When you send an email, you want it to reach everyone on your list. But if your emails aren't designed with accessibility in mind, you might be leaving some subscribers behind. Accessible emails ensure every person who wants to hear from you actually can.
Think about the different ways people interact with their inboxes. Some use screen readers to navigate content. Others adjust font sizes or rely on voice commands.
Many check emails on their phones while dealing with bright sunlight or trying to tap small links with their thumbs. When your emails work for all these scenarios, you reach more people and get better results.
The good news is that accessibility improvements also make your emails more effective for everyone. Clear language helps subscribers scan your messages quickly. Strong color contrast makes text readable in any lighting.
Keep reading to learn ways to make your emails more accessible, from choosing the right fonts to writing better alt text and testing your campaigns before they go out.
What is email accessibility?
Email accessibility means designing messages that everyone can read and interact with, regardless of how they access their inbox. This includes people using screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive technologies, as well as those with visual, motor, cognitive, or auditory challenges.
When emails aren't accessible, they create unnecessary barriers. An image without alt text leaves screen reader users guessing. Tiny text or low-contrast colors make messages hard to read. Links that say "click here" don't tell someone using a screen reader where they'll end up.
Making emails accessible aligns with standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and ensures you stay on the right side of regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Some organizations include an accessibility statement to communicate their commitment to inclusive design. But beyond compliance, it's about making sure your message gets through.
Why creating accessible email supports better engagement
Accessible emails are easier for everyone to read and understand. When you write in plain language and organize information clearly, subscribers can grasp your message faster and are more likely to take action.
Better email readability directly impacts engagement, especially on mobile devices. When buttons are easy to tap, text is large enough to read without zooming, and layouts make sense at a glance, you remove friction from the experience. Fewer obstacles mean higher open rates, more clicks, and better conversions.
But here's what many marketers miss: accessible design helps everyone, not just people with disabilities. Someone reading email on a crowded bus benefits from clear contrast and large touch targets just as much as someone using assistive technology.
How to design accessible email content
Accessible content is clear, scannable, and easy to follow from start to finish. When you structure your emails thoughtfully, they work better for screen readers, mobile devices, and anyone skimming their inbox.
Here's how to design accessible email content:
Use clear, simple language
Write the way you'd explain something to a colleague. Skip the jargon that makes people work harder to understand your point.
Break up text with short paragraphs and scannable formats
Long blocks of text are tough to get through, especially on a phone screen. Keep paragraphs to three or four sentences max. Use headings to break up sections so readers can jump to what matters most to them.
Choose accessible fonts and maintain readable text sizes
Use simple, clean fonts that are easy to read at any size. Your body text should be at least 14 pixels. Avoid all caps for anything longer than a short heading –– it's harder to read and sounds like shouting to screen readers.
Avoid text-heavy images and overly decorative styles
If your message only exists as an image, people using screen readers won't be able to access it. Important information should always be in actual text, not embedded in graphics. Save images for supporting your message, not delivering it.
Provide sufficient line spacing and logical reading order
Give your text room to breathe with line spacing of at least 1.5. Make sure your content flows in a logical order from top to bottom, so screen readers don't jump around in confusing ways.
Ensure accessible email structure with semantic markup
Use proper HTML heading tags (H1, H2, H3) to create a clear hierarchy in your email design. This helps screen readers navigate your content and lets subscribers jump between sections. Think of it as building an outline that assistive technology can follow.
How to use color and contrast effectively
Color choices affect whether people can actually read your emails. Low contrast between your email text and background makes content hard or impossible to read for people with visual impairments or color blindness. Here's how to use color and contrast for accessibility:
- Find the right text and background contrast: Target a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text (3:1 for large text). This means making sure there's enough difference between your text color and background color.
- Avoid color-only cues: Don't rely on color alone to convey information. If you highlight a sale item in red, also add text that says "Sale" or an icon.
- Test your choices: Use a contrast and accessibility checker before finalizing your email template.
How to make images, alt text, and media more accessible
Images add interest, but they need to work for everyone. That means giving screen readers a way to understand what each image shows. Follow these best practices for making images, alt text, and media more accessible:
- Write meaningful alt text: Describe what's in the image and why it matters. Instead of "image," write something like "laptop showing email analytics dashboard." Keep it under 150 characters.
- Mark decorative images: Some images are just there to look nice and don't add information. These should be marked as decorative so screen readers skip over them.
- Ensure GIFs and animated content are accessible: If you use GIFs, make sure they stop after just a few seconds and don't flash more than three times per second. Rapid flashing can trigger seizures or cause discomfort for people with photosensitive conditions.
- Make videos accessible: Any video in your email should have captions or a transcript. Captions should include not just dialogue but also important sound effects and speaker identification when multiple people are talking.
How to build accessible email layouts
The way you structure your email layout determines whether it works smoothly across different devices and assistive technologies. A well-organized layout makes your content easier to navigate for everyone. Keep these factors in mind to help you build accessible email layouts:
The importance of single-column layouts and simple structure
Single-column layouts work on every screen size. They're easy for screen readers to follow, and they eliminate confusion about reading order. Complex multi-column designs often create more problems than they solve.
Using tables properly for layout without confusing screen readers
If you need to use tables for layout, keep them simple and mark them as presentational in your code. Tables should be reserved for actual data, not complex design. When screen readers encounter tables, they announce them as tables, which can be confusing if you're using them to position elements.
Keeping a logical reading order
Your email should make sense when read from top to bottom or left to right. Test this by reading through your content linearly. If something feels out of order, reorganize it.
Ensuring buttons and links are easily tappable on mobile devices
Make your email buttons at least 44 by 44 pixels and leave space around them so people don't accidentally tap the wrong one.
How to make links and CTAs more accessible
The links and call-to-action buttons in your emails need to be clear and easy to understand out of context. To make links and CTAs more accessible:
- Avoid vague link text: Skip generic phrases like "click here," and use meaningful link text that describes where the link goes, like "view our holiday sale." Screen readers can build a list of all links in an email, so each one should make sense on its own.
- Write descriptive, action-oriented CTA text: Make your call-to-action text specific and active. "Get started with your free trial" is more accessible than a button that just says "Submit."
- Ensure adequate size and spacing for touch targets: Make sure your buttons and links are big enough to tap easily on mobile, with plenty of space around them.
- Use accessible colors and states for links: Use accessible colors for links and make sure they look different from regular text, even without color.
How to test your emails for accessibility
Testing is where you catch problems before they reach your subscribers. A few simple checks can help you find and fix issues.
- Perform manual checks for content, structure, and readability: Read through your email using only your keyboard to navigate. Check that all images have alternative text and headings are in a logical order. Send test emails to various email clients, including Microsoft Outlook and Gmail, to see how your design renders across platforms.
- Use tools for checking color contrast and screen-reader behavior: Run your emails through free online contrast checkers to test your color combinations. If you have access to a screen reader, listen to your email being read aloud to catch anything confusing.
- Run through a quick pre-send checklist for accessible email: Before every send, verify the basics like alt text on images, descriptive link text, clear hierarchy, sufficient contrast, and mobile-friendly sizing. You can test website accessibility practices on your email template the same way you would for a website.
- Build accessibility into your workflow long term: Don't treat accessibility as an afterthought. Make accessibility testing part of your standard process for creating and reviewing emails.
Making accessibility a core part of your email strategy
Accessible emails reach more people and perform better. When you remove barriers, you make it easier for everyone to engage with your content –– and that directly impacts your campaign results.
Better readability means higher engagement. Clear navigation means more clicks. Simple, thoughtful design means fewer frustrated subscribers and more conversions.
Mailchimp offers built-in tools and features that make it easier to create and test accessible emails without adding extra steps to your workflow. From templates designed with accessibility in mind to testing tools that help you catch issues before you send, you have what you need to reach everyone on your list.
When you build an ADA-compliant website and email program, you're not just meeting standards — you're showing up for everyone who wants to hear from you. Ready to start creating accessible emails? Sign up for Mailchimp today.