The Importance of ADA Compliant Emails: Designing with Inclusion in Mind

When was the last time you thought about how someone with visual, auditory, or motor impairments experiences your emails? For many email marketers, accessibility might seem like an afterthought, but in today’s world, it’s not just a nice-to-have - it’s essential. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance for emails ensures that your beautifully crafted campaigns are inclusive and welcoming for everyone, regardless of ability.

Let’s dive into why ADA coding matters, what it entails, and how it can positively impact your audience and brand.

Why Accessibility Matters 1. Inclusion Is the Ultimate Goal Accessibility in emails is about making sure everyone - no matter their ability - can engage with your content. It’s more than just compliance; it’s a commitment to equity and respect for all your customers.

2. Expanding Your Reach Approximately 26% of adults in the U.S. have some form of disability. If your emails aren’t accessible, you could unintentionally exclude a significant portion of your audience. Inclusive design isn’t just ethical; it’s good business.

3. Avoid Legal Risks Failing to meet ADA standards can lead to legal challenges. By prioritizing accessibility, you’re protecting your brand from potential lawsuits and showing that you care about all your customers.

What Does ADA Coding for Emails Entail?

Creating accessible emails means ensuring your content is easy to navigate, read, and interact with for everyone. Here are the key components:

1. Use Alt Text for Images Every image in your email should include descriptive alt text so that screen readers can convey the message to visually impaired users. Instead of "image of a hotel," try "luxurious oceanfront suite with a balcony and sunset view."

2. Ensure Color Contrast Your email’s text and background colors should have enough contrast to be easily readable. Tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker can help you test your color choices.

3. Add Descriptive Links Avoid generic phrases like "Click here." Instead, use actionable and descriptive text, such as "Explore our summer getaway packages."

4. Make Emails Keyboard-Friendly Ensure that users who navigate with keyboards can easily move through your email using the Tab key. This includes adding proper focus states to interactive elements like buttons and links.

5. Optimize for Screen Readers Use semantic HTML and proper heading structures to help screen readers interpret your email’s layout and content correctly.

6. Use Accessible Fonts Choose simple, legible fonts and ensure your text size is large enough to read comfortably. A minimum of 14px is recommended for body text. ___ Final Thoughts In the world of email marketing, accessibility is more than just a checkbox - it’s a mindset. By embracing ADA coding, you’re not only reaching more people but also sending a clear message that your brand is inclusive, thoughtful, and forward-thinking. At HMA, we strive to have all of the content, emails, and forms are built to be WCAG AA 2.1 compliant, so that everyone in your database will be able to act on your email marketing campaigns, or sign up for them using an ADA compliant web form. To find out more about ADA compliance in your marketing materials, contact your HMA representative, send us an email at sales@wearehma.com or fill out the form on this page: https://www.wearehma.com/contact.

So, let’s make accessibility a priority. Because when everyone feels included, everybody wins.