Every True Motion Auto social post must ship with: alt text on all images, captions or subtitles burned into video (not relying on platform auto-captions alone), a color-contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for any text overlay, and no information conveyed by color alone. These four checks take under two minutes per post and are non-negotiable before publishing, per our internal accessibility checklist below.
At a glance
| Requirement | Standard |
|---|---|
| Image alt text | Required on every image post, descriptive not generic |
| Video captions | Burned-in captions/subtitles required, not auto-caption-only |
| Text contrast ratio | Minimum 4.5:1 for overlay text on graphics |
| Color-only information | Never used alone — pair with text/icon/pattern |
| Review point | Pre-publish, part of standard content QA |
Why this checklist exists
Social content reaches people using screen readers, people with low vision, people who watch video muted in public, and people with color vision deficiencies — all before it reaches anyone else. This checklist exists so accessibility isn't an afterthought bolted on after a post underperforms, but a standard applied before anything goes live. It follows the spirit of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA, adapted for short-form social formats.
Pre-publish checklist
- Write descriptive alt text for every image — describe what's actually shown ("Red pickup truck towing a boat trailer on a highway"), not a generic placeholder like "car photo."
- Add burned-in captions to every video, even short clips — platform auto-captions are a supplement, not a substitute, since they're frequently inaccurate for automotive terminology.
- Check text-over-image contrast using a contrast checker tool before posting; overlay text must hit at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background.
- Confirm no meaning depends on color alone — for example, a comparison graphic shouldn't rely on "green means good, red means bad" without also labeling each option in text.
- Keep flashing or rapidly strobing effects out of video content, which can trigger seizures in photosensitive viewers and are restricted under accessibility guidance.
- Review link and button text for clarity out of context — "Read the full guide" is accessible; "Click here" is not, since screen readers often navigate by link text alone.
Format-specific notes
| Format | Extra requirement |
|---|---|
| Carousel/slide posts | Alt text on every individual slide, not just the first |
| Stories/Reels/Shorts | Captions positioned to avoid platform UI overlap |
| Infographics | Key data points repeated in the caption text, not image-only |
| Polls/quizzes | Answer options must be legible and not reliant on color coding |
Who owns this and how it's enforced
The social content team applies this checklist during standard pre-publish QA, alongside brand and factual review. Any post that fails the checklist is held, not published-then-fixed — retrofitting accessibility after a post is live means the initial audience already missed it. New team members and contracted content creators are given this checklist as part of onboarding.
Relying solely on a platform's auto-generated captions without proofreading them. Using decorative alt text like "image" or leaving alt text blank on informational graphics.
Where this fits alongside site accessibility
This checklist covers social content specifically; True Motion Auto's main website follows a separate, more detailed accessibility standard for the full site (navigation, forms, PDF documents). Social content inherits the same underlying principles — perceivable, operable, understandable, robust — scaled to fast-moving, short-form formats.
Frequently asked questions
Does every social image need alt text?
Are platform auto-captions good enough for videos?
What contrast ratio is required for text on social graphics?
Can a comparison graphic use color coding like red and green?
Who is responsible for accessibility checks on social posts?
Sources & further reading
- W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1
- W3C — Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) social media accessibility guidance
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
