How to make your emails more accessible

As someone deeply entrenched in design and user experience, I’ve quickly learned that in this day and age, accessibility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity.

Yet every day, I see emails land in my inbox that are difficult to read, confusing to navigate, or downright impossible for some people to engage with. Accessibility in emails is often overlooked, and yet, it’s one of the simplest ways to make sure your message reaches everyone and doesn’t make anyone feel left out.

Here’s a guide to making your emails more accessible, sprinkled with a few personal observations from my own inbox adventures.

1. Start with a clear structure

One of the biggest accessibility issues I notice is a lack of clear structure. Emails with no headers, paragraphs crammed together, or jumbled content make it hard for anyone—especially those using screen readers—to understand.

Pro Tip: Use proper headings (like H1, H2, etc.) and organize your content in a logical order, just like you would on your website.

2. Avoid using text in images

Another common mistake I see is embedding essential information—like dates, times, or calls to action—within images. While it may look nice, it’s important to remember that this information is completely inaccessible to anyone using a screen reader or if the image fails to load.

Some unnamed offenders.

Pro Tip: Always include critical text outside of images. If you must use an image, make sure to repeat the important information in the email body or in the alt text.

3. Include alt text for images

Which brings me to the next point! We’ve all received emails where images don’t load properly. Imagine being visually impaired and having no clue what those images were meant to convey.

Pro Tip: Always include alt text for images. Describe the image content and its purpose. This way, if the image doesn’t load or the recipient can’t see it, they’ll still understand what you’re trying to communicate.

4. Color contrast and font choices

Another frequent offender? Emails with poor color contrast and unreadable fonts. Fancy scripts or light gray text on a white background are not only impossible for most people to read, they make your business look dated and out of touch with current standards for accessibility.

Pro Tip: Use high-contrast color combinations and stick to simple, legible fonts. Think about readability first.

5. Use descriptive links

We’ve all seen those "Click Here" links. For someone using a screen reader, this provides no context.

Pro Tip: Use descriptive link text like "Read our latest blog on accessibility" instead of "Click Here." It’s clearer for everyone.

6. Test your emails

Lastly, always test your emails. Send them to yourself and others before hitting "Send" to your entire list. Check how they read on different devices and with screen readers.

Pro Tip: There are plenty of tools out there to help you test email accessibility. Use them to catch issues before your audience does.

Conclusion

Making your emails accessible is not just about compliance—it’s about ensuring everyone can engage with your message. At Mayday, we understand the importance of balancing creativity with accessibility. Our team specializes in creating inclusive designs that ensure your emails and digital content can be engaged with by all audiences.

Let’s make our inboxes a more inclusive space.