Email

Create Accessible Emails

As you create emails, use the following common practices to help ensure accessibility and usability for everyone.

  • Plain language
    What is plain language? Plain language is writing that is clear, direct and easy for your audience to understand the first time they read it. Its purpose is to make information accessible to everyone, including people with language barriers or cognitive challenges. Using plain language improves user experience and helps ensure your message gets across…
  • Typography guidelines
    Typography involves arranging letters and text in a way that is legible and readable. Typefaces and fonts When choosing a font keep in mind that some font styles are inaccessible. Decorative fonts, fonts with overlapping characters or letters, and fonts where numbers resemble letters are generally inaccessible.  Additional resource Understanding Accessible Fonts and Typography for…
  • PDF accessibility
    Does it need to be a PDF? PDF inaccessibility presents significant challenges and access barriers for people with disabilities. Before creating or uploading a PDF, consider whether the document needs to be a PDF. Whenever possible, web pages (HTML) are recommended over PDFs. Explore the PDF Decision Tree. If a PDF is necessary, all PDF…
  • Headings and structure
    Headings help users understand the information hierarchy to identify a page’s or email’s main points and topics quickly. Heading elements (<h1>-<h2>) allow screen reader users to navigate content more efficiently by jumping to different sections and accessing desired information quickly. Clear and descriptive headings also help with comprehension and reduce cognitive load by breaking the text into…
  • Accessibility checker: Color contrast
    Color contrast tools streamline the design phase by quickly assessing text legibility and ensuring adequate visual contrast. Many color contrast checkers are available online to help ensure your designs meet accessibility standards. Below, we’ve listed some well-known tools to help you get started, but you can explore others to find the one that best suits…