe the purpose or meaning of the image. Avoid using filenames as alt text. Think about the message the image is intended to convey — if there is none, mark it as decorative. Many social media platforms offer AI-generated alt text, which can be a helpful starting point. However, always review and edit it for accuracy and clarity. Learn how to provide alt text.

Choose Readable Fonts

When selecting a font for titles or captions, prioritize readability. Ensure that text size is large enough to be easily read. Use a sans serif font with adequate spacing. Avoid fonts that are too bold, thin or decorative. For captions on images or videos, consider placing them within a translucent background box to improve visibility against light or complex backgrounds.

Add Closed Captions and Subtitles

When sharing video content, include closed captions and subtitles. Subtitles convey dialogue. Closed captions include dialogue and details about important sounds or audio within the video. Many social media platforms offer auto-generated captions, which can be a helpful starting point. However, always review and edit them for accuracy and clarity. Some platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn and X, also allow you to upload an SRT file for closed captions. Learn how to add closed captions and subtitles.

Best Practices

• Ensure that font style, size and color are easy to read. 
• Avoid placing captions, subtitles, titles or important graphic elements in the top or bottom 10% of your video. Some devices may cut off this area, leaving users unable to read it. 
• Follow standard grammar rules: capitalize the first word of sentences and proper nouns.

Limit Emojis

Each emoji has a description that will be read by screen readers. Using multiple emojis, particularly at the beginning of a social media post, can delay users from reaching the post’s main message.

Best Practices

• Use emojis sparingly. 
• Place emojis at the end of your post whenever possible.
• Be aware that emojis may have multiple meanings. Do not rely on emojis to provide context for your post. 

Format Hashtags Using Camel Case

When using multi-word hashtags, use what’s called camel case by capitalizing the first letter of each word (e.g., #UndergraduateResearch). This ensures screen readers can accurately identify the individual words within the hashtag.

Related Guidance

• Accessibility for Social Media Posts
• Video and Audio