Social Media

Writing for Social Media

• Write in plain language, keeping copy clear and concise.
• Avoid tabs or adding spaces to manipulate the formatting of written content.
• Use hashtags in moderation, and only at the end of posts/tweets if possible.
• Put multi-word hashtags in Camel Case, e.g. #UniversityOfGalway for readability.
• Use emoji in moderation, and check all emoji descriptions on emojipedia.org.
• Avoid gimmickry such as aLtErNaTiNg cApS or ASCII Art.
• Give meaningful links that state the link destination – e.g. The Irish Times rather than click here to read an article.
• Give alternative routes to linked locations – e.g. 'links in bio' – when a media platform does not permit clicking directly on URLs, e.g. Instagram on mobile.

Making Images and Visuals Accessible

• Add appropriate alternative text for all images in social media posts. For guidance, consult the excellent guide to alt text on Harvard University's Accessibilty section.
• When using colour in your graphics, check the contrast using WebAIM Contrast Checker and the University Brand Book(page 35).
• Avoid using images of text unless linking to the full readable text (e.g. screengrab of a press statement) and include appropriate alt text to the image.

Accessible Audio and Video

• Caption all videos that contain dialogue and/or informative audio.
• Subtitles can be closed (toggled on and off by the viewer) or open (‘burned in’). Use closed subtitles where possible but certain platforms may require open subtitles.
• Provide a description of the visual elements of videos either through text or audio when possible.
• Avoid any flashing lights or strobe effects in videos. 
• Make a transcript available for any audio-only content.

Platform-Specific tips

• In Twitter/X, look for 'Add description' link underneath once you have uploaded an image. This can be up to 1,000 characters. Tap save. An 'ALT' badge will appear on your image to indicate that it contains alt text.
• In Facebook, upload your image to a post. Click on edit (on mobile, tap the three dots on your image). Select 'Alternative text' and add your custom alt text.
• In LinkedIn, after add an image to a post, click on 'Add description' in the top right of your image. This option is only available on desktop.
• In Instagram, upload your image and hit 'Next', then 'Advanced settings' and 'Write alt text'. On desktop, you’ll see an Accessibility dropdown option instead.