Social media accessibility

Accessible social media allows people using screen readers, captions, magnification, and other assistive technologies to understand and engage with SMU content. Build accessibility into the post before it is published rather than attempting to correct preventable barriers afterward.

While this is a comprehensive guide on social media accessibility, you can find out more about social media policies and guidance in our brand center.

Before you publish

Use this quick check to make sure social media content is accessible. How you meet an accessibility requirement may vary by platform and content type.

Required accessibility outcomes

  • Images communicate their meaning to people who cannot see them. Provide meaningful alternative text or an equivalent accessible text description for informative images. Section508.gov defines alt text as text that conveys the meaning of an image to people using screen readers.
  • Video with meaningful audio has accurate captions. Review automatically generated captions and correct errors before publishing.
  • Important visual information in video is available without relying on sight alone. Provide audio descriptions or incorporate the necessary visual information into the video’s existing narration when needed. Section508.gov describes audio descriptions as verbal descriptions of visual information not already communicated by the soundtrack.
  • Audio-only content has an accessible text alternative, such as an accurate transcript.
  • Text and graphics are readable. Use sufficient color contrast and do not rely on color alone to convey essential information. Section508.gov identifies 4.5:1 for regular text and 3:1 for large text as minimum contrast ratios for federal content creators.
  • Avoid flashing content. Content should not contain rapid flashing that could create a seizure risk. Keep unnecessary motion to a minimum, and do not rely on movement or animation alone to communicate essential information.
  • Essential information is not available only as text embedded in an image. Include that information in the post, alt text or other accessible text alternative. 

Recommended accessible social practices

  • Use CamelCase for multiword hashtags, such as #SMUAccessibility rather than #smuaccessibility.
  • Use hashtags selectively rather than filling posts with long strings of hashtags.
  • Use emojis sparingly. Avoid repeated emojis and do not substitute emojis for essential words or instructions.
  • Use plain language and straightforward sentence structure.
  • Make link destinations clear. Use descriptive wording such as “View SMU admission requirements” instead of vague phrases like “click here” or “learn more.”
  • Avoid decorative Unicode or “fancy font” characters that may not be communicated clearly by assistive technology.

Platform-dependent accessibility steps

Please note that accessibility features vary by platform, post format and workflow. If a needed alt text or caption option is unavailable in Sprout Social, publish natively where supported or provide equivalent accessible text or media. Verify the published post.

  • Images: When the platform provides an alt text or image-description field, use it to provide the accessible description.
  • Video: When the platform supports native or uploaded captions, enable them and review the captions for accuracy before publishing.
  • Audio description: The best method depends on the content and platform. Important visual information may be communicated through the video’s primary narration or through additional description when necessary. Audio description is spoken narration that explains important visual information a listener cannot get from the video’s existing audio. It may describe actions, scene changes, on-screen text, charts, facial expressions or other details needed to understand the message.

Make images and graphics accessible

Add alternative text

Add custom alternative text using the platform’s accessibility field whenever it is available. Describe the information or purpose a person needs from the image. Do not rely on automatically generated descriptions without reviewing them.

  • Describe the image’s essential subject, action, setting, and purpose.
  • Include important words that appear inside the image when that information is not already present in the post.
  • For charts, infographics, flyers, or other complex graphics, include the main takeaway and provide a more complete text description when needed.
  • Keep decorative detail secondary to the information the image communicates.

Use readable visual design

  • Use sufficient contrast between text and its background.
  • Use readable type sizes and avoid crowding the graphic with text.
  • Do not communicate meaning through color alone.
  • If essential information appears in a graphic, repeat it in the post text or an accessible linked destination.

Caption video and describe important visuals

Videos posted to social channels, including Reels, Stories, TikTok videos and YouTube Shorts, need accurate captions. Review automatically generated captions before publishing and correct errors in speech, names, terminology and meaningful sounds that are necessary to understand the content.

  • Review captions for both speech and meaningful sounds. Keep captions synchronized with the content, identify speakers when the speaker is not otherwise clear, and include relevant sounds such as [applause], [music] or [laughter] when they contribute to understanding.
  • Use corrected open captions when caption controls are unavailable. If a platform or post format does not provide reliable closed-caption controls, add accurate captions directly to the video so they remain visible during playback.
  • Narrate essential visual information. Important actions, demonstrations, on-screen text, charts or other visual-only information needed to understand the message should also be communicated through the video’s narration or audio description.
  • Keep captions and important content clear of platform overlays. Before publishing, preview the video in the format where it will appear and make sure captions, names, calls to action and other essential information are not covered by interface elements such as profile information, buttons, comments or navigation controls.
  • Verify the published post. After publishing, confirm that captions display correctly and the post remains understandable with the sound off and without relying on visual information alone.

Provide transcripts for audio content

Provide a complete transcript for audio-only content such as podcasts. Identify speakers, review automated transcription for accuracy, and make the transcript easy to find from the post or linked destination.

Handle GIFs, animation, and motion carefully

  • Avoid rapidly flashing content.
  • Provide a text description when a GIF or animation communicates information that is not available in the post text.
  • Do not use motion as the only way to communicate instructions or change.
  • Give users control when a platform or embedded experience permits pausing or stopping motion. 

Shared and third-party content

Before reposting or sharing third-party content, check whether its images, graphics, video and audio are accessible. Accessibility features such as alt text and captions may not carry over when content is reposted, and some repost formats cannot be edited. 

If the repost is not accessible: 

  1. Request an accessible version from the original publisher.
  2. Share an equivalent accessible alternative that provides all essential information from the original content. 
  3. Create an accessible original post using approved text, images or media when an equivalent version is not available. 
  4. Hold the repost if the accessibility barriers cannot be corrected and no equivalent accessible alternative is available. 

A brief summary is appropriate only when it communicates all essential information and provides an equivalent experience. Do not repost inaccessible content solely because the original content came from another account.