How to use ALT text for accessibility and fallback?
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You've added a beautiful hero image to your email campaign. For subscribers using screen readers, that image is invisible unless you've written ALT text. For subscribers who've blocked images, ALT text is the only thing they see.
Write ALT text that describes what the image does, not just what it looks like. Instead of "Blue button," write "Click here to start your free trial." That way, whether someone's reading it through a screen reader or seeing a blank image placeholder, they understand the action or message.
Keep it concise. Aim for under 125 characters so mobile users aren't drowning in text. Be complete enough to convey meaning without padding. Decorative images that don't carry meaning can get an empty alt attribute (alt="") to tell screen readers to skip them.
And don\'t start with "image of" or "photo of." Screen readers already announce that it's an image. Just jump straight to the useful description. Test your ALT text across different clients and screen readers using Review My Emails' Accessibility Checker. This is especially important if you're emailing a diverse audience.
Related reading: writing for email accessibility.
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