Email accessibility: the new challenge for marketers

L'accessibilité des emails : le nouveau défi des marketeurs

Imagine for a moment that nearly one-fifth of your customers can't read your emails. This is the reality for many businesses today. Email accessibility, long overlooked, is becoming a major concern for marketers.

During a recent webinar organized by Actito and Badsender, experts shared their insights on this hot topic.

Here's what you need to know.

A shift in perspective

Accessibility isn't just about permanent disabilities. It's also about thinking of the grandmother squinting at her smartphone, the executive checking emails in a crowded subway, or the student with a broken wrist. In reality, we're all affected at one point or another.

The law gets involved

Europe has decided to take action. Since June 2025, the European Accessibility Act requires companies to make their digital services accessible, including marketing emails. But remember, this isn't just a constraint. It's also an opportunity to expand your audience by potentially 18%.

The 5 golden rules of accessible email according to experts

Rule #1: Focus on contrast and readability

No more text overlaid on background images! Contrast is key. Aim for fonts of at least 14 pixels on desktop, 16 on mobile. And don't forget spacing: your lines need to breathe with line spacing at least 1.5 times the font size.

As for GIFs flashing like Christmas trees, better forget them. They're more likely to cause headaches than grab attention.

Rule #2: Structure your content

Think of your email like a good novel: it needs a clear structure. Use headers and subheaders to organize your content. Not only does this help your readers navigate, but it also guides screen readers through your content.

Rule #3: Perfect your alt texts

Every image needs its alt text. Be concise but descriptive. This text should convey the main information of the image, not just describe it.

Rule #4: Write to be understood

Forget marketing jargon and convoluted sentences. Aim for clarity and conciseness. A tip that hit home: pay attention to your preheader. It's what determines whether your email will be read... or sent straight to trash.

Rule #5: Master the technical aspects

Behind the scenes, HTML code has its say too. Semantic structure, language declaration, alt texts for images... All these technical elements make a difference for screen readers.

Revivez l'Activation Talk : Accessibilité numérique & Emailing

Vous souhaitez approfondir le sujet ? Ne manquez pas le replay de notre Activation Talk "Accessibilité numérique & Emailing : êtes-vous prêts ?". Plongez dans les détails avec nos experts d'Actito et Badsender, et découvrez comment mettre en pratique ces conseils pour rendre vos emails accessibles à tous. Une opportunité unique d'enrichir vos compétences en marketing digital et de vous démarquer dans un monde où l'accessibilité devient incontournable.

Tools to help you

Fortunately, you're not alone in this journey. Email editors like Actito are increasingly integrating features to facilitate accessibility. And companies like Badsender offer evaluation grids to help you see things more clearly.

Where to start?

Facing this challenge, experts recommend starting with transactional emails. Order confirmation, invoice, appointment reminder... These messages are essential in the customer journey. Making them accessible is already a big step forward.

Ultimately, email accessibility isn't just about legal compliance. It's a way to show your customers that you care about them, all of them. And that's the best marketing there is.

Klaar om de uitdaging van toegankelijke e-mail aan te gaan?