Social Media Accessibility Checklist: 5 Quick Wins for Instagram & LinkedIn

(Because making your content more inclusive shouldn’t take all day.)

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I can't tell you how many times I see posts with really cool information in them and then I think about the possibility that there are so many people out there who may not even be able to read them.

The text is too small. The color combination makes it impossible to read. Or they rely on a screen reader… and there's no image description or alt text at all.

I sigh and shake my head.

Because in that moment, all that valuable information is basically locked away from the people who could use it most.

And here's the thing: this happens on social media all the time. Not because people don't care, but because accessibility isn't built into their content process.

The good news? It's not hard to fix that. I promise it doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming!

Here are the top 5 accessibility wins for Instagram and LinkedIn that fit right into your existing workflow.

Instagram: Top 5 Accessibility Wins

1. Use high-contrast text over images
   Think black on white, or dark navy on pale yellow. Avoid low-contrast combos (like light pink on gray). Aim for a 4.5:1 contrast ratio. Learn more about why color contrast matters

2. Add alt text or an image description
   On desktop, Instagram has a built-in alt text field. On mobile, include a short image description in your caption: *[ID: A woman smiling while holding a microphone]* Not sure what to write? Here's the full guide to writing alt text.

3. Caption your reels, stories, and videos
   Not just for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers like me, but also for anyone watching without sound. (Which is… a lot of people.) Here's why auto-captions aren't enough.

4. Use CamelCase hashtags
   Write #ContentAccessibilityMatters instead of #contentaccessibilitymatters so screen readers can read each word correctly.

5. Repeat important info in the caption
   If your call-to-action or headline only exists in the image, a lot of people won't see it. Always include it in text too.

LinkedIn: Top 5 Accessibility Wins

1. Use high-contrast colors in all visuals
   Your carousels, PDFs, and header images should pass color contrast standards.

2. Add alt text to every image
   This tells screen readers what the image is and why it's there. Not sure how? Start here.

3. Caption your videos
   Live or uploaded — captions make your message clear for more people, in more situations. Learn how to create accurate captions.

4. Use descriptive link text
   Instead of "Click here," say "Read our Accessibility Guide" or "Download the LinkedIn Carousel Template."

5. Keep paragraphs short
   2–3 lines max for better scannability. Bullets and lists are your friend. Proper heading structure helps too.

How to Make This a Habit (Without Adding Hours to Your Day)

The first thing you need to understand is there is no "burning it all down." It's about adding quick, repeatable steps to what you're already doing.

Your new content flow could look like this:

1. Draft your post

2. Run through the 5-point checklist for your platform

3. Publish knowing more people can actually use and enjoy your content

Small updates → bigger audience → deeper trust.

But here's the reality: even with the best intentions, it's easy to miss things. You're juggling content creation, client work, and everything else that comes with running a business. That's where Successible, the accessibility assistant, comes in.

Let Successible Do the Heavy Lifting

Instead of manually checking every post, graphic, and webpage for accessibility issues, Successible scans your content in real time and flags things like:

Missing alt text on images

Low color contrast that makes text hard to read

Skipped heading levels that confuse screen readers

You get clear, actionable feedback as you create, so you can fix issues before you publish, not after someone tells you they couldn't access your content.

Successible doesn't replace your creativity or judgment. It supports it. You still decide what your brand looks like and sounds like. The tool simply makes sure more people can actually experience it. Learn more about Successible and start making accessibility part of your everyday workflow, not an afterthought.

Related:

Want to dive deeper into making your content accessible across platforms? Check out:

• How to Write Alt Text That Actually Helps

• Why Color Contrast Matters (And How to Check Yours)

• Captioning for Video: Why Auto-Transcribe Isn't Enough

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