Saturday, July 12, 2025
As a solo creator, you're already juggling content creation, engagement, and growth strategies. Adding accessibility to your social media plan might seem like another task on an endless to-do list. But here's the reality: accessibility isn't just the right thing to do—it's a smart business decision that can significantly expand your reach.
With more than 2.2 billion people globally experiencing visual impairments, creating inclusive content opens your brand to a massive audience that's often overlooked. When you make your content accessible, you're not just being considerate—you're tapping into a community of engaged users who will appreciate and remember your efforts.
Accessibility in social media means ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can understand and engage with your content. This includes people who are blind or have low vision, those who are deaf or hard of hearing, individuals with cognitive differences, and people using assistive technologies like screen readers.
The misconception that accessibility is complicated or time-consuming keeps many creators from implementing it. In reality, most accessibility improvements are simple tweaks that become second nature once you establish a routine. The key is building these practices into your content creation workflow from the start, rather than treating them as an afterthought.
Understanding the foundations of accessible content helps you make informed decisions about your social media strategy. Accessible content follows a few core principles that ensure everyone can perceive, understand, and interact with your posts.
Visual Accessibility centers around making your visual content understandable without sight. This primarily involves alternative text (alt text) that describes images for screen reader users. Alt text should be descriptive but concise, focusing on the essential information or emotion an image conveys. For example, instead of "sunset photo," try "golden sunset over calm ocean with silhouetted palm trees."
Auditory Accessibility ensures that audio content is available in text form. This includes captions for videos, transcripts for audio content, and clear audio quality that doesn't rely solely on sound effects to convey meaning. Captions benefit not only deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers but also people watching videos in quiet environments or non-native speakers.
Cognitive Accessibility involves using clear, straightforward language and logical content structure. This means avoiding complex jargon, using familiar words, and presenting information in a logical sequence. Good cognitive accessibility benefits everyone, making your content easier to scan and understand quickly.
Motor Accessibility considers how people with limited mobility interact with your content. This includes ensuring clickable elements are large enough to tap easily and that interactive features don't require precise movements or timing.
Color accessibility ensures that information isn't conveyed through color alone. If you use color to highlight important information, always include another indicator like bold text, underlining, or clear labels.
When you're working solo, you need to focus on accessibility improvements that provide the biggest impact without overwhelming your workflow. Start with these high-impact, manageable changes that will make your content more inclusive.
Start with Alt Text because it's the most fundamental accessibility feature and often the easiest to implement. Alt text describes images for screen reader users, making visual content perceivable to those with visual impairments. Focus on describing the content and context of your images rather than just listing what you see. For brand photos, include relevant details about your product or service. For decorative images, you can use brief descriptions or mark them as decorative.
Add Captions to Video Content as your next priority. Adding captions or subtitles to social videos significantly improves accessibility for deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers. Most social platforms now offer automatic captioning, but always review and edit these for accuracy. Auto-generated captions often miss context, proper nouns, and industry-specific terms that are crucial for understanding your content.
Use Clear, Simple Language in your captions and posts. Avoid unnecessary jargon, explain acronyms on first use, and structure your content with clear headings or bullet points when appropriate. This doesn't mean dumbing down your content—it means making it more universally understandable.
Consider Color Contrast when designing graphics or choosing text colors. Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors so people with low vision can read your content easily. High contrast also improves readability for everyone, especially on mobile devices in bright sunlight.
Write Descriptive Link Text instead of using "click here" or "read more." Screen readers often navigate by jumping between links, so descriptive link text helps users understand where they're going. Use phrases like "download our free guide" or "read our latest blog post about productivity tips."
Use Hashtags Strategically by capitalizing the first letter of each word in multi-word hashtags. This makes them easier to read and helps screen readers pronounce them correctly. For example, use #SocialMediaTips instead of #socialmediastrategy.
Each social media platform offers different accessibility features, and understanding these options helps you maximize your content's reach and inclusivity.
Instagram provides built-in alt text functionality that's easy to use but often overlooked. When uploading photos, tap "Advanced Settings" and then "Write Alt Text" to add descriptions. Instagram also auto-generates alt text, but custom descriptions are usually more accurate and helpful. For Instagram Stories, use the built-in text feature rather than embedding text in images, as screen readers can read this text aloud. The platform also supports closed captions for IGTV and Reels.
Twitter (X) allows you to add alt text to images by clicking "Add description" when uploading photos. The platform supports up to 1,000 characters for alt text, giving you plenty of room for detailed descriptions. Twitter also automatically generates captions for videos, though these should be reviewed for accuracy. Use the platform's thread feature to break up long-form content into digestible chunks.
TikTok offers automatic captions for videos, which appear as text overlays. You can edit these captions for accuracy and style. The platform also allows you to add closed captions manually. When creating TikTok content, consider the visual elements that might not be clear from audio alone and address them in your narration or text overlays.
LinkedIn supports alt text for images and has robust captioning features for video content. The platform's professional audience often appreciates clear, well-structured content with descriptive headings and bullet points. LinkedIn also supports document uploads, which can be made accessible by using proper heading structures and alt text in your original documents.
YouTube offers comprehensive accessibility features including automatic captions, custom subtitle uploads, and audio descriptions. The platform's automatic captions are generally more accurate than other platforms, but manual review is still recommended. Use clear, descriptive titles and include timestamps in your descriptions for easy navigation.
Facebook provides alt text options for images and automatic video captions. The platform's alt text feature is found in the "Edit" options after uploading a photo. Facebook also supports multiple languages for captions, which can be helpful for reaching diverse audiences.
Building accessibility into your content templates ensures that inclusive practices become automatic rather than optional. Create standardized workflows that make accessibility a natural part of your content creation process.
Develop an Accessibility Checklist that you can use for every post. Include items like "Alt text added to all images," "Video captions reviewed for accuracy," "Hashtags use proper capitalization," and "Color contrast checked for readability." Keep this checklist visible during your content creation process until these steps become habitual.
Create Image Description Templates for different types of content. For product photos, include elements like "Image shows [product name] in [setting/context] with [relevant details about color, size, or use]." For behind-the-scenes content, focus on the activity and emotion: "Photo of [person] working on [task] in [location], showing [relevant details about the process or mood]."
Standardize Your Video Caption Process by creating templates for common video formats. Include sections for introducing yourself, describing visual elements that aren't clear from audio, and providing context for any text or graphics that appear on screen. This consistency helps viewers know what to expect and makes your content more professional.
Design Accessible Graphics Templates that you can reuse across posts. Use high contrast colors, readable fonts, and leave enough white space around text elements. Create templates with proper heading hierarchies and consistent styling that maintains good readability across different devices and screen sizes.
Build Inclusive Language Guidelines for your brand voice. Create a list of preferred terms, explanations for technical concepts, and alternatives to potentially exclusionary language. This ensures consistency across all your content and helps you communicate more effectively with diverse audiences.
Scheduling tools like Postra can help you maintain consistent accessibility practices across all your social media platforms. The key is setting up your workflow to include accessibility checks at every stage of the content creation and scheduling process.
Create Accessible Content Batches by dedicating specific time blocks to preparing accessible content. Use Postra's bulk scheduling features to upload multiple posts at once, ensuring you have time to properly add alt text and captions to each piece of content. This batch approach is more efficient than trying to make content accessible on the fly.
Even well-intentioned creators can make accessibility mistakes that reduce their content's effectiveness. Being aware of these common pitfalls helps you avoid them and create truly inclusive content.
Avoid Generic or Unhelpful Alt Text like "image" or "photo." These descriptions don't provide useful information to screen reader users. Similarly, avoid overly detailed descriptions that focus on irrelevant visual elements. Focus on the purpose and context of the image rather than every visual detail.
Don't Rely Solely on Automatic Captions without reviewing them for accuracy. Auto-generated captions often miss context, proper nouns, industry terms, and emotional nuances that are crucial for understanding your content. Always review and edit automatic captions, especially for technical or specialized content.
Avoid Using Color as the Only Way to Convey Information. If you use color to highlight important information, always include another indicator like bold text, underlining, or clear labels. For example, instead of saying "click the red button," say "click the red 'Subscribe' button."
Don't Embed Important Text in Images without providing alternative access. If your image contains text that's crucial for understanding your content, include that text in your caption or alt text. This ensures that screen reader users can access the information.
Avoid Overwhelming Hashtag Usage that can be difficult for screen readers to process. Limit hashtags to the most relevant ones, and always use proper capitalization. Remember that screen readers announce each hashtag, so excessive hashtag use can make your content difficult to consume.
Don't Assume What People Need based on their disabilities. Accessibility benefits everyone, and different people have different preferences for how they consume content. Focus on providing options and clear information rather than making assumptions about what specific audiences need.
The right tools can streamline your accessibility workflow and help you maintain inclusive practices without significantly increasing your workload. These resources integrate easily into existing content creation processes.
Alt Text Generation Tools like Alt Text Generator or Microsoft's Seeing AI can provide starting points for image descriptions. While these tools shouldn't replace human-written alt text, they can help you get started and ensure you don't miss any images. Always review and customize generated alt text to match your brand voice and content context.
Color Contrast Checkers such as WebAIM's Contrast Checker or the Colour Contrast Analyser help ensure your graphics meet accessibility standards. These tools are particularly useful when designing branded graphics or choosing text colors for your posts.
Caption Editing Tools like Rev or Otter.ai can help you create accurate captions for video content. While these services often charge fees, they can be worthwhile investments for creators who produce significant video content. Many tools also offer editing features that let you refine automatic captions.
Grammar and Readability Tools such as Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help ensure your written content is clear and accessible. These tools can identify complex sentences, suggest simpler alternatives, and help you maintain consistent tone across your content.
Accessibility Browser Extensions like axe DevTools or WAVE can help you evaluate your content's accessibility when shared on web platforms. These tools provide detailed reports about potential accessibility issues and suggestions for improvement.
Content Planning Tools that include accessibility reminders can help you stay consistent. Tools like Notion, Airtable, or simple spreadsheets can include accessibility checklists and reminders integrated into your content planning workflow.
Creating accessible social media content doesn't require a complete overhaul of your current workflow. The most effective approach involves making small, consistent changes that become natural parts of your content creation process. Start with one or two accessibility improvements, master them, and gradually add more inclusive practices.
Remember that accessibility is an ongoing practice, not a one-time fix. As platforms evolve and your content strategy develops, continue learning about new accessibility features and best practices. The investment in accessible content pays dividends through increased reach, stronger community engagement, and a more inclusive brand reputation.
Your commitment to accessibility sets you apart as a creator who values all audience members. This distinction becomes increasingly important as consumers become more conscious of the brands they support. By making accessibility a priority now, you're positioning yourself as a forward-thinking creator who understands the importance of inclusive communication.
The tools and strategies outlined in this guide provide a foundation for creating consistently accessible content. As you implement these practices, you'll likely find that accessible content is often better content overall—clearer, more engaging, and more effective at communicating your message to all audiences.
Start small, be consistent, and remember that every accessible post you create makes the digital world a little more inclusive for everyone.
