Social Media
Alt text and captions: make social posts accessible
By Courses4Anyone · Published
Accessible posts reach more people, including those who use screen readers, watch with the sound off or read in bright light. The fixes are small habits you can add to your publishing routine rather than extra projects.
Practical accessibility habits for social media
How do you write good alt text?
Alt text describes an image for someone who cannot see it. Say what matters in the context of the post in one or two short sentences, for example 'Bar chart showing newsletter signups doubling from March to June' rather than 'chart'.
Skip phrases such as 'image of', do not stuff keywords, and leave decorative images with empty alt text where the platform allows it.
Why do videos need captions and transcripts?
Captions make video usable for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and for anyone watching without sound. Auto-generated captions are a starting point, but they make errors with names and technical terms, so review and correct them before publishing.
For longer audio or video, a transcript on your website gives everyone another way to read and search the content.
What about text on images and colour?
Keep text on graphics large, high contrast and short, and avoid placing it where interface elements will cover it. Do not rely on colour alone to carry meaning, and put the key message in the caption as well as in the image.
What is a quick accessibility check before posting?
Run this list on every post:
- — Does each informative image have alt text?
- — Are video captions reviewed for accuracy?
- — Is text readable at phone size with good contrast?
- — Are hashtags written in CamelCase, such as #SocialMediaTips?
- — Is the main point stated in plain language in the caption?