What is Alt Text?
Alt text, or alternative text, is a brief description of an image that is included in the HTML code of an email. It appears in place of the image if it fails to load and is also used by
screen readers to describe the image to visually impaired users.
Why is Alt Text Important?
Alt text plays a crucial role in
accessibility and user experience. Including alt text ensures that your message is conveyed even if images don't load, providing context and maintaining the
email's purpose. Moreover, it can also improve the
email deliverability rates as some spam filters check for alt text.
Consequences of Ignoring Alt Text
Ignoring alt text can lead to several negative outcomes: Reduced Accessibility: Without alt text, visually impaired users relying on screen readers cannot understand the image content, leading to a poor user experience.
Lower Engagement: If images fail to load, subscribers might miss critical information, leading to decreased
click-through rates and engagement.
Brand Perception: Not including alt text can make your emails look unprofessional, impacting your
brand's reputation.
Best Practices for Adding Alt Text
To effectively use alt text, consider the following best practices: Be Descriptive: Ensure that your alt text clearly describes the image content. For example, instead of "Image1", use "A smiling person using a laptop".
Keep it Short: Alt text should be concise yet informative. Aim for a balance between brevity and descriptiveness.
Context Relevance: Make sure the alt text is relevant to the context of the email. If the image is part of a promotion, mention the key promotional details.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: While it might be tempting to add keywords for
SEO purposes, overloading alt text with keywords can make it less effective and even annoying for users.
How to Add Alt Text in Email HTML?
Adding alt text in your email HTML is straightforward. Here’s a basic example:
<img src="image.jpg" alt="A smiling person using a laptop">
The alt attribute within the <img> tag is where you place your descriptive text.
Examples of Effective Alt Text
To illustrate, here are a few examples of effective alt text: Promotion Banner: "20% off on all summer clothing - Use code SUMMER20"
Product Image: "Black leather wallet with multiple card slots"
Event Announcement: "Join us for the annual tech conference on June 15th"
Conclusion
Ignoring alt text in email marketing can significantly hinder your campaign’s effectiveness and accessibility. By incorporating descriptive, concise, and contextually relevant alt text, you ensure a better user experience, higher engagement rates, and improved
email campaign success. Always remember that every detail counts when it comes to effective
email marketing strategy.