Social Media Accessibility

Accessibility is also important in your social media posts, especially if you are including images, graphics, video or even hashtags in your posts.

Images, Graphics and Infographics

Don't post brochures or flyers; these are rarely designed specifically for social media and don't translate well, especially on small screens
Use this Social Media Cheat Sheet to make sure your graphics are the right dimensions
Graphics with text must have alternative text (alt text) or have the same copy replicated/described in the text of the post
- Graphics with a lot of text should have that text in the body of the post as well
- Best practice is to limit the amount of text you put on a graphic; a lot of text on a graphic is often hard to read on small devices
Images (whether they have text or not) should have alt text if they provide context or add any kind of value to the post
Text or logos on images or graphics should meet color contrast requirements
Review our Digital Design Standards for tips on how to utilize Manatee County colors in a way that meets color contrast requirements

Alt Text should:

Be accurate and equivalent in presenting the same content and function of the image.
Be succinct. This means the correct content (if there is content) and function (if there is a function) of the image should be presented as succinctly as is appropriate. Typically no more than a few words are necessary, though rarely a short sentence or two may be appropriate.
NOT be redundant or provide the same information as text within the context of the image.
NOT use the phrases "image of ..." or "graphic of ..." to describe the image. If the image is conveying content, it is typically not necessary that the user know that it is an image that is conveying the content, as opposed to text. If the fact that an image is a photograph or illustration, etc. is important content, it may be useful to include this in alternative text.
Guide to adding alt text on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn

Don’t overuse caps, which can be difficult to read and misinterpreted by screen readers
Don't overuse hashtags, and when you do use them, follow these best practices:
- Use camel case for multi-word hashtags, which means capitalizing each word (i.e. #ManateeCountyGovernment); this makes hashtags more legible and more compatible with screen readers
- Put hashtags and mentions at the end; punctuation marks are read aloud by screen readers, so hashtags or @ mentions can disrupt copy
Don't overdo the emojis. Emojis also get read aloud by screen readers, so people will hear things like “smiling face with sunglasses" or “nerdy face with thick horn-rimmed glasses and buck teeth” which can get annoying and dilute your message
Think about who your audience is and speak to them
- Use plain language and don't be afraid to write in a more conversational (though still professional) tone
- Try not to use acronyms or industry-specific jargon that not everyone will understand
- Keep sentences short
- Review our Best Practices for Web Writing