Why Social Media Accessibility Matters
SRJC's social media channels reach current students, prospective students, parents, and the community. Accessibility on social media is required under ADA Title II — public entities' social media content must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards just like websites and documents.
The good news: each major platform now supports accessibility features. You just need to use them.
Platform-Specific Guidance
Instagram & Facebook
| Feature | How to Make It Accessible |
|---|---|
| Images | Use the "Add alt text" option before posting (Instagram: Advanced Settings → Write Alt Text; Facebook: click the image before posting → Edit Alt Text) |
| Video | Use Instagram/Facebook's auto-captions, then edit them for accuracy. Auto-captions are typically only 60–80% accurate. |
| Text in posts | Write descriptive text in the post caption. Don't rely on images of text (graphics with text baked in) to convey key information. |
| Hashtags | Use CamelCase — capitalize the first letter of each word: #SantaRosaJuniorCollege not #santarosajuniorcollege |
| Feature | How to Make It Accessible |
|---|---|
| Images | After attaching an image, click "Add alt text" → write a description |
| Video | LinkedIn supports captions for uploaded video. Upload an SRT caption file or use auto-captions and edit. |
| Text | Use clear structure in long-form posts. Avoid images of text. |
| Hashtags | Use CamelCase: #CommunityCollege not #communitycollege |
YouTube
| Feature | How to Make It Accessible |
|---|---|
| Captions | Upload a caption file (SRT) or edit YouTube's auto-captions. Always edit auto-captions, as they are not accurate enough to publish as-is. |
| Description | Write a description that summarizes the video's content. Include key information that's shown visually. |
| Chapters | Add timestamps/chapters for longer videos so users can navigate to specific sections. |
| Transcript | YouTube auto-generates a transcript from captions. Always ensure that it's accurate by editing the captions. |
General Social Media Best Practices
Hashtags: Use CamelCase
Capitalize the first letter of each word in a hashtag. This makes them readable for screen readers (which read each word separately) and for humans:
| ❌ All Lowercase | ✅ CamelCase |
|---|---|
| #santarosajuniorcollege | #SantaRosaJuniorCollege |
| #accessibilitymatters | #AccessibilityMatters |
| #srjcfall2026 | #SRJCFall2026 |
Emojis: Use Sparingly
Screen readers read emojis aloud — literally. "🎉" is read as "party popper." A string of emojis at the end of a post becomes: "party popper sparkles confetti ball party popper balloon." This is tedious and unhelpful.
- Use 1–2 emojis maximum per post for emphasis
- Place emojis at the end of a sentence or post, not in the middle of text
- Don't use emojis as bullet points
Images of Text: Avoid Them
Don't post graphics that contain text as the primary content — post the text in the caption instead. Screen readers can't read text inside an image unless alt text is provided, and even then, lengthy text in alt text is poor practice.
| ❌ Avoid | ✅ Instead |
|---|---|
| A graphic with an event announcement (date, time, location all baked into the image) | Post the event details as text in the caption, with an image as a visual supplement |
| A screenshot of a news article | Link to the article or post the key text in the caption |
Video: Always Caption
- All video content must have accurate, synchronized captions
- Edit auto-captions — they are never accurate enough to publish as-is
- For key visual information not conveyed in audio, describe it in the post caption
See Audio & Video for detailed captioning guidance.
Links: Use Descriptive Text
In platforms that support hyperlinks (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook), use descriptive link text. On platforms that don't, include the URL with a clear description of what it links to.
Common Issues & Fixes
| Issue | How to Fix |
|---|---|
| No alt text on images | Use the platform's "Add description" / "Add alt text" feature before posting |
| Raw auto-captions on video | Edit captions for accuracy before publishing |
| All-lowercase hashtags | Rewrite in CamelCase (#AccessNotAssess) |
| Images of text as primary content | Put text in the caption; use images as supplements |
| Too many emojis | Limit to 1–2 per post; place at end |
| No video description | Add key visual info in the post caption |
Checking Your Work: Quick Checklist
[ ] Alt text added to every image
[ ] Video captions edited for accuracy (not raw auto-captions)
[ ] Hashtags use CamelCase
[ ] No images of text as primary content
[ ] Emojis limited to 1–2 per post
[ ] Key visual information described in post text
[ ] Links include descriptive text