Keyboard navigability - Email Marketing

What is Keyboard Navigability?

Keyboard navigability refers to the ability to use a keyboard to move through and interact with various elements of an email. This is an essential aspect of accessibility in email marketing, ensuring that users who rely on keyboards, rather than a mouse, can still effectively engage with your content.

Why is it Important?

Keyboard navigability is crucial because it enhances the user experience for individuals with disabilities. It ensures that your emails are compliant with accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1. Moreover, making your emails accessible can improve your email open rates and click-through rates, as a broader audience will find your emails easier to navigate.

How Can You Implement It?

Implementing keyboard navigability in your email marketing involves using proper HTML and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes. Here are some key elements to focus on:

Tab Order: Ensure that the tab order of elements in your email makes sense. Users should be able to navigate through the content in a logical sequence by pressing the 'Tab' key.
Focus States: Make sure that focus states are clearly visible. This means that when an element is focused (selected by keyboard navigation), it should be highlighted or outlined in a way that is easy to see.
ARIA Roles: Use ARIA roles to provide additional context to screen readers. This can help users understand the purpose of each element better.
Skip Links: Include skip links to allow users to bypass repetitive content and navigate directly to the main content. This is particularly useful for users with screen readers.

What are Common Pitfalls?

Common pitfalls include neglecting to test emails for keyboard accessibility, using non-semantic HTML elements that don’t convey proper structure, and failing to provide descriptive alt text for images. These mistakes can make it difficult for keyboard users to navigate your emails effectively.

Tools and Resources

Several tools can help you test and improve keyboard navigability in your email campaigns. These include:

WAVE: A web accessibility evaluation tool that can help identify issues in your emails.
NVDA: A free screen reader for Windows that can help you test how your emails are read aloud.
Axe: An accessibility testing tool that can be integrated into your development workflow.

Best Practices

Adhering to best practices can significantly enhance the keyboard navigability of your emails:

Use semantic HTML to structure your content.
Ensure all interactive elements like links and buttons are easily accessible via keyboard.
Provide clear and concise link text that describes the destination or action.
Regularly test your emails for accessibility issues using the tools mentioned above.

Conclusion

Keyboard navigability is a critical component of accessible email marketing. By ensuring that your emails are easy to navigate using a keyboard, you can reach a broader audience, comply with accessibility standards, and improve overall user satisfaction. Implementing these practices not only benefits users with disabilities but also enhances the usability of your emails for all recipients.