As you might have seen recently, a majorly underused feature of Twitter was brought to light last month by user @_Red_Long.

Turns out you’re able to set up an audio description of your images that can then be read to the visually impaired users viewing your Tweets.

Images are an integral part of most posts; they grab attention, provide context and improve engagement. According to the RNIB, however, there are over 2 million people with sight loss in the UK, or roughly 1 in 30 of the population. That is a large market to be missing out on through an overlooked option.

So, how do you go about configuring this audio description feature? Luckily it couldn’t be simpler, it doesn’t require any in-depth programming knowledge so with a few easy clicks you’ll have updated your posts to better engage with avid Twitter users you might not otherwise reach.

First up you’ll want to open the “Settings and Privacy” menu – click on your profile icon and select it from the dropdown list.

On the new screen, navigate down the sidebar until you find the “Accessibility” tab.

Clicking this will bring up a variety of tick boxes, check the one labelled “Compose Image Descriptions”. Now, just hit the “Save Changes” button at the bottom and you’re good to go!

Ok, so the feature is set up to run. Now how do you make use of it? You’ll be happy to know little has changed in how you create your tweets.

Click the “Tweet” button (or hit “n” for the keyboard shortcut if you are Tweeting from a desktop) and attach your photo as usual. If you set up the feature correctly the thumbnail should read “add description” and when clicked on will open a text box reading “Describe this photo for the visually impaired”.

Type in a description of the image and hit apply. This is the text that will be read by visual impairment, assistive software as users browse your content.

Finally, hit “Tweet” and your message is sent off into Cyberspace for anyone to see or hear.

In case you were wondering, this alteration won’t affect the way your content displays to other users. The description is only picked up by programs used by the visually impaired so your efforts to improve the accessibility of your content won’t result in having to alter the rest of your post in the slightest!

Go try it out now on Twitter and get talking to even more people on social media!

If you found this “How To” useful make sure you check out the rest of the series for other little tips and tricks for your improving your digital reach.