Email Accessibility: Best Practices for Inclusive Campaigns

Accessible email is not a niche concern. A large share of your audience reads with assistive technology, in bright sunlight, at small sizes, or with images off. Designing for them makes your email clearer for everyone, and in many places it is also a legal expectation.

Use real text and a logical structure

Put your message in live text rather than baking it into images. Use headings in order, short paragraphs and lists so screen readers and human eyes can both follow the flow. A clear structure is the foundation of an accessible email.

Write meaningful alt text

Every image needs alt text that describes its purpose, so the message still lands when images are blocked or read aloud. For purely decorative images, use empty alt text so screen readers can skip them.

Mind colour and contrast

Keep strong contrast between text and background so it is readable in poor lighting and for people with low vision. Do not rely on colour alone to carry meaning; pair it with text or an icon, so a red word still makes sense to someone who cannot distinguish it.

Choose readable type

Body text around 14 to 16 pixels or larger, with comfortable line height, is easier for everyone. Avoid long runs of centred text and very light font weights, which are harder to read at a glance.

Make links and buttons descriptive

Link text should say where it goes. “Read the full guide” is far more useful than “click here”, especially when a screen reader lists links out of context. Give buttons a clear, generous tap target too.

None of this requires extra tools, just a little intent while you build. Composing on a clean 600px canvas with real text, proper headings and alt text, then exporting standards-friendly HTML, gives you an email that is inclusive by default.