In the Brisbane business scene, we often talk about foot traffic and physical access. You wouldn’t build a storefront in Fortitude Valley with a door that doesn't open, yet thousands of Australian brands send emails every day that are effectively 'locked' to a significant portion of their audience.
Accessibility in email marketing isn't just a compliance checkbox or a moral 'nice-to-have.' It is a fundamental driver of campaign performance. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 1 in 5 Australians live with a disability. If your emails aren't accessible, you are potentially ignoring 20% of your market before they even read your subject line.
Here is how to stop leaving money on the table and start designing for every inbox.
The Visual Hierarchy: Contrast and Clarity
Many modern 'aesthetic' designs fail the basic test of readability. Using light grey text on a white background might look sleek on a high-end designer's monitor, but for a customer checking their phone in the bright Queensland sun, it’s invisible.
Actionable Steps:
Maintain high contrast: Use a tool like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure your text-to-background ratio is at least 4.5:1. Font size matters: Never go below 16px for body copy. Anything smaller forces users to pinch and zoom, which usually leads to a delete rather than a click. Avoid 'Wall of Text' syndrome: Use bullet points and clear headings. This helps screen readers navigate and assists customers with cognitive disabilities in processing your offer quickly.Why 'Image-Only' Emails are Performance Killers
We see this often: a retail brand sends a single, beautiful graphic containing their entire sale message. If that image doesn't load—or if the recipient uses a screen reader—your email is a blank box.
Furthermore, heavy image files can lead to email platform costs spiralling if your provider charges based on data or storage logic. More importantly, image-heavy emails often trigger spam filters.
The 'Alt-Text' Rule
Every image must have descriptive Alt-Text. Instead of 'Image123.jpg', use '30 percent off summer surfboards sale.' This ensures that even if the image is blocked, your message gets through. This is a core component of inbox decision logic; if a user can't see the value immediately, they won't click.Structural Integrity for Screen Readers
Screen readers (software used by people with vision impairments) read code, not just pixels. If your email layout is a mess of nested tables, the reader will announce the content in a confusing jumble.
1. Use Semantic HTML: Use for titles and for paragraphs. This tells the software what is important.
2. Left-Align Your Text: While centred text looks balanced, it is significantly harder for people with dyslexia to read because the starting point of each line moves.
3. Descriptive Links: Stop using "Click Here." A screen reader user might pull up a list of all links in an email. If they hear "Click Here, Click Here, Click Here," they have no idea where they are going. Use "View our Brisbane showroom locations" instead.
The Dark Mode Challenge
Over 80% of smartphone users now use Dark Mode. If you use a transparent PNG logo with black text, it will disappear against a dark background. Always use a white stroke (outline) around dark logos or use a background colour that works in both light and dark settings. Failing to account for this is a common reason why ugly emails win in the current market—they focus on function over fragile aesthetics.
Immediate Implementation Checklist
Before you hit 'send' on your next campaign, run through this 30-second audit:
The Squint Test: Squint at your screen. Can you still tell where the button is? Can you see the main headline? The No-Image Test: Turn off images in your previewer. Does the email still make sense? The Fat-Finger Test: Are your buttons at least 44x44 pixels? If they are too close together, users with motor impairments (or just someone on a bumpy Brisbane bus) will struggle to click the right one.Conclusion
Accessible email design isn't about limiting your creativity; it's about expanding your reach. By making small, technical adjustments to your contrast, structure, and image usage, you ensure that every Australian who opens your email has a seamless experience. Accessibility is usability, and better usability always leads to higher ROI.
Ready to audit your email strategy for better performance? At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses build high-converting, inclusive digital campaigns. Contact us today to see how we can optimise your marketing for real results.