What is Alt Text in Email Marketing?
Alt text, short for "alternative text," is a brief text description added to images in your email campaigns. This text appears in place of an image if the image fails to load or if the recipient is using a screen reader. Including alt text ensures that your message remains accessible and comprehensible even when images do not display correctly.
Accessibility: Alt text makes your emails accessible to
visually impaired recipients who rely on screen readers to understand the content.
Deliverability: Emails with alt text are less likely to be flagged as
spam, enhancing your email deliverability rates.
User Experience: In cases where images fail to load due to slow internet connections or restrictive email client settings, alt text provides context, ensuring your message is still conveyed.
Be Descriptive: Clearly describe the content and purpose of the image. For example, instead of "logo," use "Company XYZ logo."
Keep it Short: Aim for concise descriptions, ideally under 125 characters.
Include Keywords: Where relevant, incorporate
keywords to enhance the email's SEO value.
Avoid Redundancy: Do not repeat information already present in the text adjacent to the image.
Examples of Good and Bad Alt Text
Here are some examples to illustrate effective vs. ineffective alt text: Good Alt Text: "50% off summer sale banner with beach background."
Bad Alt Text: "sale" or "image1.jpg."
Technical Implementation
Adding alt text to images is a straightforward process. In HTML, it can be included within the <img> tag. For example:
<img src="image.jpg" alt="50% off summer sale banner with beach background">
Ensure that every image in your email has an
alt attribute to maximize accessibility and user experience.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While alt text is simple to implement, there are common pitfalls to avoid: Over-Stuffing Keywords: Avoid cramming
keywords into the alt text as it can make the description confusing and less user-friendly.
Ignoring Decorative Images: For purely decorative images, it’s better to use an empty alt attribute (e.g., alt="") to keep screen readers from reading irrelevant content.
Duplicating Text Content: Redundant descriptions can annoy users and interrupt the flow of information.
Conclusion
Incorporating well-crafted alt text in your email marketing campaigns is a simple yet powerful way to enhance both
accessibility and user engagement. By following best practices and avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure your messages are effective, inclusive, and more likely to reach your audience.