Accessibility ensures digital content can be used by everyone, regardless of abilities or disabilities.

• a11y = "a" + 11 letters + "y" (abbreviation)
• Focuses on making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust
• Applies to all digital communications, including email marketing
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Accessibility is both an ethical responsibility and a business opportunity. Most organizations aim for AA compliance as a practical balance between accessibility and implementation.

Everyone benefits from accessible design

• People with permanent disabilities (visual, hearing, motor, cognitive)
• People with temporary limitations (broken arm, eye surgery)
• People in situational constraints (bright sunlight, noisy environment)
• Aging populations with changing abilities
• Users of all devices and connection speeds
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WCAG is the international standard for digital accessibility. It provides guidelines based on four key principles:

• Perceivable: Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive
• Operable: User interface components must be operable
• Understandable: Information and operation must be understandable
• Robust: Content must be robust enough to work with various technologies
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Understanding the difference between compliance levels helps prioritize accessibility efforts:

Alt text provides text alternatives for non-text content:

• Essential for screen reader users
• Displays when images fail to load
• Improves SEO and context
• Should be descriptive yet concise

Example: Instead of "banner.jpg", use "Summer Sale - 30% off all outdoor furniture"

Text must be readable against its background:

• AA requires 4.5:1 ratio for normal text, 3:1 for large text
• AAA requires 7:1 ratio for normal text, 4.5:1 for large text
• Use tools like WebAIM's Contrast Checker or Accessible Colors
• Don't rely solely on color to convey information
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Elements should not be too close together:

• Minimum touch target size of 44 × 44 pixels
• Buttons and links need adequate spacing
• Benefits users with motor control difficulties
• Improves mobile experience for all users
• Reduces accidental clicks and frustration
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Accessibility is everywhere in our physical world:

• Curb cuts help wheelchairs, strollers, and delivery carts
• Closed captions benefit those in noisy environments
• Voice assistants help everyone multitask
• Automatic doors assist people carrying packages

Digital accessibility follows the same principle: features designed for some benefit many

Start with an audit of your current emails and implement changes incrementally

Accessible email marketing is:

• An ethical obligation
• A business opportunity
• Increasingly a legal requirement
• Simply good design

Start small, test often, and continuously improve

A variety of helpful resources are available to support your accessibility efforts:

• WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind)
• Email on Acid Accessibility Checker
• WCAG 2.1 Guidelines
• The A11Y Project
• Litmus Email Accessibility Resources

These resources can help you audit, improve, and maintain accessible email campaigns

Accessibility is a lifelong learning journey, not a destination:

• These slides only scratch the surface of a complex and evolving field
• Best practices continue to develop as technology changes
• Real inclusivity requires ongoing dedication and education
• The most accessible organizations foster a culture where everyone feels responsible for accessibility

Thank you for taking this first step toward more inclusive marketing

Your interest and engagement make a difference in creating a more accessible digital world