About
Scribely is a comprehensive image and video accessibility services platform designed to help organizations operationalize descriptive metadata workflows. It enables businesses to make their visual content accessible to assistive technology users, improve search discoverability, and unlock natural language processing capabilities for AI systems. The platform offers four core service areas: All-Inclusive Workflows for end-to-end metadata management; Image Accessibility for premium alt text and extended description writing covering photos, graphics, and artwork; Video Accessibility including audio descriptions, transcripts, and captions; and Accessibility Training to educate teams on digital accessibility, metadata concepts, and alt text workflows. Scribely's human-powered, AI-supported approach ensures scalable, accurate, and contextually appropriate descriptions that go beyond automated solutions. Their free Alt Text Checker tool lets users drop a URL to scan for common alt text issues and download an actionable report. With over 2.5 billion assistive technology users globally and a $31.22 billion assistive technology market projected by 2030, Scribely helps businesses stay ahead of accessibility regulations like WCAG and the European Accessibility Act. It is particularly suited for ecommerce brands, media companies, marketing teams, and enterprise organizations that manage large visual asset libraries.
Key Features
- Alt Text & Image Description Writing: Human-powered, AI-supported writing of premium alternative text and extended descriptions for photos, graphics, artwork, and other visual content.
- Video Accessibility Services: End-to-end video accessibility support including audio descriptions, transcripts, and captions to make video content WCAG-compliant and inclusive.
- All-Inclusive Workflow Management: Comprehensive metadata management covering planning, execution, and delivery of description workflows for large-scale image libraries and media campaigns.
- Free Alt Text Checker: Drop any URL to automatically scan for common alt text issues, download a detailed report, and get guidance on remediation steps.
- Accessibility Training: Structured training packages that expose teams to digital accessibility principles, metadata concepts, and best-practice alt text workflows.
Use Cases
- An ecommerce brand managing thousands of product images uses Scribely's All-Inclusive Workflow to add compliant alt text across its entire catalog, improving both accessibility and search rankings.
- A media company producing video content works with Scribely to add audio descriptions and captions to all published videos, meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements.
- A marketing team uses Scribely's training packages to upskill internal staff on writing effective alt text and managing accessibility metadata independently.
- An enterprise organization audits its website's existing image accessibility using the free Alt Text Checker, then engages Scribely for remediation of identified issues.
- A digital publisher integrates Scribely's description services to make its image archive processable by AI systems, enabling natural language search and content classification.
Pros
- Human + AI Hybrid Approach: Combines human expertise with AI support to deliver accurate, contextually nuanced image descriptions that purely automated tools cannot match.
- End-to-End Service Coverage: Covers the full accessibility spectrum — images, videos, training, and workflow management — making it a one-stop shop for visual content accessibility.
- Free Diagnostic Tool: The free Alt Text Checker lets teams quickly assess their current accessibility gaps before committing to a paid service plan.
- Regulatory Readiness: Helps organizations align with WCAG standards and the European Accessibility Act, reducing legal risk and broadening audience reach.
Cons
- Service-Based, Not Self-Serve SaaS: Scribely is primarily a managed service rather than a self-serve software platform, which may not suit teams looking for instant, automated solutions.
- Pricing Not Publicly Transparent: Detailed pricing requires contacting the team, making it harder for smaller businesses to quickly evaluate cost-fit without a discovery call.
- Limited Automation Autonomy: The human-in-the-loop model, while ensuring quality, may result in longer turnaround times compared to fully automated AI description tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is alt text and why does it matter?
Alt text (alternative text) is a written description of an image embedded in HTML. It allows screen readers and assistive technologies to convey visual content to users who are blind or visually impaired, and also improves SEO by providing descriptive metadata to search engines.
How does Scribely's human-powered, AI-supported model work?
Scribely combines expert human writers with AI assistance to produce accurate, contextually appropriate image descriptions at scale. The human element ensures nuance and brand alignment, while AI supports efficiency and scalability across large image libraries.
What types of content does Scribely cover?
Scribely covers static images (photos, graphics, artwork, infographics), video content (audio descriptions, captions, transcripts), and provides training for teams managing their own accessibility workflows.
Is the Alt Text Checker free to use?
Yes, Scribely's Alt Text Checker is a free tool. You simply enter a URL and it scans the page for common alt text issues, then provides a downloadable report with actionable next steps.
Which accessibility standards does Scribely help organizations meet?
Scribely's services are designed to help organizations comply with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA), among other regional and international accessibility regulations.
