What are Text Alternatives in Email Marketing?
Text alternatives in email marketing refer to the practice of providing a textual equivalent for visual elements, especially images, within your email campaigns. This is often achieved through the use of
alt text, which is a short description that appears in place of an image if it fails to load or if the recipient is using a screen reader.
Why are Text Alternatives Important?
Text alternatives are crucial for several reasons. Firstly, they enhance
accessibility by ensuring that visually impaired users who rely on screen readers can understand the content. Secondly, they improve user experience by providing context when images fail to load due to slow internet connections or email client restrictions. Finally, they can assist in improving
email deliverability and engagement rates by making your emails more informative and inclusive.
How Do You Write Effective Alt Text?
Writing effective alt text involves a few key steps: Be
descriptive but concise. Aim to describe the image in a way that adds value without being overly verbose.
Include
keywords relevant to your content but avoid stuffing. This can aid in SEO and make your emails more searchable.
Ensure the text is contextually
appropriate. The alt text should align with the surrounding content and overall message of the email.
Avoid phrases like “image of” or “picture of.” Screen readers already identify these elements as images, so this information is redundant.
Examples of Good vs. Bad Alt Text
Consider an email featuring a promotional image of a new product: Bad Alt Text: “New product”
Good Alt Text: “Sleek, ergonomic wireless mouse with customizable buttons”
The good alt text provides specific information that helps the reader understand what the image represents, even if they can't see it.
How to Implement Alt Text in Email Campaigns
Implementing alt text is relatively straightforward. Most
email marketing platforms have built-in features that allow you to add alt text when you upload an image. Here’s a general outline:
Upload your image to the email builder.
Click on the image to open its properties or settings.
Find the field labeled “Alt Text” or “Alternative Text.”
Enter your descriptive alt text in this field.
Save your changes.
Best Practices for Using Text Alternatives
To maximize the benefits of text alternatives, follow these best practices: Always include alt text for
all images, even decorative ones. If an image is purely decorative, you can use an empty string (alt="") to skip it for screen readers.
Test your emails across various
email clients and devices to ensure alt text displays correctly.
Use
descriptive file names for your images. This can serve as a fallback for some email clients that might not display alt text.
Regularly review and update your alt text to ensure it remains relevant and accurate.
Conclusion
Providing text alternatives in email marketing is not just about compliance with accessibility standards but also about enhancing the overall user experience. By incorporating effective alt text, you make your emails more inclusive and informative, potentially increasing engagement and conversion rates. Remember, the goal is to ensure every recipient, regardless of their ability to view images, can understand and appreciate the content of your email.