According to research, 80% of daily life is visually oriented. From the moment we start a new day, we are exposed to products, brands, shares, and many other things. To give meaning to everything we are exposed to, it is often necessary for our brains to rely on vision. Additionally, we have turned social media channels, which are almost a significant part of our daily lives, into indispensable components. So, how can we make social media accessible for the visually impaired, where we share photos, display beautiful moments from our stories, convey important parts of our lives through videos, and promote our brand?
As social media becomes a significant part of our lives, it transforms into more than just a platform to share moments; it becomes a powerful information-sharing center. Today, accessibility has become a necessity for every brand, institution, and organization. Making improvements for visually impaired individuals in social media posts is not difficult and can be a positive step towards a more accessible world for both brands and individuals.
What can be done?
1. Use of Alternative Text:
Descriptive texts added beneath visual content provide visually impaired individuals the opportunity to understand the content through screen readers. This can be achieved by adding descriptive texts that express the content of images.
2. Hashtag and Emoji Descriptions:
Hashtags and emojis are used to interpret and categorize content. However, explaining the meaning of these symbols helps visually impaired individuals better understand the content.
3. Audio Descriptions and Video Captions:
Captions and audio descriptions added to videos help visually impaired individuals understand the content. This can be done by presenting spoken content in text or by narrating the content in an explanatory manner.
4- User Interface Adjustments:
Large fonts, high-contrast colors, and clear layouts make social media platforms easier for visually impaired individuals to use.
5- Education and Awareness Building:
It is important for users to be aware of accessibility issues. Educational materials guiding users on how to make their content more accessible should be provided on social media platforms.
There are 285 million visually impaired individuals worldwide. It can be said that visually impaired individuals can easily engage in all kinds of physical and social activities when provided with sufficient opportunities and technology. The hindrance comes not from the inability to see but from the failure of brands and societies to design life accordingly. Inaccessible social media channels seem to say to the visually impaired, "you can't." Moreover, many visually impaired individuals, despite the obstacles in their way, excel in professions such as influencing. Let's imagine what they will achieve when accessibility issues are resolved!
One crucial point is to acknowledge that screen readers are indeed significant aids but never sufficient. Screen readers are a technology that "reads" whatever is on the screen. They cannot describe colors or convey the emotions of a visually oriented social media post, and they fall short of conveying the desired feelings.
As BlindLook, a company that goes beyond merely calling for accessibility and takes action by collaborating with brands, we make a renewed call for accessibility for every brand, institution, and organization. With over 60 brands from 16 sectors, we offer a 100% auditory world to visually impaired individuals. We know that without accessibility, logos created with various strategies and meetings by brands mean nothing to visually impaired individuals. We persistently work towards inclusivity and accessibility in everything from social media to eCommerce and invite all brands to be under the EyeBrand umbrella.
Author: Enes Ertürk / BlindLook Team
