How to Create Accessible Social Media Content in 2025

Social media is a powerful tool for connection, but is your content truly accessible to everyone? With over 2 million people in the UK living with sight loss and more than 18 million affected by hearing loss or tinnitus, it’s crucial for marketers to consider accessibility when creating content. Ensuring your social media is inclusive not only improves user experience but also broadens your audience reach.

What is Social Media Accessibility

Social media accessibility refers to designing content that provides a smooth and inclusive experience for all users, regardless of their abilities, devices, or browsing conditions. By making your content more accessible, you improve engagement and usability for your entire audience.

Key Steps to Improve Social Media Accessibility

1. Use Captions and Transcripts

Adding captions to videos ensures that those who are deaf or hard of hearing can engage with your content.

• Ensure captions are clearly visible and don’t overlap with on-screen text.
• Consider using bold colours and high contrast to improve readability.
• Avoid making captions too small—many users struggle to read tiny text on mobile devices.
• Use transcripts for longer videos and podcasts so that users can access the full content in text form.

2. Optimise Colour Contrast and Fonts

Good contrast between text and background enhances readability for visually impaired users.

• Choose high contrast colour combinations (e.g., black text on a white background or vice versa).
• Avoid fonts that are too wacky or stylised, as they can be difficult to read.
• Be cautious of third-party “fancy fonts” from websites like Fancy Fonts—screen readers often struggle to interpret them.

3. Format Posts for Readability

Proper formatting makes your content easier to consume for everyone.

• Use line breaks to break up long paragraphs.
• Consider using emojis as bullet points, but keep them consistent (e.g., using the same emoji for each point).
• Avoid excessive emoji use, as screen readers will read out their descriptions (e.g., “green tick” before every sentence).

4. Place Hashtags Thoughtfully

Hashtags are still useful for discoverability, but their placement matters.

• Keep hashtags at the end of your post to maintain readability.
• Avoid interrupting sentences with hashtags, which can disrupt the reading flow.
• Given the rise of social search, hashtags may become less relevant, but when used, they should not clutter the main content.

5. Use Alt Text for Images

Alt text allows visually impaired users to understand image content via screen readers.

• Most social platforms and scheduling tools now offer alt text options.
• Provide descriptive alt text that includes keywords but avoids generic phrases like “picture of” or “image of.”
• Keep descriptions concise but informative, conveying the essential details of the image.

Why Accessibility Matters?

Making your content accessible isn’t just about inclusivity—it also boosts engagement and trust in your brand. A well-optimised post enhances user experience and can improve performance in search and platform algorithms.

By implementing these accessibility best practices, you’ll ensure your content is clear, readable, and enjoyable for all users—no matter their ability or device.