How to Optimize Your Social Posts for the Visually Impaired.
With increasing conversation on inclusion and diversity, here is how to create content for the visually impaired and some other information you may find useful.
Know that it is important that you think about how to engage and meet the needs of this demography.
1) Make Text Accessible
Every time you share a piece of writing online, you need to think about its accessibility in two ways. First, is the text visually accessible? And second, is it easy to read?
When I say “visually accessible,” I mean, quite literally, can people see it? It’s more difficult to read text that’s in an unusual font, very small, or in a color too close to the background color.
2) Make Images Accessible
We’re always being told that social media is visual. Most of its content, interaction, and appeal revolves around photos, infographics, images, and memes. However, if you’re a person who can’t see, or can’t see very well, this isn’t ideal.
Whenever you share an image on social media, you should make sure that:
– The photo should be well lit with clear angles
– To check the color palette, use a free website called Who Can Use.
You can plug in the hex numbers for any color combination and the site will show you how it looks to people with different visual impairments.
Another helpful tool is Color Safe. This is another free app with a similar approach. You tell the app your background color, font size, and a few other design details and it suggests accessible color combinations.
3) Make Video Accessible: If you’re creating a talking-head video, make it accessible for people who rely on lip-reading.
Make sure the person speaking is facing the camera and their face is well-lit. Ask them to speak naturally, at a normal pace, and with no exaggerated facial movements. They should also avoid covering their face with their hands or clothes.
At DFA we love to share content that we learn from every day as we work with our teams and new clients.