Email best practices
Email is an essential communication tool and must be accessible. In general, follow website accessibility best practices in your email messages. Accessible email basics include fonts, good color contrast, readability, heading, self-describing links, and alternative text (alt text) for images.
- Fonts: Use Sans serif fonts such as Arial and Calibri. To emphasize text, use bold and avoid all capital letters and excessive italics.
- Font color: Use a high contrast mode such as white and black. Use the Color Contrast checker, such as WebAIM Contrast Checker.
- Readability: Keep paragraphs short. Use plain language so everyone can understand.
- Headings: Use headings to organize content.
- Links: Identify links with descriptive text. Do not use “click here.” Instead, label the link “register now” or “Learn more about Office for Disability Equity.”
- Alternative text (alt text) for images: Insert a descriptive text that conveys the meaning and context of an image. Do not use “Image of” or “graphic of.” Instead, write one or two short sentences that describe the subject, setting, action, or other relevant information about the image.
- Flyer graphics: An image-only flyer graphic is inaccessible. Include the flyer’s content as text in the body of the email. In your text, indicate that the attachment is only a visual.
- Attached file’s name: change generic file names to be meaningful. For example, change from “00432lsk40g.pdf” to “recommendation_letter_pdf.”
- Directing to a file: If directing someone to a file (e.g., in Box), give them a direct link, in addition to directions to where the content is located.