Keeping Accessibility top of mind when creating online and offline content.
The internet has become an invaluable tool that helps people reach information and access services everyday. When you are creating content, you should keep accessibility top of mind. Individuals who have impairments may rely on screen readers to read the content on a page. This makes it important to make sure your online and offline content is accessible. This is especially important for nonprofits offering services to individuals. In this article I will discuss some accessibility best practices to include in your content creation process.
ALT Text and Descriptive File Names: What They Are and Why They Matter
ALT Text is descriptive text, or a caption used to explain what is happening in the image, or the elements that are included in an image. ALT text can be added to images on websites, social media posts, email marketing and presentations. In addition to accessibility compliance, ALT Text will help improve your website's SEO performance and make it easier to find online. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it should be detailed i.e. explain in a non-complicated way what is going on in the image. You should also give the file name a clear name. i.e. ’office meeting space’ instead of using the generic image name (often a bunch of symbols or numbers) that will not come across coherently via a screen reader.
ALT Text Example: An image of men and women colleagues sitting around a wooden table in a meeting room space within an office.
File Name Example: office meeting space
For additional information about ALT text visit my blog post from July 2024.
How to add your ALT text to your website and in social posts:
If you use WordPress, you can add image names, ALT Text, Captions, and descriptions directly to each photo by clicking on it in your media library. If you use Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy or others, you would click directly on the image and edit the settings and enter it there.
To add ALT text to your image on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIN you click on the image and a box will open up for you to add your Alt text. You would then click save or apply. Definitely make sure you apply it. If you leave without clicking apply, your ALT text will not be saved.
Using ALT Text and Captions in Presentations, Flyers, and Offline Materials
You’ve added ALT text to your website and social media images, great! But another important place to include ALT text or image captions is in your presentations. This was something I hadn’t considered until I started researching digital accessibility best practices. Adding captions to images in PowerPoint, Google Slides, and PDFs makes your content more accessible to individuals with visual impairments. For example, adding a caption to a PDF flyer allows screen readers to describe the image, and if printed, it provides a written description, making the content more inclusive. If you're using Adobe Acrobat Pro, you can add ALT text directly to your PDF files, enhancing accessibility across all formats. Small adjustments like these can make a big difference in ensuring your content is accessible to everyone.
How to Add ALT Text or Captions in PowerPoint, Google Slides, and PDF files
PowerPoint
Open your PowerPoint presentation and select an image.
Right-click > View/Edit Alt Text, then enter a description.
To add a caption, click Insert > Text Box, type your caption, and position it below the image.
Click File > Save to apply changes.
Google Slides
Open your Google Slides presentation and click on an image.
Go to Format > Alt Text (or press Ctrl + Alt + Y / Cmd + Option + Y).
Enter a brief description and click Done.
To add a caption, use Insert > Text Box, type the caption, and adjust formatting.
Changes are saved automatically, or click File > Save.
Adobe Acrobat (PDFs)
Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Click Accessibility > Set Alternate Text.
Enter a clear, concise description in the pop-up window.
Click Save & Close, then File > Save to finalize.
Enhancing Accessibility: How to Add Captions to Videos, and Social Media Content
Adding captions to your videos and reels is a simple, yet powerful way to improve accessibility and engagement on social media. Many platforms, including LinkedIn, Meta Business Suite (Facebook and Instagram) and YouTube offer built-in tools to enable captions automatically. Whether you’re posting a reel, a video post, or uploading a video to YouTube, having captions enabled allows more people to engage with your content, including those who rely on captions for accessibility.
Here’s how you can enable captions on a few different platforms:
LinkedIn:
Click into the CC menu in the video editor.
Ensure the "Add auto captions" toggle is turned on.
Meta Business Suite (Facebook & Instagram):
For Reels: Enable captions under the Reel Details section.
For Video Posts:
Add a video title and description under the Create section.
Click the Closed Captions box under the Share menu to enable auto-generated captions.
YouTube:
Go to YouTube Studio and select your video.
Click Subtitles in the left menu.
If automatic captions are available, they appear under Published.
To add or edit captions:
Click Add Language > Add Subtitles.
Manually type captions or upload a file (.SRT, .SBV, .VTT).
Use Auto-sync to match captions to your script.
Click Publish to save your captions.
Making Webinars & Podcasts More Accessible with Captions and Transcripts
If you hold online webinars for your business or nonprofit, you should be sure that your online meeting software accounts have captions enabled. This was never something that was top of mind for me, but again I am sure it will be helpful to others. You can incorporate this into your process by making a task to check that captions are enabled before your meeting. To do this in Zoom, go to the settings menu and then the accessibility menu and ensure that “Always Show Captions” is checked.
When creating a podcast or any audio-based content, adding a transcript is an important step in making your podcast accessible. A transcript provides a text-based version of your audio, ensuring that individuals with hearing impairments, anyone who prefers reading, or using a screen reader can still access and engage with your content. Many podcast platforms offer auto-generated transcripts or allow you to upload your own text file. For example, both Apple Podcasts and Spotify automatically generate transcripts for listeners when an episode is uploaded.
CamelCase Hashtags: What They Are and Why you should use them
Camel Case hashtags, are hashtags that have the first letter of each word in the hashtag capitalized. By capitalizing each word in the HashTag a screen reader can read them more easily and make them more comprehensible to the user. This is another easy change to make when picking the best hashtags for your post. LinkedIN and YouTube make it easy to use them. I sometimes find it hard to add them on Facebook and Instagram, but I try to use them as much as possible. If you can't find a CamelCase hashtag for every relevant keyword in your post, it's okay to mix them with non-CamelCase hashtags. Just make sure to include a few key CamelCase hashtags that clearly describe your content and improve accessibility. I know marketers are super busy, but this is one of the easiest changes to be aware of and fit into your content creation routine.
Example:
CamelCase: #MartinLutherKing
Non CamelCase: #martinlutherking
CamelCase Hashtag Best Practices:
Use CamelCase hashtags where you can. It is OK If you have to use a mix
Use relevant hashtags that describe what your content is about
Avoid special characters in hashtags. They may not be readable by screen readers.
Don’t overuse hashtags, a few relevant hashtags will go a long way
As I continue learning about digital accessibility, I’ve realized just how important it is to create inclusive content. This blog post only scratches the surface, but small steps, like using CamelCase hashtags, transcripts for audio content, and ALT text for images can make a big difference. If you’re looking for more ways to make your content accessible, check out the resources below. I’d also love to hear from you. What accessibility tips do you use in your content creation process? Drop a comment and share your insights!
If you have a project and would like to work with me, schedule a Free Discovery Call so we can discuss your goals and I can learn more about your project. I’d love to help you make your content more accessible! Schedule Here
Resources:
Adding Alternate Text to Images in Google Slides
11 ways to make content more accessible and inclusive
Hashtag Accessibility, by Everyone for Everyone
How to Add Captions & Subtitles to YouTube Videos | Easy Guide