What is Descriptive Alt Text?
Descriptive
alt text, short for alternative text, is an attribute added to an image tag in HTML. This text describes the appearance and function of an image on a page. In the context of
email marketing, alt text serves several essential purposes, enhancing both accessibility and user experience.
Why is Alt Text Important in Email Marketing?
There are multiple reasons why alt text is crucial in email marketing: Accessibility: Alt text helps visually impaired users understand the content of images through screen readers.
Email Clients: Some email clients block images by default. Alt text ensures that recipients still receive your message even if images are not displayed.
SEO Benefits: While not as impactful as in web pages, alt text can contribute to the overall
SEO of your email campaigns.
How to Write Effective Alt Text?
Creating effective alt text requires some consideration: Be Descriptive: Clearly describe what the image is about. Avoid vague terms like "image" or "photo."
Keep it Short: Concise descriptions are more effective and easier to read.
Use Keywords: Incorporate relevant
keywords naturally into the alt text.
Avoid Redundancy: Don’t repeat information already provided in the surrounding text.
Examples of Good and Bad Alt Text
To illustrate, here are examples of both good and bad alt text: Good Alt Text: "Red sports car on a racetrack during sunset."
Bad Alt Text: "Car."
Good Alt Text: "Woman holding a cup of coffee in a cozy cafe."
Bad Alt Text: "Woman."
Best Practices for Using Alt Text in Email Marketing
Here are some best practices to follow: Include Alt Text for All Images: Make sure every image in your email has an accompanying alt text.
Test Your Emails: Preview your emails in different clients to ensure alt text displays correctly.
Use Unique Descriptions: Avoid using the same alt text for multiple images.
Consider Context: Ensure the alt text is relevant to the surrounding content.
Tools and Resources
Several tools can help you add and test alt text in your emails: Litmus: A tool for testing emails across different clients and devices.
Email on Acid: Another platform for testing and optimizing email campaigns.
Google Lighthouse: Offers accessibility audits that can help you identify missing or ineffective alt text.
Conclusion
Descriptive alt text is a small but significant part of a successful email marketing strategy. By making your emails more accessible, improving user experience, and possibly boosting SEO, alt text can help ensure your message reaches and resonates with a broader audience. Make alt text a standard practice in your email campaigns to enhance their overall effectiveness.