Accessibility in Paid Media

Wondering if your paid media is accessible? If you’ve already pulled up your campaign and seen the mix of placements, chances are you’ve realized the answer is not straightforward. YouTube in-stream? Likely. Snapchat? Not fully. Programmatic video? It depends on capabilities you may not control.

That is what makes paid media accessibility challenging.

Accessibility requirements have been around for a long time, but the conversation has expanded well beyond websites in recent years. More organizations, especially in higher education, healthcare, government, and nonprofits, are being asked to apply accessibility standards across all of their digital communications.

Accessibility is central to our work at Click Rain, and we wanted to share what we’ve learned and where marketers can take meaningful action.

What Does Accessible Actually Mean in Paid Media?

At its core, accessibility is about making sure people of all abilities can access and understand your content. In paid media, that can include:

• Closed captions for video

• Transcripts for audio and video

• Alt text for images

• Platform experiences that work with screen readers

Accessibility standards most organizations are familiar with were designed for websites and do not translate directly to paid media. Each platform sets its own rules, which is why we take a placement-by-placement approach rather than rely on a blanket policy.

Videos

Video ads are the most complex because they involve both audio and video content, which means captions, transcripts, and sometimes audio descriptions all come into play. Captions specifically are one of the most important accessibility features, and there are two ways to deliver them:

• SRT file (SubRip Subtitle File): A separate file uploaded alongside the video that contains a timed transcript of everything spoken or heard. Platforms that support SRT files let viewers toggle captions on or off, and often adjust the text size and style to their preference.

• Burned-in captions: Also called open captions, where the text is added directly into the video file during editing. Burned-in captions are always visible and cannot be turned off or adjusted by the viewer.

One of the most common misconceptions about video accessibility is that burned-in captions are enough. They are better than nothing, but they are not the same as closed captions and do not give viewers the same level of control. Another is that because a platform accepts a video upload, it must be accessible. Accepting a file and supporting accessibility are two different things.

When uploading video for paid media, a complete accessibility approach includes more than captions. A full transcript should capture everything spoken, any meaningful on-screen text, and relevant non-speech audio — not just the dialogue. For videos where key information is shown visually without narration, an audio description may also be needed so viewers who are blind or have low vision can follow along. And where the platform supports it, always upload captions as an SRT file rather than burning them into the video.

Static Images

For image ads, the equivalent accessibility feature is alt text— a short but meaningful description of the image that can be read by screen readers. Whether alt text is useful depends on two factors:

• The platform allows advertisers to provide it.

• The platform experience works with assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

Platform-by-Platform Breakdown

Each ad’s accessibility depends on the platform it's placed on. How those ads show up makes a big difference for people of varying abilities.

Most Accessible Platforms

Meta feed, LinkedIn feed, and video ads are among the most accessible options. Both support SRT caption files and have built-in alt text tools, which means they can be made screen reader-friendly with the right setup. YouTube in-stream and feed ads also support SRT files and alt text, putting them in the same category. These three placements give you the most control and clearest path to accessibility.

Partially Accessible Platforms

Meta Stories and Reels are a different story. While SRT files are supported for captions, there is no alt text tool available, and they are not screen reader-friendly. The caption support helps, but there are still real gaps.

Google’s Performance Max is harder to categorize. Captions do not apply in the traditional sense, given the variety of formats it serves across, and alt text support is available for imagery, but the screen reader experience is only moderate, depending on the placement.

Limited Accessibility Platforms

Snapchat, CTV, and programmatic video all fall into the most limited category. Captions have to be burned directly into the video file; there is no alt text tool, and none of them are screen reader-friendly. These placements can still be used, but it is important to understand what you are working with and set expectations accordingly.

Google and programmatic display, audio/podcast placements, and interactive mobile units are the least standardized in terms of accessibility support. None of them have alt text tools or screen reader support, and captions do not apply in the traditional sense for most of these formats.

What You Can Do

The question is no longer just whether your website is accessible. It is whether your entire digital landscape is. Here are some guidelines to follow to ensure your digital strategy is inclusive:

• Upload SRT caption files wherever the platform supports them.

• Always provide a transcript with your videos. Burned-in captions are better than nothing, but they are not a complete solution. Transcripts also support your broader SEO strategy — search engines can index the text, which increases the chances your content is discovered organically. It’s one of the few accessibility practices that directly benefits your marketing performance as well.

• Write descriptive alt text for static ads rather than relying on the platform to generate it.

• When a platform cannot provide what is needed, work directly with the vendor to understand the available options.

Set clear expectations with your team and stakeholders. Not every placement can be made fully accessible given where platform capabilities stand today, and it is useful to be upfront about this.

Paid media accessibility is not a simple checklist. Every placement is different, every platform has its own limitations, and the standards are still catching up to where digital advertising actually lives. What matters is understanding what is possible, being honest about what is not, and building accessibility into the process from the start rather than treating it as an afterthought.