Plain text email accessibility

Create an outline

Ask yourself, “what are the essential topics you want to address?” Then see if you can break those topics down into 3-5 words each. This can help structure your ideas succinctly.

Shorter is better

Use as few words as possible because email copy should not be an essay. Support your readers with scannable shorter paragraphs that can be broken up with bullet points. Overloading users with excessive text increases the chances that information will be misinterpreted.

Use clear calls-to-action

Make sure they contain action verbs, active language, and make it very clear what the benefit is by clicking through. A call-to-action should specifically link to what your copy says it will link to. Learn to write clear calls-to-action.

Use plain language

Your readers should be able to understand your message the first time they read it. It’s respectful of their time and increases comprehension.  Plain language means:

• Organizing so it’s easy to follow along
• Leading with the main idea instead of the exceptions
• Useful headings
• Avoiding acronyms, jargon, and idioms
• Action-oriented sentences and verbs so readers are clear about what they should be doing.
• Being specific and avoiding vague language.

Learn more about plain language.

Use descriptive link text

People who are blind or have low vision often navigate with screen readers by going from link to link. Providing users with descriptive link text is vital, because it tells them what is being clicked on, and where it will take them. Understand descriptive link text.

Provide alternative text for images and graphics (if an available option)

Alt text (alternative text) describes the image visually and explains how the image is related to the content on the page. Images and graphics that require longer alt text instead get a caption or text description beneath the image.