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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.