University Communications & Marketing

Social Media Accessibility

Social media accounts at West Chester University are committed to making every effort to ensure the content shared is accessible to all audiences. Following are best practices for making accessible social media content.  

Social Media Accessibility Checklist

• Limit the amount of text in your images/graphics.
• Add alt text - a clear description of what’s happening in the image. For example:
  • Weak alt text: WCU Students
  • Strong alt text: Two WCU students sitting on a bench together outdoors in front of Recitation Hall while smiling.
• Avoid text-heavy graphics (if text is necessary, repeat the text in the caption and/or in the alt text description).
• Use high color contrast in graphics (for example, light text on dark background).
• QR codes are acceptable if you also provide an accessible alternative. For example:
  • A typed URL in the caption
  • Alt text describing what the QR code links to
• Avoid placing text over busy backgrounds.

Videos & Reels

• Add closed captioning, review auto-generated captions and edit as needed.
• Avoid flashing/strobing effects.
• Ensure audio is clear and balanced.
• Test the video without audio. Does the video carry the same message without audio?

Captions

• Use emojis sparingly and avoid long strings of emojis. Emojis can be overwhelming for screen reader users when used extensively.
• Be descriptive with links in captions. For example instead of “click here” say “To register for Homecoming visit wcupa.edu/example” or “Event registration link in bio”.
• In hashtags, capitalize the first letter of every word. This provides access to individuals who use screen readers. For example:
  • Not: #westchesteruniversity Yes: #WestChesterUniversity

Stories

• Add captions to all spoken content.
• Avoid small font and stickers.
• Keep important text centered to ensure they are not overlayed by UI elements (like buttons, comment boxes, etc).
• Use Instagram’s built-in caption sticker and review as needed.

 

 

Learn more about WCU accessibility best practices.