I touched on making social media more accessible in my previous blog. Its’s something I’ve been keen to do for a while now and I think I am getting the hang of it. I’m going to share some tips on how to make social media more accessible.

Social media has transformed the lives of many in the disability community. For those that struggle with communication and socialisation it is a lifeline to access the modern world around them. Social media provides the disability community with a tool to share their lived experiences through blogs, to raise awareness, increase campaigns. Social media gives people opportunities to work for themselves, in a world where working for an employer in particular is at a huge disadvantage to a person with any form of disability because of accessibility issues then working for yourself is a huge advantage to bridge that gap and ensure inclusivity and equality.

Here are the most recommended tips to make your social media more accessible.

1) Caption your stories/videos.

By captioning your stories and videos you are making content more accessible. I don’t use talking stories on social media for a number of reasons. But captioning your stories or using the auto caption button makes a difference to a number of people. If you enjoy talking on stories, why not make it so everyone can see/hear what you’re saying.

2) Image description.

Did you know if you don’t put up an image description then a screen reader won’t be able to read it out to someone who is visually impaired. Your content might be missed by possibly hundreds of people. You can use #ImageID, (ImageID) (Image Description) or #AltText.

3) Use hashtags in camelcase.

You’ve heard of upper and lower case, do you know what camelCase is? CamelCase is where the first letter of every next word in the hashtag is capitalised. Let me break this down with #advocatingforcharlie will not be picked up by a screen reader however, #AdvocatingForCharlie will be. Do you see the difference? Each new word in the hashtag has a capital letter.

4) Avoid text in images.

If posting images, avoid using images with lots of text. Pictures work best, with image descriptions written underneath. See above for image description ideas.

5) Avoid multiple emojis.

Use emojis sparingly, avoid using them multiple times in content. And always use them at the end of a sentence rather than in the middle.

6) Create trigger warnings

If your content might contain information or descriptions is of a sensitive nature or could cause trauma to the reader, start your content with a trigger warning. Protect your reader, so that they have the control over if they want to continue seeing the content. Take responsibility for your content.

7) Avoid ableist language.

This is something that can be deeply distressing and offensive. Please consider your language. I will be covering this further in the future.

8) Support and follow disability activists, writers, artists and content influencers.

If your social media accounts are to serve a community, then follow those in that community with disabilities. Such a great example of this is the recent film by Sia on autism that cast a non autistic person to play the role of an autistic person for the film. No, on every level just no. Sia should of cast an autistic person for that role and as such the film has come under a lot of criticism - rightly so. I follow a huge neuro diverse community along with many parent bloggers that share their page to raise awareness of their child’s disabilities. However, by following those that are neurodivergent it opens my eyes to the lived experiences rather than just those from a parent’s perspective. Be aware that your following is representive of the community you are advocating for.

9) New accessibility features.

As social media grows and develops keep a look out for new features that will make content more accessible. Instagram just this week released the auto caption button and although it hasn’t rolled out across all accounts yet, it is still a huge step forward.

10) BSL is important too.

If your followers consist on many from the deaf community you may want to think about introducing BSL, ASL or Makaton to make some of your content more accessible still.

Of course, I am far from being perfect on the grid and on social media but I am making efforts to change that and become a place where there is accessibility for all. It is really important for me to get this right and be inclusive. Please feel free to send me DMs if you feel I am not making social media accessible or if I am doing something wrong. I really don’t mind criticism for something so important.

Below are some links of articles and blogs sharing the benefits of making social media accessible and ways this can be achieved.

Accessible images for everyone (twitter.com)

How do I edit the alternative text for a photo on Instagram? | Instagram Help Centre

Facebook Accessibility | Facebook

Web Accessibility Guidelines | Digital Accessibility (princeton)

https://accessibility.princeton.edu/policy/web

9 Best Practices to Make Social Media Accessible to Everyone (shondaland.com)

Making your social media accessible - RNIB - See differently

Social Media as a Communication Tool for Disabled People - Everyone Can

How to Make Your Social Media Content More Accessible - Portent

How to Caption Social Media Videos and Boost Engagement (3playmedia.com)

Thanks for reading.

Georgina x