Author: Andrew Cassel

Categories
Content Creation

Alt Text on Bluesky

An abstract version of a world map. Illustration generated in collaboration with Midjourney

by Andrew Cassel | December 5, 2024

Science is discovering Bluesky as a welcome respite from the world of X which is becoming more and more antithetical to the idea of inclusive discourse in which science thrives. As researchers embrace the social networking platform they will find that in order to post an image on the platform they must include Alt Text.

The Significance of Alt Text

Alt text provides textual descriptions of images, enabling screen readers to convey visual content to users with visual impairments. According to the Perkins School for the Blind, alt text “allows individuals who cannot see images to fully engage with and understand the content” (Perkins School for the Blind). Given that over 2 billion people worldwide experience some form of vision impairment (World Health Organization, 2019), the inclusion of alt text is essential for inclusive communication.

Crafting Effective Alt Text in Science

Science communication often relies heavily on visual elements such as charts, graphs, and complex diagrams. Writing effective alt text for these images requires careful consideration to convey the necessary information without overwhelming the reader. The Web Accessibility Initiative advises that “alt text should be concise yet descriptive, providing the function and purpose of the image” (WAI).

For instance, instead of writing “A watershed,” a more informative alt text would be “Tall trees with various kinds of leaves in springtime. They stand along a bubbling stream. The banks of the stream are mossy. It’s peaceful” or “Three people stand at a scientific poster inside a brightly lit hall. They’re smiling and engaging with each other.” This level of detail ensures that users who cannot see the image still receive the critical information it conveys.

Guidelines from Accessibility Experts

The Perkins School for the Blind recommends that when writing alt text for complex images, one should “focus on the essential information that the image conveys in the context of the content” (Perkins). They suggest prioritizing clarity and relevance to aid comprehension.

Similarly, the American Foundation for the Blind emphasizes the importance of context, noting that “the same image might require different alt text depending on its use” (AFB). This means that communicators should tailor their descriptions to the specific content and audience.

Benefits Beyond Accessibility

Including alt text has advantages beyond aiding those with visual impairments. Search engines index alt text, which can improve the searchability of content. Additionally, in situations where images fail to load due to connectivity issues, alt text ensures the message is still conveyed.

The National Center for Accessible Media notes that “alt text enhances the usability of content for all users” (NCAM).

Implementing Alt Text on Bluesky

On Bluesky, users must add alt text when uploading images. Trying to post an image without alt text prompts an error from the platform. This is unlike any other platform and demonstrates Bluesky’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and accessible social platform.

The Ethical Imperative of Inclusive Communication

Inclusive science communication is not merely a legal or regulatory requirement; it is an ethical imperative. Accessibility ensures that all people can participate fully in society, including accessing and contributing to scientific knowledge. Embracing these tools acknowledges a commitment to sharing knowledge equitably.

Alt text is a powerful yet simple tool that can make science communication more inclusive and effective. Platforms like Bluesky are leading the way in integrating accessibility into ways scientists engage with their audiences.

Sources Cited

  1. American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). “Alt Text Guidelines.”
  2. National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM). “Effective Alternative Text.”
  3. Perkins School for the Blind. “Guidelines for Writing Image Descriptions.”
  4. Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). “Images Concepts.”
  5. World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). “World Report on Vision.”
  6. Bluesky Social. “Accessibility Features on Bluesky.”
  7. World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.”
  8. United Nations. “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”
  9. Center for Accessible Technology (CAT). “Best Practices for Accessible Social Media.”
  10. Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC). “Inclusive Design in Digital Media.”
Categories
Social Media

7 Twitter Tips

Oh, Twitter. Full of so many different types of content. Videos, photos, screenshots. Not to mention the mood of some users. The current US President has weaponized Twitter to the point that many don’t separate the two. But there’s much more to Twitter than being the official and non-legally binding soapbox for a world leader. Let’s look at some of the ways you can make your Twitter work for you.

Unfollow People

This is even easier than it is on Facebook and it will have a dramatic effect on your feed. Try right now. Go through your Twitter followers and unfollow 5, even 10 people. Then refresh your feed. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: social AI wants to work for you. GIve it something to do. Tell it to change things up. The only real way to do that is to tell it what you don’t want. The best way to pick people to unfollow is to find people saying things that don’t entertain you. Some of the people you follow retweet fun things. Keep them! Some people just share thoughts at random that don’t improve your feed. Unfollow them. It’s not a ‘bad’ thing to to. It’s a great way to get control of what you see.

Follow New People

Get some new content! See new videos, new thoughts about the world. Take some of those suggestions about people to follow. This is all part of making the AI work for you. It will also help you really think about the kind of Twitter feed you want. Do you like celebrities? Do you link super sarcastic tweets? Do you like following news outlets or the journalists that write the news. Do you want a feed completely free of politics? Your social media is yours. There are people of all kinds on Twitter. Follow more of the people that tweet the things you enjoy.

Share Your Insights

When you retweet something add some thoughts about why you retweeted it. You have a unique voice and your opinion matters. If you disagree with the sentiments in the content you retweet say why. If you agree, say why. Adding your insight to the tweet makes the content you are sharing more valuable for your audiences. It also helps develop your personal brand. People will start to look to you as a subject matter expert because of the amazing things bring to the conversation. 

Don’t Tweet Angry

You may think it’s going to feel like a good way to get things off your chest. Everyone else does it, right? A Twitter rant may be a “thing”, but it’s not a thing that makes the world a better place. You can certainly tweet a thread that shares a long an complex thought. It’s important to get your ideas out there and Twitter can really help with that. Before you tweet consider the balance you’d like to see in the world. Your anger will probably not help make things better. Your considered and well-composed stand against an issue will get better engagement.

Tweet that Article

When you read something interesting – tweet it! Use that sharing link provided on the website you’re looking at. That not only helps build your personal brand but it also increases the metrics for the website you enjoy. Which enables that website to continue to create content. Sharing is caring, so they say. Share those stories that make you think. That make you smile. That make you want to be a voice for changed in the world. When you share be sure to add some insight into why you’re sharing that content.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Twitter gives you very few characters (280) to get an idea across in one tweet. An image helps communicate whatever idea you are trying to share. You can always search for a GIF to include with your tweet as well. That’s many thousands of words added to your tweet since most animated GIFs are about 30 pictures long. Find just the right one and the thought you are sharing will reach many more people.

Check Your Metrics

All tweets include a ‘tweet activity’ button. Use it! See how many people have engaged with your content. Find out what’s working best for you and keep it up! Find out what people don’t engage with and share less of that kind of content. Using metrics is the best way to grow your audience. You can go even further and keep a spreadsheet of Twitter metrics. Track your growth over time and you’ll be even more successful.

Twitter is a tricky platform to master. It is deceptively simple to use. Getting the right content in front of the right people takes work. Having a Twitter feed that entertains you is important. Take control of your Twitter and you’ll find it helps you have a much more joyful day.

-Andrew Cassel

Andrew Cassel is the founder of Haunted Desk. He’s received top prizes for his marketing work in social media PRSA-Alaska and for his presentations by the Higher Ed Web Association.

Categories
Social Media

Five Settings You Should Check on Facebook

“Login using Facebook” is a button I click often. It helps speed things up when I’m online. Just one click and I’m on the site I need in that moment. It’s only months later as I’m wondering ‘why am I seeing this ad’ that I recall that I clicked that button. It’s okay. It’s only a minor security risk. But it still can lead the AI running Facebook to serve you content that you don’t want to see. Here’s some things to check on your Facebook page to take a bit more control of your feed.

Settings > Ads > Your Ad Preferences

You will be a bit shocked at what’s in here. Navigate here on a desktop because you will want to spend some time on this page. Go through all the sections line by line and cancel the ones you don’t want. Don’t be alarmed. This is how Facebook works. You have a free account because the platform sells and shares your information with companies. It’s not something to worry about. But it is something you should think about. Visiting your Ad Preferences regularly and disconnecting from irrelevant businesses there will help your News Feed be something that offers you products and entertainment you want versus things that the AI thinks you may be interested in.

Settings > Security and Login

Here’s a place you can tidy up. We log in to Facebook all over the world. Sometimes from computers other than our own. Sometimes on new wifi networks. Go ahead and take a trip back in time and then… delete them! Do a sweep and disconnect from all your logins. It will be a bit annoying as you go through and login to Facebook again across all your devices. But you will know that you are the places that Facebook thinks you are and there won’t be any more stray logins from that trip you took to Santorini a few months ago.

Settings > Notifications

When Facebook updates it sometimes resets some Notification settings to default of being ‘on’. A quick visit to the Notifications panel is a good chance to make sure you are getting all the Notifications you want in the way you want them. Or get rid of some Notifications you don’t want to see any more. Birthdays are very helpful. Not only for Facebook posts but as a reminder when you’re going to see a Facebook friend in real life. But you may not care about getting notified about the Marketplace or Fundraisers. Or you may want to make sure you get an email notification but not one on the platform. Whatever you want you can control. 

Settings > General Account Settings > Memorialization Settings

So much of our lives are on Facebook. But one of the things about being a human in this existence is that our time is limited. Sometimes things far outside our control can change our state from being ‘here’ to being ‘gone’. Take a moment to face your mortality and let Facebook know who has the power to access your account if there is an accident. It’s not the same level as a last will and testament but it can be very helpful for people who will be coping with your loss. I know this is a tough topic. But it is something every Facebook user should check.

Settings > Your Facebook Information

Review this area carefully. Make sure you know what’s public and what you have the option to keep private. Is your phone number out there? Are your interests public? The Groups you’re a part of? The Pages you like? Double check your profile is showing the things you are comfortable with. This will take a little time, but you will have a newfound confidence about how your profile appears to others.

Here’s the ultimate thing to keep in mind about Facebook: It is what you make it. Or, if you’re not telling it what you want, it tells you what it wants you to know.

By Andrew Cassel

Andrew is the founder of Haunted Desk and has been using Facebook since 2008. He’s managed brand accounts for higher ed, small businesses, nonprofits and individuals.

Categories
Content Creation

5 Tips for Pet Photography

We love taking pictures of our pets. They do such cute and amazing things all the time. All too often we miss the perfect photo. Eventually we’ve got dozens of photos stored on our devices that are just taking up space and not sharing the wonders of your pet with the world. Here are some tips to help get a great image that your friends and family will love. For this post I will use examples featuring my beautiful and fluffy cat Benjen.

Take Burst Photos

You won’t get that one perfect shot the first time. And your pet will no doubt do the most perfect cute thing between the times you’re pushing the camera button on your phone. Take a burst of images and then sort through them to find the moment you want to share.

Benjen enjoys some time outside. What a lovely sunburst. Adds drama to the scene.

Lighting is Key

With all mobile photography lighting is the key. That flash on your phone isn’t going to make the photo any better. It will probably make the image look a little strange. Use the flash on the phone as fill lighting. When there’s sun or a lamp behind your pet. The flash can help fill in shadows in the front. But don’t depend on the flash to light the scene. Use the ambient light. Makes things much better.

Cuddles with Benjen on the couch. He’s looking at the camera but the human isn’t. Keeps the viewers focus on the cat. Where it should be.

Show how your pet is loved

Animals engaging with other people can make the photos come alive. Pets are super cute when they are looking at people, pawing people, interacting with children. The thing to keep in mind is that the photo is of the pet and not the person. The person in the image is a prop to highlight the amazingness of the animal. Keep the pet the focus of your composition.

He’s interested in something. Makes his eyes really come alive for the viewer to engage with the image.

Window shots are so cute

Find moments when your pet is doing something. Looking out the window is a great example. The pet is active, poised, using its pet powers to be at maximum cuteness. Plus audiences will be entranced to know what your pet is looking at. More engagement on the post means more people will see how amazing your pet is.

That is one stylish kitty.

Costumes

This is a tricky one. Some pets really don’t like to be dressed up. Some don’t mind a little dressing up. Sometimes photos of pets in costume can seem too extreme. I’m not saying don’t dress up your pet. My cat didn’t mind the bowtie once he got it on, but you want people to get entertainment from your photo not feel like they should jump in and help a pet that looks unhappy in costume.

Go out and share your love for your pet. Using these tips you’re sure to get other people to understand that your pet is the best pet in the world.

Categories
Social Media

A Better Nonprofit Social Media Presence in 30 Minutes a Day

By Andrew Cassel

Working for a nonprofit organization means you have to do a lot of things with very little time. There’s so much to do and so little money to pay a staff to do it that sometimes important things like social media are put off too long. Who cares about posting a photo on Instagram when there’s an important event looming on the horizon.

I care. And so should you. Social media is essential so community members understand the work that you are doing. Which, in turn, inspires them to help you. Social media also provides a way for you to thank the community and invigorate the cycle of giving and thanking.

Here are some things you can do to help you make the most out of the limited time you have to work on social media. Thirty minutes a day is a good start. Here’s how you can spend those 30 minutes.

00:00 – 00:05 | Listen

Search on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for your nonprofit. Think of some search terms that may help you find what people are saying about you. It may not be the actual name of your nonprofit. It may be the title of a recent event or even the type of work you do.

This is “social listening“. You can get a great idea of what people are feeling and sharing about the work you do this way. If no one is talking about you on social media then you know you’ve got some work to do. Brainstorm a hashtag for your next event and encourage people to share on Instagram using the tag. Be sure to engage with posts that mention you. Every ‘like’ goes a long way.

00:05-00:10 | Engage

Check your Facebook notifications. Event responses, reactions to posts, Facebook reviews. Make sure you know what people are posting about you and to you. Set up an automatic Facebook Messenger response. Be sure no one has posted anything negative to your page. Respond to any negative comments people have posted on content you’ve shared.

Resist spending these five minutes posting new content. This is time to engage with your audiences across social media platforms. Joining in the conversation is essential. Answering questions that have been posted is an important part of strengthening the community’s connection with your nonprofit.

00:10-00:20 | Measure

Check your metrics across all platforms. Even if it’s just Facebook. Visit your Facebook Insights page and see how your posts are doing. At least check reach, impressions. It’s a great idea to start a spreadsheet where you can record metrics and track them over time.

The important thing is to make sure your metrics align with some simple goals: get 10 more likes to your page. Get 10 people to ‘love’ a Facebook post. Those basic goals will give your future content a nice shape. Once you have a better understanding of what your audience wants you will be able to grow that audience.

If the Insights page is super confusing to you then take some time to educate yourself on reading those insights. (Contact me here at Haunted Desk. We can book a time to come help you better understand metrics.)

00:20-00:30 | Schedule

Schedule content. Use whatever content scheduler you have. Facebook has the Creator Studio which allows you to schedule posts for both Facebook and Instagram. Take these last ten minutes to get a couple things scheduled.

If you don’t have any content ready to share go find some! Old photos, old articles about your nonprofit. A selfie sitting at your desk. Almost any content is better than none. The best way to gather content to schedule in these ten minutes is to bookmark and email yourself relevant content during the rest of your day. Keep it in one place so you have it easily available to schedule during this time.

These are a very busy 30 minutes. But if you do this each day for a month or two you will have a much improved social media presence and you will have a much better understanding of how your social media is working for you. And your community will have more appreciation for the work that you are doing to improve the lives of the people around you.

Andrew has spent over six years sharing on social media for various nonprofit organizations in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Categories
Social Media

Social Media Should Be Fun

When you open one of your social media pages it should, in the words of Marie Kondo, spark joy. If you’re logging in because you feel you ‘have to’ or some other feeling that makes it seem like a chore then it’s time to tackle making your social media work for you. Not you for it.

As users we give social media companies a lot of power over our lives. We give them our names, where we are, our ages. Connections. Search results. Every cookie we accept tells them more. Which can help get you information you really need and want. But if you’re not seeing the things you want then let’s get to work.

Go ahead on over to a social media site. Maybe Facebook. Scroll through your feed. Did you see ads you didn’t care about? Did you not see posts from friends you would like to? Change that!

Tell Facebook that you don’t want to see ads like that. Tell it over and over again. It confuses the AI that’s serving you content. Great! Computers want things to calculate. Make the AI really look at what you’re doing and then try to predict what you want. Tell it when you don’t agree.

Go unfriend some people! Gasp! I know, it seems like a bad thing. But it is quite the opposite. Reducing and changing the friends you connect with on Facebook means the AI is put to work again and recalculates the content you see. 

Your Facebook feed depends a lot on what you’ve done and the places you’ve visited. The more you tell it, the better your experience will be.

Now go and do the same on Twitter and Instagram. Tell those platforms that you don’t want to see ads. Unfollow people. Cut, cut , cut. You can always follow them again later if you miss them. Want to warn people you’re cutting them out? Sure. You don’t need to. Your feeds are yours.

Social media should be fun. Take control. Look forward to connecting via social platforms. It can be one of life’s little joys.

Categories
Workshops

Twitter: How, Why & What Do I Tweet

November 2, 2019 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

All your Twitter questions answered.

You’ll leave this two hour workshop with you own Twitter account up and running and a new appreciation of the platform.

During the workshop you will:
-create an account
-find relevant people to follow
-practice making posts of all kinds
-create a Twitter Moment
-increase your understanding of how hashtags work

Please bring the mobile device of your choice.
Must have a valid email.

Haunted Desk instructors have have been using Twitter for over a decade. We know how to live tweet, grow an audience and ways to make the most of this powerful communications platform.

Categories
Workshops

Social Media Workshop: Holiday Content Creation

November 2, 2019. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Two hour workshop designed to enliven your holiday social media posts.

Family, friends, food – all the great stuff to share on social media over the holidays. This workshop will give you some great tools to make the most out of each post.

During the workshop you will learn:

-about free apps to help make your photos beautiful

-basic photo techniques to improve content creating using mobile devices

-controlling who sees the things you share on Facebook

-tips for great food photography

-ways to create fun group photos

-pet photography for your pet’s social pages

Categories
Content Creation

First You Taste With Your Eyes

Tips for great food photography

We love to share images of what we are experiencing on social media. That includes the food we are experiencing. From preparation to consumption there is beauty in one of our basic necessities. Here are some tips to capturing lovely images of food that people will prompt engagement.

Lighting is essential

It’s important to make sure the plate and the items on the plate are well lit. Using a flash is not recommended. Tap and press on the screen to make sure the exposure and focus have a chance to adjust correctly. This will take a bit of time. Your fellow diners may make fun of you. That’s okay. Your content is made for you to enjoy and share with your followers. Take a few extra minutes to get that focus sharp.

Top down vs. side view

Try a couple of shots to see which one you like better. The first person that should be engaged with your content is yourself. What is inspiring you to take a photo of this dish? Is it the way it’s plated? Then maybe a top down view is best. Is it the layers of the sandwich? Then from the side. Good photography takes time. Think about what’s bringing you joy about this meal and then compose from there.

Good company makes a good meal

Maybe the thing that’s really inspiring you to share about this meal is the people you are with. Make sure to capture them in the background. Smiling faces and joyful expressions make the best content. The chef and the restaurant may be top notch but if you’re not with good people nothing will make the food taste good. Get your friends to lean in to your shot, take a selfie with your plate and them in the background. If it’s the social situation that’s making you happy then be sure to share that on your social media.