Email Tool: Introducing Image Alt-Text
As of the latest release, you can now add alternative text (alt-text) to your email images. Alt-text benefits your customer experience in a multitude of ways. For example, alt-text fosters an inclusive experience for visually-impaired customers, since it is picked up by device screen readers. Additionally, alt-text appears even if your customers have disabled automatic image loading. In this case, alt-text becomes a powerful tool for you to communicate the value and benefit of your email to your customers in the absence of images.
How to Use Alt-Text
First, navigate to the email template to which you would like to add alt-text. You can add alt-text to existing and brand-new templates in both the upload image flow and a dedicated alt-text path. Both are described in more detail below.
Uploading a New Image
Add alt-text upon uploading your image. Adding alt-text is strongly encouraged, though it is not required. According to best practices, you should keep your alt-text description concise, so the system will limit you to 500 characters, including spaces.
Changing or Adding Alt-Text on an Existing Image
If you did not add in your alt-text upon initial upload of the image, you can add it in later, simply by clicking on the gear icon (screenshot below). Again, ensure your alt-text is shorter than 500 characters, including spaces.
Tips: Industry email experts agree that you should keep your alt-text brief, yet descriptive. Additionally, if a major call to action is embedded in an image, make sure you articulate that in your alt-text.