Email plays a vital role in both personal and professional communications and interactions. However, its effectiveness hinges on ensuring it's accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities.
Accessible emails are just as important as accessible websites, and for the same reasons:
- brand reputation and differentiation
- expanded customer base
- positive user experience
- legal compliance
The easy-to-follow guidelines included in this checklist will help you create emails that are accessible to everyone, no matter their abilities.
Fonts
- Use accessible sans-serif fonts, such as Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Tahoma.
- Keep text at a reasonable size, typically at least 11 or 12pt.
Body of the Message - Structure
- Align text to the left. Do not center or justify text, which makes it more difficult to read.
- Put information in a logical order, with the essential details first.
- Break up text into short, logical paragraphs.
Body of the Message - Text
- Write for readability.
- Use plain language.
- Use active voice in your writing.
- Use familiar language. Fit your language to your audience and context.
Link Text
The "blue text only" in the following section is not operable. It is there for demonstration purposes only.
Link text should be clear and concise, accurately reflecting the destination's content. This helps all users, especially those using screen readers. For example, link text like this: "Make sure to read the report" does not tell the reader what content they will find if they click the link. Well-written link text would read like this: "For more information, please read the 2024 First Quarter Earnings Report."
In addition, if the links go to content other than a webpage, indicate what type of content the user will find. For example, "For more information, please read the 2024 First Quarter Earnings Report (PDF)."
Images
- Apply ALT text to all images, including the text from images of text.
- Assume images will not load. Many people disable images, preventing images from automatically loading when they open an email. Front-load your email's primary message in the body text, regardless of if it will be contained in the image.
- Avoid sending image-only emails. Spammers often send image-only emails, which can trigger spam filters.
- Be mindful of the file size of your images and optimize for email.
Signatures
When adding signatures, use actual text for your name and contact information and include your email and phone number, if applicable. For some people, talking on the phone is difficult due to language barriers or cognitive difficulties, so email is better. The same is true about email. A phone call can be a welcome alternative if someone has a dexterity or mobility difficulty. Remember to include appropriate ALT text if you add your organization's logo.
Emojis
Emojis can be a great way to add personality and expression to your emails, but using them sparingly is essential. Just like a screen reader reads ALT text to describe an image, so does it read the Unicode string or description, which is the "ALT text" for emojis. Note: Not all screen readers read emojis. However, screen readers that do read emojis do so in the order in which the emojis are encountered. This means the screen reader will read each individually if you have six emojis in a line. Therefore, use strings of emojis very sparingly ... better yet, not at all.
Attachments
Include attachments only when necessary. Consider whether the information can be conveyed directly in the email body rather than as an attachment. This can improve accessibility for those who use screen readers or have other disabilities.
If an attachment is necessary, ensure the document is accessible, optimize the attachment for fast loading, and help ensure it does not exceed the email attachment size limits.
While improving email accessibility does require some investment, it's a worthwhile endeavor that will significantly enhance your users' experience, boost your brand reputation, and expand your customer /client base.
