Email Campaign Accessibility Checklist
Note
This checklist will not make your email campaign completely accessible. Full accessibility requires training and a nuanced approach. This checklist is a collection of legal requirements and best practices to help people with limited accessibility training make email campaigns more accessible. For content like text, images, graphics, and audio/video, refer to the “Basic checklists” at accessibility.ucsd.edu/checklists.
Layout and Structure
- The email layout is clean, simple, and easy to navigate with clear sections.
- There are no complex tables or multi-column designs that may confuse screen readers.
- The content flows logically from top to bottom and left to right. The reading order of the content should match the visual layout.
- Keyboard focus is visible when tabbing through the email.
Content
- Colors or sensory characteristics are not used alone to convey meaning.
- User interface components have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent color(s).
- User interface components do not contain anything that flashes or blinks more than three times in any one-second period — strobe effects should never be used.
- User interface components with labels that include text or images of text have a name that contains the text that is presented visually.
Links
- Links and buttons are keyboard-navigable and easily clickable on mobile.
- Buttons are at least 44x44 pixels for easy tapping.
Semantics
- Semantic HTML elements are used (e.g., <header>, <nav>, <main>, <article>, <footer>) to help screen readers interpret content correctly.
- Appropriate HTML tags are used (like <table> for tabular data and <p> for paragraphs) instead of generic <div> or <span> tags.
- ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) are used to enhance accessibility, such as role="banner", role="navigation", or role="button" where necessary.
Testing
- The email is tested with screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver to ensure it is navigable and all elements are read correctly.
- The email has been tested on different email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) and devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) to ensure proper rendering and accessibility.
- All content is accessible without a mouse. Navigate through your email using only the keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space) to ensure this.
Additional Steps
- A link to an accessibility statement and/or contact information for recipients who need assistance or further accommodations is provided.