How to Make Your Instagram Content More Accessible
Accessibility is important on any social media platform, especially one as big as Instagram! Making your content more accessible not only increases the likelihood of more people interacting with it, but it also ensures that your content is inclusive towards individuals who are sight or hearing impaired. Below are Instagram features you can use to make sure your content is accessible for all!
1. Auto-generated captions
Instagram offers auto-generated captions for videos, so you don’t even need to transcribe the video yourself. They’re super easy to add, and you can edit them if need be! Viewers are able to opt-in or out of captions to suit their preferences as well! This is likely to increase engagement on videos because if someone is watching your video in public or in a quiet setting, odds are they won’t have the sound on. Captions ensure that everyone can still enjoy your video, even without the audio!
2. Captions for stories & reels
You can add captions to stories or reels by clicking the “cc” icon in the sticker menu. Similar to captions for videos, these are automatically generated and can be easily edited!
3. Translation
Instagram launched their translation feature in 2016, making it easy for individuals around the world to see, understand, and interact with any post. SUCH a great feature! The translation feature can be used on posts, bios, or even stories!
4. Alternative Text
Instagram automatically generates alternative text for screen readers using object recognition technology. However, a great way to ensure that these individuals are hearing the desired description of your content is to customize the alternative text yourself. Doing this will allow you to include a more in-depth description and context.