Accessible Image Scenarios
Below you will find some sample social media scenarios and images that could accompany them. An example image description is written for each visual based on the context of the given situation. Remember, writing image descriptions is a completely subjective exercise. It will vary from image to image, creator to creator, and scenario to scenario.
None of the sample posts are real and have been fictionalized for educational purposes. All images in the sample scenarios were sourced from the free stock photo site Pexels. They are appropriately credited and linked to the respective photographer's Pexels profile.
Scenario 01
One of your agency's clients is a luxury car dealer. They're releasing their latest line of sports vehicles and want to appeal to a young, hip crowd in their social media promotions through the use of edgy imagery.
Image Description
View of a two-door sports car from behind. It's dramatically lit in a way that showcases the vehicle's slick design and matte black paint job while still casting the entire image in a dark, moody light. The only color in the image is the illuminated red brake lights of the car.
Scenario 02
An Italian jeweler wants to refresh their social media presence in the hopes that consumers will think of their pieces as everyday accessories and not just jewelry you purchase and wear for special occasions. But they still want to make sure it's clear that their jewelry is luxe and not just something you'd find in the average department store.
Image Description
Young woman laden with couture shopping bags looks upward as if contemplating her next purchase. She wears large sunglasses and a plush navy blue coat. Her fingers are adorned with several rings, diamond earrings dangle from her ears, and two pendant necklaces are layered along her collarbone.
Scenario 03
You work as the Social Media Manager for a children's care facility that's getting ready to promote open registration for its summer sleep-away camps. The camps are very popular and typically see a lot of returning children every year as well as new kids enrolling.
Image Description
Four small children in t-shirts and tank tops stand outside in a circle with their arms thrown around each other and excitedly embrace.
Scenario 04
A culinary school is launching a series of special classes that will be led by guest chefs. The first class is all about the art of making perfect macarons.
Image Description
Overhead view of a green bowl lined with pink tissue paper and filled with a dozen macarons in varying shades of pink, green, and brown.
Scenario 05
A men's fashion house is preparing to promote their spring line, but they want to go beyond the usual "light and bright" feel that most spring fashion photos have.
Image Description
Young man reads a newspaper at a table outside a cafe window in the early evening. He wears a white oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, a dark cardigan casually draped around his shoulders, and a sleek leather-banded watch.
Scenario 06
The local zoo recently celebrated the birth of a new macaque monkey and it's finally started venturing out into the main enclosure where park visitors can see it, so of course the zoo wants to share the news on social media and encourage people to keep an eye out for it.
Image Description
Small golden baby monkey with large round eyes sits on a rock while munching on a stalk of celery.
Scenario 07
You own a boutique wedding shop and you're getting ready to promote an upcoming sale. The sale will be for wedding accessories like veils, sashes, jewelry, and shoes, and you want to attract customers who have a taste for glitz and glam.
Image Description
Close-up view of the torso of a woman in an embroidered wedding gown. She holds a pair of white high heels in her hands. The backs of the shoes are elaborately encrusted in sparkling crystal rhinestones in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Scenario 08
A new restaurant is opening, and it will be offering Mexican cuisine. The owners want to start establishing their social media presence by sharing bright and colorful images of their dishes.
Image Description
A plate featuring a single tortilla topped with wedges of tomatoes and avocados along with corn and a sprinkling of spices. A fork lies next to the food.
Scenario 09
You manage the content and social media for a website that specializes in vegan cooking. National Taco Day is coming up, and you've been instructed to schedule a post about a vegan taco recipe that uses fresh ingredients.
Image Description
A single gluten-free flour tortilla lying open on a plate. The tortilla is topped with slices of tomato and a whole ripe avocado cut into wedges as well as kernels of yellow corn, fresh herbs, and a sprinkling of seasoning.
Scenario 10
A cruise line is now offering cruises that stop at destinations French Polynesia. They're launching a full digital campaign to accompany traditional marketing efforts and want to promote how beautiful the cruise stops are to potential passengers.
Image Description
Two tan pool chairs sit on a white sand beach next to a crystal blue ocean. Beach cottages sit on stilts over the water and a tree-covered mountain peak is just beyond them in the distance. The sun shines brightly overhead and the sky is a brilliant blue.
Scenario 11
A wicked winter storm is forming in the north Atlantic, and the Weather Channel wants to warn citizens via social media that while the weather may look idyllic now, inclement and possibly life-threatening conditions are on the way.
Image Description
A grass-covered mountain bathed in sunshine sits in front of rolling green hills and fields dotted with a variety of small white buildings including a red and white church. Beyond the mountain, fog and ominous clouds have begun to appear.
Scenario 12
Delta Airlines is promoting its flights to Iceland and wants to show off the beautiful landmarks the country has to offer through a series of posts on social media.
Image Description
The Vík i Myrdal Church, a small white structure with a red roof and a single steeple, sits on a green hilltop in the distance overlooking a small town on a sunny day in Iceland. Beyond the church are idyllic green mountain peaks surrounded by fog.
Additional Resources and Reading
Want to learn a little more about alt text and image descriptions? Check out the links below!