Accessibility on social media: How we can make content accessible to everyone

Why accessibility on social media is essential

We are all familiar with everyday situations in which content is difficult for us to access: The video runs without subtitles, but we are sitting on the train without headphones. An article is written in tiny, ornate font that is difficult to read even with glasses. An image conveys important information, but the colors blur in sunlight. It is precisely these barriers that people with disabilities experience every day. Digital accessibility ensures that no one is excluded — neither people with visual or hearing disabilities, nor people with learning difficulties or neurodiversity.

Different needs, different solutions

People with visual disabilities and blindness

Visually impaired users

• Use magnifying functions or screen magnifiers to make content visible.
• Change contrasts or colors to make texts easier to read.
• Benefit from clear designs that are not lost in details.

Practical tips

• Use contrast values of at least 4. 5:1 (WCAG 2.1 standard)
• Use sans-serif fonts (such as Arial, Calibri) and avoid ornate typography.
• Don't place texts directly on uneasy backgrounds — monochrome bars with strong contrast are better.
• Make sure the text is straight. Strange texts make it almost impossible for people who use screen magnifiers to capture the text.
• Check your graphics at high magnification: Do they stay sharp or pixelate?

Blind users

• Use screen readers that read out content or display it on a Braille display.
• In order for images to be understandable, they need alternative texts (alt texts).

Tips for alt texts

• Describe briefly and precisely what information the image is intended to convey.
• Stick to the motto: “As detailed as necessary, as concise as possible.”
• Avoid duplicate information - if the image content is already in the post text, a note such as: “All information is in the post text.”
• Decorative images do not need a description - but social media should always contain a brief description so that it is clear that it is not a forgotten alt text.

Language on social media

• Write hashtags with capital letters: #ReisenFürAlle instead of #reisenfüralle.
• Use emojis sparingly and place them at the end of sentences.
• Avoid using foreign words and abbreviations — screen readers often find it difficult to do so.

People with hearing disabilities or deafness

For deaf and hard of hearing people, videos are often a black box - unless they are subtitled.

Tips for barrier-free videos:

• Subtitles are mandatory. Automatic tools help, but they need to be reworked.
• Make sure the subtitles are easy to read (enough contrast, not too small).
• Subtitles also help anyone who watches videos on the go without sound or is still learning a language.
• Bonus: Sign language videos make content even more accessible.

People with learning and reading difficulties, neurodiversity

People with learning difficulties benefit from clearly structured language. A calm, simple design is also helpful for people with ADHD or autism.

Tips for barrier-free language:

• Use short sentences with just one statement.
• Use active verbs instead of complicated passive sentences.
• Avoid foreign words, metaphors, and abbreviations — or explain them.
• You can separate longer words with hyphens to make them easier to read.
• Provide information in simple or easy language when the target audience benefits from it.
• An example: The Newsleicht channel on Instagram shows how current news can be presented barrier-free in simple language - with calm motifs, clear colors and a consistent layout.

People with color vision problems

Around 8% of men and 0.5% of women have poor color vision, the most well-known being red-green.

Practical tips:

• Don't use colors as the only differentiator.
• Additionally underline links or mark them with symbols.

Practical checklist for barrier-free social media posts

• Use contrasting colors
• Use sans-serif, easy-to-read fonts
• Place texts on monochrome backgrounds
• Write alt texts for all images
• Separate hashtags with capital letters (#ReisenFürAlle)
• Use emojis sparingly and at the end of a sentence
• Add subtitles to all videos
• Use clear, simple language
• Don't convey important information only through colors
• Test posts yourself with zoom, screen reader, or color filters

Barrier-free should not be an extra — but the standard

Accessibility on social media doesn't mean content is becoming more complicated. On the contrary, they are becoming clearer, more structured and more accessible and therefore more valuable for all users.

As social media managers, we have the opportunity to reach more people through conscious design and send a clear message: Everyone is welcome.