Most people who post on social media don’t think about accessibility. Not because they don’t care, but because it’s never come up. The platforms don’t prompt you. The defaults aren’t set for blind users. And the result is that a significant portion of content is effectively invisible to the 2 million people in the UK living with sight loss. That’s why we’ve put together a simple guide on how to make social media accessible to everyone.
This guide is based on RNIB’s guide to accessible social media, the most comprehensive UK resource on the subject.
Why it Matters
Blind and partially sighted people use social media with screen readers — software that reads the content of a page aloud. Screen readers can read text. What they can’t do, without help, is describe an image, read text embedded in a graphic, or convey what’s happening in a video with no captions. When a post consists of an image with no alt text and a caption that says “Love this”, a screen reader user gets: “Image. Love this.” That’s the whole post. Making social media accessible requires a small number of consistent habits.
1. Write Alt Text for Every Image
Alt text is a written description of an image that screen readers can access. Most major platforms — Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn — allow you to add it before posting. How to write good alt text: describe what’s in the image, not what you feel about it. Be specific: “A woman using a voice-operated phone in a sunny garden” is useful; “Beautiful” is not. Don’t start with “Image of” — screen readers already announce it’s an image. If the image contains text, include that text in the alt text.
2. Caption Your Videos
Captions benefit deaf and hard-of-hearing users, people watching without sound, and people for whom English is a second language. Most platforms offer automatic captions — but auto-captions make mistakes, particularly with names and accents. Always review and correct them before posting.
3. Don’t Put Essential Text in Images
Text embedded in a graphic is invisible to screen readers unless it’s also written in the caption or alt text. Rule: if the information matters, it needs to exist as actual text somewhere in the post. This is particularly important for event announcements and promotional graphics where key details are often designed into the image.
4. Use Colour Contrast that Works
For partially sighted users, low-contrast text is difficult or impossible to read. WCAG recommends a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text. WebAIM’s Contrast Checker lets you input two colours and instantly see whether they meet the standard. Avoid light grey text on white, yellow on white, or light text on pale backgrounds.
5. Write Clearly and in Plain Language
Screen readers read exactly what’s written, including hashtags, emojis, and abbreviations. Write hashtags in CamelCase (#BlindAndPartiallySighted, not #blindandpartiallysighted), so that screen readers pronounce each capitalised word separately. Avoid excessive emoji mid-sentence; screen readers read the full emoji description (“smiling face with heart eyes”). Avoid text art or decorative characters.
6. Describe Links Meaningfully
“Click here” and “read more” are not useful for screen reader users who navigate by tabbing through links. Instead: “Read our guide to accessible summer activities” or “Find out more about RealSAM Pocket.”
Platform-Specific Notes
- Instagram: Add alt text via Advanced Settings before posting.
- Facebook: Override auto-generated alt text manually — it is often vague.
- Twitter/X: Alt text via the image editor before posting; the platform now prompts when you post without it.
- LinkedIn: Supported via the image upload flow.
- TikTok: Auto-captions available — review before publishing.
Further Resources
RNIB’s guide to accessible social media is updated as platforms change and is the best UK-specific reference.
For blind or partially sighted people who want to use social media more independently, RealSAM Pocket is a voice-operated
smartphone that makes navigating apps, including social media, more accessible.
