AI Accessibility Toolkit - Captions, Alt Text and Colour Contrast Prompts

When most small businesses think about social media, they focus on growth: more followers, more likes, more sales. But there’s one area that’s often forgotten, accessibility.

Accessibility isn’t just a “nice to have.” It ensures that everyone can engage with your content, regardless of disability, device, or circumstance. And the truth is, making your content accessible also makes it more effective for everyone.

The good news? You don’t need to be a designer or accessibility expert to get this right. With the help of AI, you can generate captions, alt text, and colour-contrast checks in minutes.

This blog gives you a practical checklist and AI prompts to make your content more inclusive, and higher-performing.

Why Accessibility Matters

• Inclusion – 1 in 6 people globally live with a disability. Accessible content means they don’t miss out.

• Reach – Captions, alt text, and high contrast help all viewers, not just those with accessibility needs.

• SEO & algorithms – Alt text improves discoverability. Captions keep people watching longer.

• Professionalism – Accessible brands look more thoughtful and credible.

Accessibility isn’t a trend. It’s best practice, and it should be your baseline.

The 3 Key Elements of Accessible Social Content

1. Captions (for Video & Audio Content)

Not everyone can hear your video. Some people scroll with sound off, others rely on captions due to hearing loss. Adding accurate captions improves retention and inclusivity.

AI Use: Generate accurate captions with tools like CapCut, Descript, or auto-caption generators in TikTok/Instagram, then polish with ChatGPT for clarity.

AI Prompt Example:

“Here is a transcript of my Reel [paste transcript]. Please edit into concise, easy-to-read captions under 2 lines each, timed to speech.”

2. Alt Text (for Images & Graphics)

Alt text describes an image for people using screen readers. It also helps search engines understand your content. The key? Be descriptive but not overstuffed.

AI Use: Write alt text that’s clear, specific, and keyword-friendly.

AI Prompt Example:

“Write 3 variations of alt text for this image: [describe image]. Make them concise (under 125 characters), descriptive, and in a friendly tone.”

3. Colour Contrast (for Graphics & Posts)

If your text doesn’t stand out from your background, your post isn’t accessible. Low contrast makes content unreadable for people with visual impairments, and hard for everyone on bright screens.

AI Use: Ask AI to suggest accessible colour pairings or audit your brand palette.

AI Prompt Example:

“Here are my brand colours [insert hex codes]. Check the contrast ratios and suggest accessible alternatives for text vs background combinations.”

You can also use tools like Contrast Checker (WebAIM) or Canva’s accessibility checker.

The Accessibility Checklist

Here’s a quick list you can run every time you post:

• ✅ Captions – Are they accurate, readable, and well-timed?

• ✅ Alt Text – Did you describe your image in under 125 characters?

• ✅ Colour Contrast – Does your text stand out clearly against its background?

• ✅ Fonts – Are they simple and legible (no excessive script fonts)?

• ✅ Emojis – Are they used sparingly, at the end of sentences, not breaking up words?

• ✅ Hashtags – Written in CamelCase (#LikeThisNotlikethis).

AI can help you check most of these with simple prompts.

Case Study: A Local Bakery

A bakery in Derry City started adding AI-generated alt text to their carousel posts (“Freshly baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour on a wooden board”). They also asked AI to suggest accessible brand colour tweaks for their Instagram templates.

Result? Not only did their content become easier to engage with, but their saves and shares increased, because accessible posts were also clearer and more readable to everyone.

Advanced AI Workflow Prompt (Copy & Paste)

Here’s the full workflow you can run for every post:

“Act as my accessibility assistant. For this post: [insert caption, image description, and colours used], please:

1. Generate easy-to-read captions (under 2 lines each).

2. Write alt text in under 125 characters.

3. Check my colour contrast (hex codes: [insert]) and suggest fixes.

4. Flag any accessibility issues with my emojis, hashtags, or fonts.

5. Provide a revised, accessibility-first version of my post.”

This gives you a complete accessibility check in minutes.

Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Letting auto-captions run unedited – They often mishear names, slang, or accents.

• ❌ Writing vague alt text – “Nice photo” isn’t helpful. Be descriptive.

• ❌ Using trendy but unreadable fonts – Aesthetic shouldn’t beat legibility.

• ❌ Overusing emojis – Screen readers read them out loud (📈📈📈📈 becomes “chart increasing, chart increasing, chart increasing…”).

• ❌ Forgetting hashtags readability – #smallbusinesssupport vs #SmallBusinessSupport.

Tools That Help

• ChatGPT / Claude – For captions, alt text, and colour audits.

• CapCut / Descript – For AI-powered video captions.

• Canva – Design with an accessibility checker.

• WebAIM Contrast Checker – Quick colour ratio checks.

• Meta / LinkedIn editors – Built-in alt text fields (don’t skip them!).

Why This Works

Accessibility isn’t just about compliance. It makes your content clearer, more engaging, and easier for everyone to consume. When posts are easy to watch, read, and share, algorithms reward them too.

With AI, you can:

• Create captions quickly and accurately.

• Write alt text consistently.

• Audit colour contrast without design training.

Accessibility-first content = higher engagement, stronger trust, and broader reach.

Final Thoughts: Inclusive Content Wins

Accessibility is the baseline, not the bonus. By putting captions, alt text, and colour contrast first — with AI as your assistant, you’ll build content that works for everyone.

With this system, you:

• Make your brand inclusive.

• Improve engagement across the board.

• Show professionalism and care in every post.

And here’s the truth: while AI can help generate captions, alt text, and colour checks, most business owners don’t have the time to apply it consistently. That’s where I come in.

📩 If you’ve read this and thought “I want accessible posts, but I’ll never keep up with this checklist”… I can help.

I help businesses:

• Build accessibility-first content systems.

• Use AI to streamline captions, alt text, and design checks.

• Keep their social media professional, inclusive, and effective.

If you’re ready to make accessibility part of your strategy (and not just an afterthought), send me a message today. Let’s build posts that everyone can engage with.