Best Practices for Accessible Content in Social Media

Questions

  • How do I make my social media posts accessible?
  • Should I add alternative text to images I post on social media?
  • Do social media videos need captions?
  • How do I make hashtags accessible, and where should hashtags and mentions go?
  • Are emojis a problem for screen readers?
  • What should I keep in mind about color and links in social posts?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin staff and departments managing social media accounts on behalf of the College. These practices apply across platforms; see the related article on Instagram for platform-specific steps.

Resolution

Add alternative text to images

Most platforms let you add alternative text to images. Write a short, meaningful description so people using screen readers understand what the image shows. Describe what is meaningful in context rather than every detail.

Caption your videos

Add captions to any video with speech or important audio. Many platforms only support open ("burned-in") captions, so plan to add captions when you edit the video.

Format hashtags and mentions

  • Place hashtags and mentions at the end of a post so screen readers reach your main message first.
  • Use CamelCase for multi-word hashtags — for example #BowdoinCollege rather than #bowdoincollege. Capitalizing each word helps screen readers pronounce the hashtag correctly and improves readability for everyone.

Use meaningful link text

Where a platform allows descriptive link text, describe the destination instead of pasting a long raw URL.

Use emojis sparingly

Note: Screen readers read the name of every emoji aloud, and a string of emojis can be tedious or confusing. Use emojis intentionally, and avoid placing them in the middle of words or sentences.

Mind color and contrast

In graphics and images with text, keep enough contrast between text and background, and don't rely on color alone to convey meaning.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

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Related Articles (3)

Accessibility Options in Instagram
How to make Bowdoin Instagram content accessible: add your own alternative text on new posts (Advanced Settings > Accessibility > Write Alt Text) and on existing posts (the three-dot menu > Add Alt Text), since Instagram's automatic alt-text is not always accurate; and caption videos, remembering that Instagram supports only open (burned-in) captions. Lists captioning software by platform and links the DCMP Captioning Key. For Bowdoin staff managing Instagram accounts.
Alternative Text (Alt-text)
What alternative text (alt-text) is, why it is required for images on Bowdoin webpages, and how to write it well in Cascade CMS. Covers being descriptive and concise, avoiding "image of," handling images that contain text, functional (linked) images, and decorative images, with before-and-after examples. For Bowdoin website editors and content contributors.
Captions and Transcripts
Bowdoin's captioning policy (effective July 1, 2020) and the tools for meeting it: video should be captioned to at least 99% accuracy and audio-only content should have a transcript. Covers editing YouTube auto-captions, captioning Panopto videos (contact Paul Benham), professional captioning through Rev (contact Juli Haugen, ~5 business days), and transcribing Zoom cloud recordings. For Bowdoin website editors and content publishers.