On this article, we’ll present you ways Stripo makes your emails screen-reader-friendly with none additional work, how one can save time on designing accessible emails, and what we’re planning subsequent to make it even simpler.
We’ve lined e-mail accessibility from why it’s essential to the dangers, akin to lawsuits, that companies face when their emails aren’t accessible. Figuring out how powerful accessibility optimization could be, we’ve added options to our editor that make it simpler than ever.
Significance of digital accessibility
Let’s shortly revisit why digital accessibility is essential:
Over 1.5 billion folks have listening to difficulties, 2.2 billion expertise some type of visible impairment (starting from basic visible impairments to blindness and colour blindness), and 9%–12% of the worldwide inhabitants (about 900 million folks) have dyslexia, which makes studying troublesome.
In 2023, 4,060 lawsuits had been filed within the US in opposition to firms with accessibility points. Of those, 97% focused web sites and purposes, together with digital content material akin to attachments, movies, and kinds.
Folks with disabilities store on-line at twice the speed of the final inhabitants, however 27% abandon their purchases resulting from poorly coded web sites.
Optimizing e-mail code for display readers
I see accessibility work as having two essential parts: optimizing for display readers and refining e-mail content material. Optimizing e-mail code for display readers is especially difficult, because it calls for superior coding abilities and is usually time-consuming.
Recognizing these challenges, we got down to simplify the method for our customers and make display reader optimization extra accessible to everybody.
In November 2023, we enhanced our editor so that each e-mail created with Stripo is optimized for display readers. Listed below are the important thing enhancements:
99.17% of emails lack the <dir> attribute. Why does this matter? The path of the language set within the e-mail consumer will carry over to the e-mail content material. If a recipient’s e-mail consumer is ready to a right-to-left language, however the e-mail content material is left-to-right, this will trigger structure issues and make the e-mail troublesome to learn;
68.32% of e-mail code is lacking the <lang> attribute within the <html> factor. Why is that this essential? Defining a doc’s language helps instruments like translators and assistive applied sciences learn content material appropriately;
98.29% of e-mail code is lacking the <lang> attribute on the physique factor. Why is that this vital if the <lang> attribute is already set on the <html> factor? Some e-mail purchasers strip language settings from the <html> factor, so it’s essential to incorporate them on direct kids of the physique factor as nicely;
88.97% of emails miss the function attribute set to “presentation” or “none” for tables. Why is that this essential? Desk parts ought to solely be used to current knowledge, not for structure. Setting the function attribute correctly ensures that assistive expertise can deal with it appropriately.
We robotically detect the language and path of the e-mail and apply these settings to all emails. We additionally apply the function attribute to all emails. When you’re tech-savvy and cozy with code, you may add these parts your self. However what for those who’re not, or just don’t have the time? Stripo has you lined.
However why did we do all this within the first place?
With over 1.2 million customers creating emails with Stripo, we consider this alteration could have a major influence on e-mail accessibility worldwide. At the moment, 99% of emails are inaccessible. Who is aware of, perhaps this alteration will assist us cut back this quantity to 97%.
Dmytro Kulaksyz,
COO at Stripo.
Does this solely have an effect on new emails?
The code of all emails created since November 2023 is absolutely optimized and has all these parts, tags, and attributes added to your emails — you may see them within the e-mail editor.
When you’re utilizing a beforehand constructed e-mail, don’t fear. We add these attributes and tags throughout the export course of, whatever the export technique—whether or not you’re exporting to ESPs, downloading as HTML information or photographs, or utilizing webhooks and Zapier.
You’ll nonetheless want so as to add alt textual content and make your hyperlinks descriptive — this a part of e-mail code optimization is one thing we will’t do for you.
Modular e-mail design for simple and easy e-mail accessibility
As lots of you realize, we’re huge followers of modular e-mail design as a result of it saves time — our customers have discovered that it makes e-mail manufacturing as much as 5 occasions sooner.
However what does this must do with e-mail accessibility?
Whereas utilizing modules alone doesn’t assure absolutely accessible e-mail campaigns, it does imply you don’t must repeatedly optimize sure parts. Many features can stay accessible from one marketing campaign to the subsequent, even for those who modify them (like updating e-mail copy with out altering types).
How does this work with modules? You or your designer/coder create an e-mail, verify it with accessibility instruments, and break it up into reusable modules. These modules can be utilized throughout completely different campaigns with out the necessity for fixed opinions.
Some parts that you would be able to design and confirm as soon as and belief to stay constant embody the next:
colour distinction that’s examined for each mild and darkish modes;
hyperlinks which are distinguishable with out counting on colour alone;
left-aligned copy for readability;
fonts that work for each desktop and cell units;
easy, monochromatic backgrounds;
correct line spacing.
This strategy saves you time whereas making certain that your e-mail content material stays accessible throughout a number of campaigns.
Work in progress
This spring, designer Daniel Britton, identified for his spectacular work and distinctive illustration of how folks with dyslexia see letters, hosted a webinar with our product designer, Roman Burdyga.
(Supply: The alphabet within the eyes of some dyslexics, as there are completely different kinds, by Daniel Britton)
They mentioned the significance of utilizing accessible fonts. In the course of the webinar, Daniel, who’s dyslexic, shared that OpenDyslexic fonts are thought-about to be essentially the most helpful. In response, Roman dedicated to incorporating extra of those fonts into our emails.
Nevertheless, there was a problem. Our model pointers require using Manrope, and never everybody appreciates non-typical fonts in emails. Roman got here up with an answer: recipients can now swap between the usual e-mail font and OpenDyslexic font as wanted.
Commonplace font
OpenDyslexic font
Our preliminary take a look at confirmed promising outcomes—recipients are actively utilizing this characteristic, a lot to our delight. We encountered no points with the font switcher, however we needed to run a number of extra exams. As soon as we’re glad that every little thing is performing nicely, we’ll share the code so you may simply add this characteristic to your emails to make them much more accessible.
Keep tuned!
Our plans for e-mail accessibility in 2025
We’ve begun creating a brand new characteristic, tentatively known as Accessibility Precheck, although its closing type continues to be within the works. The product workforce is targeted on creating performance that may be certain that Stripo checks emails for compliance with accessibility requirements, akin to lacking alt textual content, colour distinction, copy alignment, and line spacing. The characteristic will determine noncompliant parts and supply suggestions on the right way to repair them.
Wrapping up
Stripo goals to make accessibility simple for e-mail entrepreneurs by introducing modern options and instruments. From code optimization for display readers to modular e-mail design, we’re serving to to make sure that creating accessible emails is now not a posh, time-consuming job. Our upcoming instrument, Accessibility Precheck, will take this dedication even additional by permitting customers to verify their emails for compliance with accessibility requirements and obtain sensible suggestions for enchancment.
These efforts are a part of our broader imaginative and prescient to empower entrepreneurs to create content material that reaches everybody, together with these with disabilities. By prioritizing accessibility, we’re fostering a extra inclusive digital surroundings the place everybody can comfortably and successfully have interaction with e-mail content material.
Design emails absolutely optimized for display readers with Stripo very quickly