In today’s world, your audience engages with emails across various devices and platforms. To ensure your content reaches everyone, whether they’re viewing it on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device making your emails accessible is key to driving success. Here’s how you can make sure your emails are accessible and improve engagement:
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Optimize for All Devices: Ensure your emails load seamlessly and are easy to read on both desktop and mobile devices. With mobile usage continuing to rise, it’s crucial to design emails that offer a great experience on any screen size, giving your audience the flexibility to engage with your content no matter where they are. Emails designed in AWeber are automatically formatted to display beautifully across a wide range of devices.
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Consider Email Client Compatibility: Different email providers render emails differently. For instance, Outlook may not support certain design elements like gradient backgrounds. Keep this in mind when crafting your emails to ensure they look great in all clients and avoid potential formatting issues that could take away from the user experience.
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Test Your Emails Before You Send Them Live: The best way to get an idea of what the experience of an email will be for your subscriber is to test the email yourself. Send a test copy of the email to yourself on different devices, as well as different email providers to make sure you have consistency across the board.
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Be mindful of Load Speed: Email load time matters! Image-heavy emails can cause slower loading speeds, leading some subscribers to back out of the email before it’s even fully opened. Aim for a balanced ratio of 80% text and 20% images (or 60% text/40% images) to keep your content visually engaging while maintaining quick load times. Also, be mindful of email length, as overly long emails can discourage readers from engaging with the full message, and can even be clipped in some inboxes.
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Make Your Emails Screen Reader-Friendly: With a growing number of users relying on screen readers, it’s essential to design emails that are easily accessible to all, including those with disabilities. Most screen readers handle basic email text well, but ensure your design is simple and straightforward to avoid accessibility barriers. Adding alt text to images in your message helps make your emails more accessible. Additionally, consider color choices carefully to accommodate colorblind readers.
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Avoid Spam Filters: Ensure your emails make it to your subscribers’ inboxes by checking for potential filtering issues. Emails that end up in spam or promotions folders won’t be seen by your audience, leading to missed opportunities and decreased engagement. Regularly test your emails to minimize the risk of them being flagged.
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Be Transparent and Inclusive: Accessibility goes beyond technical aspects; it’s about creating an inclusive experience for all subscribers. Offering options for larger fonts, alternative text for images, and simple layouts can help accommodate readers with different needs.
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Consider Your Audience’s Experience with Tech: Not all of your subscribers will be tech-savvy. For some, navigating through emails and interacting with advanced features may be challenging. To ensure your emails are accessible to everyone, simplify your design and navigation. Avoid overly complex layouts that could confuse less experienced users. Also, using clear, concise language and easy-to-follow instructions can help your audience engage more effectively with your content, regardless of their tech proficiency.
How are you making sure your emails are accessible? We’d love to hear about your strategies for making emails more accessible to your audience. Share your tips and tricks to foster better engagement and inclusivity in your email marketing campaigns!