Ensuring your email campaigns are accessible not only opens doors to a broader audience, but also increases engagement and fosters brand-building inclusivity. With 27% of Americans living with some form of disability, overlooking this demographic can limit your reach, undermine your marketing efforts, and damage your brand image.
Beyond the impact on performance and ethical imperative, the legal landscape surrounding digital accessibility is becoming more stringent. In 2023, the U.S. saw over 4,600 accessibility-related lawsuits, with the majority of those about digital experiences, according to UsableNet. Moreover, the need for brands to be in full compliance with the European Accessibility Act of 2019 this year further heightens the urgency for global marketers to adopt accessibility best practices.
Because of that growing pressure, we’ve seen a significant uptick in requests for our email accessibility audits here at Oracle Digital Experience Agency. But how do you know if your program needs an audit?
How Many of These Are True for Your Brand?
Any one of these is an indicator it may be time to reassess your email accessibility. Two or more is an indicator it’s definitely time.
1. Your email templates are over 5 years old.
Email accessibility standards have advanced significantly in recent years. For example, VML-based “bulletproof” buttons, once a common solution for accessibility, are now recognized for causing considerable issues for screen reader users. Also, older email templates often rely on pixel-based font sizes, use divs or table cells instead of semantic paragraph tags, and may depend on directional attributes to manage responsive design or excessive nested tables for layout control—all of which are problematic now.
The older your templates are the more likely they are to include outdated code that doesn’t meet current accessibility guidelines. Adopting modern, inclusive email design practices is crucial to ensuring you reach all users effectively.
Related post: 6 Common Accessibility Myths that Cost Brands Customers [with on-demand webinar]
2. Your campaigns rely on images of text.
One of the most persistent myths in email marketing is that using images of text is acceptable as long as you include alt text. However, this approach does not meet accessibility standards. Screen readers typically cut off at 120 characters, which means any text in images beyond a simple logotype or headline is inaccessible.
In addition to accessibility issues, relying on graphical text creates other usability issues. For example, if an email’s images are blocked in the spam folder or because of user settings, your email will struggle to communicate its message. Subscribers who are reading your emails in low-bandwidth environments may similarly struggle and simply move on to the next message in their inbox rather than wait for your images to load. And lastly, text embedded in images are currently ignored by AI Summaries created by Apple, Yahoo, and other inbox providers, further limiting the effectiveness of your messaging.
Related post: AI Summaries for Email: Design Impacts on Marketers
3. You need extra justification to upgrade to a modular design system.
Traditional email templates can bog down email production and create a number of other problems. That’s why brands have been steadily migrating to modular email architectures for years. Instead of focusing on templates for specific emails, modular build systems focus on creating email modules that can then be stacked up to create any email that’s needed.
With our clients, we’ve found that moving to a modular email architecture can reduce email production time by up to 25%. But modular systems do more than that. They make personalization and A/B testing easier to execute, and are also easier to maintain and update—including in regards to accessibility.
If you’re facing resistance from stakeholders about investing in a more modular, flexible email build system, an email accessibility audit can serve as a valuable tool for demonstrating the need for change. The findings can make a compelling case for modernizing your campaign production process, improving both accessibility and performance.
Related post: Modular Email Architecture: The Next-Generation Template [on-demand webinar]
4. You want a deeper understanding of the user experience.
It’s challenging for people to see things from another person’s perspective. An email accessibility audit offers detailed insights into how users with disabilities interact with your emails and highlights potential barriers they may face.
For example, animated gifs are routinely used in emails to enhance engagement, but looping or flashing animations can trigger seizures in individuals with epilepsy. Failing to adhere to WCAG guidelines for animations (SC 2.2.2. and 2.3.1) not only presents legal risks but can also cause significant harm to vulnerable users.
Additionally, we assist clients in gaining a deeper understanding of assistive technologies, such as screen readers, and how users relying on these tools interact with your emails. This includes addressing common accessibility issues, such as redundant links, poor alt text, and inaccessible interactive elements.
Meeting accessibility standards is not just about compliance. It’s about recognizing the unique ways in which users interact with your content and identifying strategies to create a more inclusive and engaging experience for all.
5. You have an internal accessibility team.
Having an internal team dedicated to accessibility shows your brand is truly committed to creating inclusive, welcoming customer experiences. However, while internal teams are well-versed in general accessibility principles, we find they often don’t understand the nuances of email coding requirements—some of which we’ve already touched on. Collaborating with experts who specialize in email accessibility ensures you can improve your practices and deliver a better experience for all users.
6. You’ve already been sued for accessibility failures.
In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act’s sole enforcement mechanism is lawsuits, which is why there are thousands every year. Last year, the majority of ADA-related lawsuits targeted digital experiences, such as inaccessible websites, mobile apps, and emails.
If your organization has previously faced an accessibility-related lawsuit, whether in the physical or digital domain, you’re already aware of the potential risks. Partnering with an agency that specializes in accessible email production helps safeguard your organization from future legal challenges and ensures ongoing compliance with accessibility standards.
Get Started with an Email Accessibility Audit
If one or more of the statements above are true for your brand, or you have concerns about whether your email campaigns meet legally required accessibility standards, Oracle Digital Experience Agency can help. Our team of experts will perform an Accessibility Audit Workshop to compare your current marketing against our accessibility standards, review the results, and create a plan to move forward. For more information about an audit or to get started, talk to your Oracle account manager or reach out to us at OracleAgency_us@Oracle.com.
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