In this modern digital fast-paced era, email marketers are focused on sending a perfect email experience to its subscribers. There are many things to consider like email content, design, subject lines, the right time to send and so on. It is not an easy task to craft an email to make sure that your subscribers will be engaged and anticipate to receive an email from your brand or your company.

All of these necessary steps that you need to do in order to get the conversion you need and scale up our business.

Although you might have thought that you’ve got every subscriber covered, you might have missed a significant amount of subscribers.

You might have subscribers with visual, physical, cognitive and neurological disabilities.

 

According to the World Health Organisations (WHO)

About 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability, of whom 2-4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. The global disability prevalence is higher than previous WHO estimates, which date from the 1970s and suggested a figure of around 10%. This global estimate for disability is on the rise due to population aging and the rapid spread of chronic diseases, as well as improvements in the methodologies used to measure disability.

Source: http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/report/en/

 

What is Email Accessibility?

 

This means that people with disabilities who are using assistive technologies don’t miss out an important information when they receive an email from you.


 

 

 

The assistive technologies may include:

  • Screen readers, software that provides an interface for visually impaired users to navigate computers, websites, and email by reading out text or converting information to a Braille display.

  • Magnifiers, which assist visually impaired users by making text larger.

  • Joysticks, which provide an alternative to mouse-based navigation.

  • Eye-tracking technology, which allows people to control computer interfaces with eye movements.

  • Sip-and-puff technology, which allows people to control computer interfaces by inhaling and exhaling.

 

So, if you are making email design that is only for people with no disabilities and they are using the regular tools to navigate then, those people who are using the assistive technologies would be able to take advantage of the information in your email campaign

In the US alone, 15% of adults, or about 37.5 million people, say they have trouble with hearing.

  

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Source: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing

 

And the National Eye Institute says that by 2030 2.2 million Americans will be blind and 5 million will have low vision. Millions more suffer eye diseases which take a toll on vision.

 

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 Source: https://nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/nei-pdfs/NEI_Eye_Disease_Statistics_Factsheet_2014_V10.pdf

 

Good accessibility isn’t just for people with disabilities. A lot of the changes you make to emails help to improve usability. That’s good for all your subscribers and visitors, which means it’s good for business.

 

 

 

How can you improve email accessibility for everyone? 

You can follow these tips on how you can apply to make our emails better for your subscriber.

 

Use color intelligently

Subscribers with color blindness may not be able to differentiate some colors in your email. You have to make sure that that information is not only conveyed in colors.

 

 

 

Use large and readable fonts

Use large fonts typically 14px or so to make sure it is readable. Use Serif or Sans- Serif typeface throughout your email.

 

 

 

Keep the content simple

The content of your email must be clear and concise as possible and relevant information for your subscribers. Use the colors wisely and visually appealing to the readers. Above all, it should be that they will understand the message of the email crystal clear.

 

 

 

Include Text-only option

Build a plain text version of your HTML design email because it is important for your email to be accessed using the screen of the readers. This will be helpful to those who have turned off their images on their email clients.

 

 

 

Prominent clickable link

The links to the email should be very prominent especially when it is also your call Call to action in your email. If you want them to click the link you have to make sure you use a right button and color to make it stand out.

 

 

 

Use responsive design

Accessible email must be responsive design and compatible with any mobile devices. As you know a large number of people are accessing their email on their mobile. People are always on the go and you better catch them starting with your enticing subject line and the rest will follow.

 

 

 

Use semantic elements

Semantic elements give the subscribers using screen reader the option to scan through an email by the header. You can use

 

and tags and these are supported by every email clients.

 

 

 

You can check after you create an accessible email at Accessible-Email.org. (http://www.accessible-email.org/)

Now you know the importance of how email accessibility impacts the other fraction of subscribers on your list, you can now create accessible emails for a more prudent email marketing strategy.

 

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OPERATION DIRECTOR
Boy is the head of Development team on Taximail. He manages the team of developers in building, improving and innovating Taximail to its full potential. He spends his free time outdoors with family. Also, playing PS4 is one of his favorite recreation.

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