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Social Media Digital Accessibility Reference Guide

Text on Images

Text on images is allowed, provided accessibility requirements are met.

Requirements

  • Text must have sufficient color contrast:
    • At least 4.5:1 for normal text
    • At least 3:1 for large text
  • Text must be legible on small screens.
  • Critical information (dates, instructions, deadlines, calls to action) must also appear in:
    • The caption, and/or
    • The platform’s alt text field

Best Practices

  • Avoid placing text over busy or detailed backgrounds.
  • Use overlays, gradients, or solid color blocks behind text.
  • Keep text concise and readable at a glance.

Alt Text for Images

Alt text allows screen reader users to understand images.

Requirements

  • Add alt text to all informational images.
  • Alt text should convey the purpose or message, not every visual detail.

Best Practices

  • Keep alt text brief and meaningful.
  • Do not start with “Image of” or “Graphic of”.
  • Decorative images may use empty alt text where supported.

Example: Graphic announcing a March 1 application deadline.

Video Content

Captions

  • Captions are required for all videos with spoken content.
  • Auto-captions may be used but should be reviewed for accuracy.
  • Captions should include:
    • Spoken dialogue
    • Important non-speech audio (for example: “applause” or “music fades”)

Videos Without Speech

  • If a video has only music or no audio, captions are not required.
  • The caption should still describe the content for context.

Emojis and Special Characters

Requirements

  • Emojis should not replace important words or meaning.

Best Practices

  • Place emojis at the end of sentences when possible.
  • Use emojis sparingly.
  • Avoid long strings of emojis, which can be disruptive for screen readers.

Hashtags

Requirements

  • Hashtags should be readable by screen readers.

Best Practices

  • Use CamelCase, for example: #DigitalAccessibility
  • Limit the number of hashtags.
  • Avoid placing hashtags mid-sentence.

Requirements

  • Link purpose must be clear from surrounding text.

Best Practices

  • Avoid vague phrases like “Click here”.
  • Use descriptive language, for example: “Learn more about graduate admissions”.
  • Place links on their own line when possible for readability.

Color and Design Considerations

Requirements

  • Information must not rely on color alone to convey meaning.

Best Practices

  • Pair color with text, icons, or labels.
  • Avoid low-contrast color combinations.
  • Use consistent visual hierarchy.

Platform Accessibility Features

Whenever possible:

  • Use built-in alt text fields.
  • Use platform captioning tools.
  • Avoid embedding text in images when the same message can be written in the caption.

Plain Language and Readability

Best Practices

  • Write in clear, concise language.
  • Avoid excessive jargon.
  • Break up long captions with spacing or line breaks.
  • Use sentence case rather than all caps.

Accessibility Check Before Posting

Before publishing, ask:

  • Can someone understand this post without seeing the image?
  • Is all critical information available in text?
  • Are captions accurate?
  • Is the text easy to read on a phone?

If the answer is yes, you’re in good shape.