If you manage social media, you’re already balancing content calendars, performance metrics, and constantly changing algorithms. Accessibility can feel like one more task. At its core, however, accessibility is about making sure everyone can engage with your content.
There’s also a strategic upside: accessible content is often better optimized for search, discovery, and AI systems, thanks to added text from captions, transcripts, and alt text.
With new accessibility requirements (WCAG 2.1 AA) taking effect for UC social channels on April 2027, now is the time to build habits that will both future-proof your work and improve performance today.
Here’s how to make your social content more accessible, without slowing down your workflow.
Start with Captions (and Make Them Count)
If you post video, captions are essential.
Most users watch with the sound off. Captions increase engagement, improve comprehension, and expand your audience. Auto-captions are a helpful starting point, but they need review. When creating and editing videos, take a few minutes to edit them, too, especially names, terminology, and timing. Keep captions concise, with at most 2 lines of text visible. Dense text can be difficult to follow, especially on mobile.
Effective captions should:
- Match what’s spoken, including important sound cues (e.g., [laughter], [music fades])
- Be synchronized with the audio
- Use clear punctuation and readable line breaks
Add Alt Text to Images
Alt text isn’t just for websites. Major social platforms support it too. Alt text is sometimes hidden in “advanced” or “more options” settings, but it’s worth the extra step.
When writing alt text:
- Focus on the essential meaning of the image
- Keep it brief (1–2 sentences)
- Include important text that appears in the image
- Avoid phrases like “image of” or repeating the post caption
- If your post relies heavily on visuals (such as charts or infographics), add additional context in the caption.
Example:
No: “Image of a woman”
Yes: “Marketing manager presenting an analytics dashboard to a team in a conference room”
Include Audio Description (or Build It In to Your Script)
Audio description ensures that important visual information is accessible. You don’t always need a separate audio track. A simple test: if someone couldn’t see the video, would they still understand it? In many cases, you can incorporate description directly into your script or narration:
- Describe key visuals in dialogue: “This chart shows growth from January to March…”
- Don’t rely only on text on screen
- Add a brief visual summary in the post text if needed
Provide Transcripts for Longer Content
For longer videos, podcasts, or live streams, transcripts add significant value by supporting users who are deaf or hard of hearing and help those who prefer to read. Transcripts have the added benefit of improving searchability and content reuse. A clean, well-structured text version of the content is sufficient. Many tools can generate a draft—just be sure to review it for accuracy.
Design for Readability
Accessibility also depends on strong visual design. Keep these principles in mind:
- Use strong color contrast so text stands out clearly
- Avoid small text—design with mobile viewing in mind
- Stick to simple, readable fonts
- Limit how much text appears in a single image or frame
If content is difficult to read quickly, it’s likely not accessible.
Use CamelCase Hashtags
Screen readers can struggle with hashtags written in lowercase.
- Instead of: #socialmediatips
- Use: #SocialMediaTips
This improves how assistive technologies interpret each word.
Be Thoughtful with Emojis
Emojis can add tone, but overuse creates noise for screen readers.
Best practices:
- Use them sparingly
- Place them at the end of sentences
- Avoid repeating the same emoji multiple times
Screen readers read each emoji description aloud, which can interrupt the flow of content.
Make Accessibility Part of Your Workflow
The biggest barrier to accessible content isn’t complexity, it’s consistency.
Build accessibility into your process:
- Include caption review as part of video publishing
- Add alt text during post creation
- Train your team on a few core practices (contrast, hashtags, captions)
Final Takeaway
Accessible social media is simply better social media. It reaches more people, performs better across real-world viewing conditions, and creates a clearer, more inclusive experience. You don’t need to implement everything at once. Start with captions and alt text, then build from there. By the time new requirements take effect, these practices will already be part of how your team works.
If you have questions, you can reach out to an accessibility subject matter expert at your location or visit the following accessibility resources:
Previous UC Tech News Accessibility Posts
UC Electronic Accessibility Website
Frequently Asked Questions – UC Digital Accessibility Site
Author
Jamie Herrera
Accessibility Program Manager
UC Office of the President
