How To Use Alt Text On Social Media?

Alt text or Alternative text has been, and is continuing to be an visible description that the viewers can read aloud from a screen reader device. It is used within HTML code for describing images on websites. Likewise, the users can understand what is going on in the content, even if they cannot see it.

What is the Importance of Alt Text?

Alt texts are a must on social media posts for the content to be accessible to audiences having vision impairment or who are experiencing blindness. Even if the social media alt-text features are not new, still social media marketers keep themselves aware of the proper steps for using them. The requirement itself calls for hiring the social media experts of a social media marketing agency in Peterborough to ensure the Alt texts have been appropriately used.

How To Use Alt Text On Social Media?

1. Keeping It Simple

By keeping it simple and inserting the keywords properly, the content's purpose is outlined and highlighted. The hidden messages, hashtags, and links gain prominence. The image is described by avoiding all fluff.

2. Avoiding The Emojis

Audiences with visual impairments or experiencing blindness will find the emojis in alt text overwhelming – particularly when they are using a screen reader. 
So, here the takeaway is emojis are not to be used in the alt text field.

But if the emojis are chosen in images, captions, and bios, then -

• Moderate emojis are used
• Emojis are placed at the posts and tweets to avoid clarity issues
• Dashes are used for bullet points, other than emojis

3. Intentionally Bring SEO To Play

Alt text has no impact on discoverability. So social media experts intentionally operate with an SEO-first mindset. The alt text field is all for accessibility to make a better user experience for everyone engaged with the content. So, an intentional approach is key when the posts are optimized for SEO. Adding a set of random keywords into the alt text field is not permitted. The platform has to boost the content. Working the keywords logically into an image description is a good practice. The next option is using hashtags.

4. Listing The Important Information At First

When writing alt text, the important information is given the top seat. Although weighing the significance is as decided yet for the predominantly text-based graphics or images, the important information should be written first. Nevertheless, the images or memes first need a description for giving more context before the text.

5. Using Closed Captions and Audio Descriptions

We are living in the short-form video content age. So, the priority is on video and audio posts in tandem with Alt text. Closed captions have more useful potential. Captions in the audio and video contents are accessible to everyone, even to people having learning disabilities as well as in noisy environments. 
Video contents with audio descriptions and described videos help the audience with vision impairment or who are experiencing blindness.

Even people having limited vision must take advantage of quality content easily. So, social media content should be made accessible with alt text. Since social media is significant in daily modern-day auto-generated media, we can receive a lot of information from the platforms.