Guide

Email Signature Accessibility Guide

How to make your email signature accessible to everyone — including people who use screen readers, have low vision, or colour blindness.

Why Accessibility Matters

4.4 million Australians live with a disability. Many professional contacts use assistive technology to read emails. An inaccessible signature means they can't get your contact details.

Accessibility Checklist

🖼️ Alt Text on Images

Add descriptive alt text to your logo (alt="Company Name logo") and headshot. Decorative images use empty alt (alt="").

🎨 Colour Contrast

Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text, 3:1 for large text (WCAG AA). Don't use light grey text on white backgrounds.

🔗 Descriptive Links

Use meaningful link text. Instead of "Click here", use "Visit our website" or display the actual URL.

📱 Social Icon Labels

Social media icons need alt text: alt="LinkedIn", alt="Twitter". Screen readers can't interpret icon images.

Don't Rely on Images Alone

If your entire signature is an image (e.g., a Canva design), screen reader users hear nothing but "image" — they get zero contact information. Always use:

  • HTML text for all contact details (name, phone, email, website)
  • Images only for visual elements (logo, headshot, banner)
  • Alt text on every image that conveys information

How Screen Readers Read Signatures

Good signature (screen reader output):

"Image: Acme Corp logo. Jane Smith, Marketing Director. Phone: 0412 345 678. Email: [email protected]. Link: acmecorp.com.au. Link: LinkedIn."

Bad signature (screen reader output):

"Image."

♿ Accessible by default: All our HTML templates include proper alt text, semantic structure, and colour contrast. Browse accessible templates →

Accessible Email Signatures

Inclusive templates that work for everyone — including screen reader users.

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