Summary
Follow these guidelines to create accessible Facebook posts by adding meaningful alternative (alt text) to images, verifying video captions, and using inclusive text and formatting that meet WCAG requirements.
Intended Audience
- Staff posting on social media for schools or departments.
Steps
Images & Graphics (Alt Text)
Screen readers cannot "read" an image. You must provide a text description for all images called Alt Text.
- When you upload a photo, select Edit (pencil icon) > Alternative Text > Custom Alt Text.
- Write descriptive but concise alt text. Follow these tips to help write good alt text.
- Focus on the information the image conveys, not every visual detail.
- Keep alt text short, usually one or two sentences.
- Write alt text that fits the surrounding content and context.
- Do not start with “image of” or “picture of,” as screen readers already announce images.
- Use complete sentences with proper capitalization and punctuation.
- Avoid repeating text that already appears in the post.
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Bad: "Student" or "School Assembly."
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Good: "Elementary student reading a book at their desk."
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Flyers: If you post an image of a flyer, all the important information (date, time, location, link) must also be typed out in the main post caption.
Video Content (Captions)
Under the 2026 rules, auto-generated captions do not meet WCAG standards if they contain errors.
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Edit for Accuracy: Facebook's auto-captions often mess up names or school acronyms.
- Always select Video Options.
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Add Captions.
- Then select Edit to verify the text matches the audio.
- Example: Keizer is usually spelled Kaiser in the auto captions. This would need to be corrected.
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Facebook Live: If you are streaming a school performance or graduation, you must enable Live Captions.
Text & Formatting
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Hashtags: Use Camel Case for hashtags, which means capitalizing the first letter of every word in a hashtag.
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Incorrect: #wearesalemkeizer.
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Correct: #WeAreSalemKeizer (This allows screen readers to say the words individually instead of a long string of gibberish).
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Emojis: Limit emojis to 1 or 2 per post.
- Always put emojis at the very end of the post.
- Why? A screen reader will stop reading your important text to say "Smiling Face with Hearts" every time it encounters one.
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Avoid "Click Here": Use descriptive links.
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Bad: "To sign up, click here."
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Good: "Register for the Science Fair using our sign-up form."
Color & Contrast (For Created Graphics)
If you are using Canva to create graphics for Facebook:
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Color Contrast: Ensure text is easy to read against the background (e.g., no light yellow text on a white background).
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Don't use color alone: Never say "Click the red button to register," as color-blind users may not be able to distinguish it. Use "Click the 'Register' button."
Learn more about making accessible Canva content in this article: Canva Projects Accessibility Guide.
ClassIntercom
If you are using ClassIntercom to post to Facebook:
- The same rules as above apply when creating content.
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To add alt text: When you add an image or video to a post, there is an alt text box in the right-side column.
Additional Help
Digital Accessibility Quick Start Guide
Digital Accessibility Cheatsheet & Checklist
If assistance is still needed after completing the above steps, please let Communications know by submitting a ticket.