Creating Accessible Social Media Content

1. Visual and Graphic Content

• Use high-contrast text and subtitles: Make sure all text within images or videos is easy to read. Dark text on a light background—or the reverse—provides better readability for users with low vision. Follow official contrast guidelines to ensure readability.
• Keep graphics simple: Avoid overcrowding visuals with excessive text. Focus on including only essential text within the graphic itself, and and use the caption for additional details (captions are accessible to screen readers.) Any embedded text should also be included in the image description. See below for more details on writing image descriptions.
• Limit use of GIFs: GIFs are not accessible to screen readers. Use GIFs only when they add value, and ensure your message is still understandable without them.
• Warn about flashing or strobing content: Flashing lights or intense motion may trigger photosensitive conditions. Include a warning or avoid such effects altogether.
• Provide alt text and image descriptions for all content: Alt text and image descriptions both support accessibility, but they serve slightly different purposes and are used in different ways.
  • Alt text is hidden text embedded in an image’s HTML or added through a platform’s accessibility settings. It is read aloud by screen readers to describe the image to people who are blind or have low vision. It should be concise and describe the image’s essential information.
  • Image descriptions are visible text added to your post’s caption. They offer a more detailed explanation of an image and can help users who benefit from visual context or who use screen readers that don’t detect alt text. 
  • When posting to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or X:
    • Add alt text using the platform’s built-in accessibility settings (usually found in the post or image options before publishing).
    • Include image description(s) as part of your caption. For multiple images, number them for clarity (e.g., [Image descriptions: 1. Description, 2. Description). 

Example post:

Orientation is off to a great start!

[Image descriptions:

1. 1. 1. Three students smile and hold Worcester State banners in front of the Student Center, surrounded by balloons and tables set up for campus clubs.
      2. Two students wearing blue backpacks that say “Orientation” and have the Worcester State logo, walking down the quad.]

Alt text 1: Students holding Worcester State banners at Welcome Week.
Alt text 2: Students wearing orientation backpacks walking down the quad.

2. Video and Audio Content

• Caption all videos with dialogue: Captions support users who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing and improve comprehension for all users. Learn more from our Video Creation Training Guide.
• Use high-contrast subtitles: Ensure subtitles stand out against backgrounds—especially when embedded directly into the video.
• Include video descriptions: Just like images, include the video description in the caption, and title it clearly (Video description). Focus on the essential visual information that isn’t conveyed through audio alone.

Example:

We’re counting down to the start of the semester!

[Video description: A time-lapse of students moving into residence halls at Worcester State. Cars pull up, students unload boxes and wave to the camera. A sign reads “Move-In Day 2025.” The video ends with a shot of Wasylean Hall against a blue sky.]

• Add audio description (when possible): Audio description provides spoken narration of important visual elements that aren’t otherwise communicated in the video. For example, if a video opens with a scenic view of campus with the text “Welcome to Worcester State!” overlaid, a narrator should also read, “Welcome to Worcester State!” aloud. This ensures that users who are blind or have low vision can fully access the information.

3. Text Formatting and Readability

• Avoid typing in all caps: Screen readers may interpret all-caps words as acronyms, reading each letter individually (e.g., “L-A-N-C-E-R”). Use bold or punctuation instead for emphasis.
• Capitalize each word in hashtags: Use CamelCase (e.g., #LancerNation) to help screen readers and all users distinguish words.
• Use emojis carefully: Screen readers read emojis aloud. Limit use to a few per post, and include a space between each one.
• Use memes and humor thoughtfully: Memes can alienate users unfamiliar with cultural references. Include context and pair them with accessible, plain language.
• Choose accessible fonts: Sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read, especially for people with disabilities that impact reading and processing. Worcester State’s brand kit includes accessible sans-serif fonts like Montserrat and Arial. Avoid overly decorative or serif-heavy fonts in graphics, particularly for small text.

4. Social Media Process

• Make accessibility part of your social media process: Including accessibility guidelines in your team’s internal social media process helps ensure that all content shared on Worcester State’s platforms is consistently inclusive. This means embedding best practices—such as adding alt text to images, including clear image and video descriptions, using accessible language, and formatting captions for readability—into your regular workflow. If dedicating the necessary time and attention to creating accessible content is not feasible, teams should reconsider managing social media accounts. Accessibility is essential to reaching all members of our community, so it must be a priority in your content creation process.