Are image-based emails a good practice, and what are the deliverability and accessibility implications?

Email marketer from Litmus shares that image-based emails create significant accessibility barriers for people with visual impairments who rely on screen readers. Without proper alt text, these users cannot understand the content or purpose of the email. Accessible emails should include meaningful alt text for all images.

Email marketer from StackExchange user EmailPro says that using too many images can trigger spam filters and hurt deliverability. Email providers often penalize emails with a high image-to-text ratio. They advise optimizing images and adding sufficient text content to avoid being flagged as spam.

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that image-only emails often lack proper alt text, which hinders accessibility for visually impaired recipients and can be flagged as spam. Also, images may not display correctly if a recipient’s email client blocks them by default, resulting in a blank or broken email.

Email marketer from Neil Patel emphasizes that email design should enhance the user experience, not detract from it. While images can add visual appeal, they should be used strategically and in moderation. The primary focus should be on delivering valuable content and a clear call to action.

Marketer from Email Geeks explains the issue with image based emails isn't mitigated by deliverability, or having images turned on, because people can have slow connections or a11y needs.

Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailExpert shares that image-heavy emails can provide a visually rich experience. However, they caution against prioritizing aesthetics over accessibility and deliverability. They suggest using a balance of images and text, with consideration for users with disabilities or those who have images disabled by default.

Marketer from Email Geeks believes it’s based on industry, turnaround time for each campaign, and lack of knowledge / inertia. It’s "quickest" to turn that around in email by taking the same creative from all the other mediums, resizing it to be 600px wide.

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that image-based emails are awful for accessibility. A basic non-optimised HTML email works with a screen reader, but a load of images is useless.

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests image-only emails are easier for companies to implement because there's no need to worry about coding up the template. But there are costs related to accessibility, etc.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum user JaneDoe123 argues that while visually appealing, image-only emails often come across as lazy and unprofessional. They suggest incorporating text to provide context, improve SEO, and build credibility with recipients.

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor explains that maintaining a healthy text-to-image ratio is important for deliverability. Emails with too many images and little text can be flagged as spam by email providers. They recommend a balance that prioritizes text content alongside relevant images.

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that some people won’t have images download by default so they’ll see what almost looks like a blank email. Also, people who’s email’s hosted at some web hosting services are using spam filters that still weight image/text ratio.

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that robust authentication protocols mean it doesn't really matter if messages are image heavy because ISPs can "remember" and punish future deliverability of similar messages from the same sender if recipients don't want them. In other words, the recipients themselves become the content filters.

Email marketer from Email on Acid mentions that many email clients block images by default, so relying on images to convey the entire message can result in a significant portion of recipients seeing a broken or empty email. They suggest using a balance of text and images, along with alt text, to ensure the message is still conveyed even when images are blocked.

Email marketer from HubSpot recommends using images in emails to break up text and make the email more visually appealing, but they warn against relying solely on images. They advise using a mix of text and images, with descriptive alt text for all images to ensure accessibility and deliverability.

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign suggests considering how image-based emails render across different devices and email clients. Image scaling and responsiveness are crucial for a positive user experience, so they recommend testing emails on various platforms before sending.

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that while images can enhance an email's appeal, overuse can harm deliverability. She recommends balancing images with text and ensuring proper alt text for accessibility. Images should be optimized for size to avoid slow loading times and potential spam filter triggers.

Expert from Spamresource explains that designing an email that delivers is much more than simply adding graphics, picking colours and fonts. It takes a good knowledge of email code, current anti-spam filtering methods, what is considered a bad practice and what is considered the best approach. Designing emails is just as technical as coding them.

Documentation from W3C explains that the `alt` attribute provides alternative information for an image if a user for some reason cannot view it (because of slow connection, error in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader).

Documentation from Google Developers recommends optimizing images for email to reduce file size without sacrificing quality. Large image files can slow down email loading times and negatively impact user experience. They suggest using compression techniques and appropriate image formats (JPEG, PNG, etc.).

Documentation from WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind) stresses that all images should have descriptive alt text so that screen reader users can understand the meaning of the image. Images that convey content should have descriptive alt text, while purely decorative images should have null alt text (alt="") to be ignored by screen readers.

Documentation from Microsoft Support highlights that Outlook, by default, blocks automatic picture downloads from the Internet. This is a security measure to help prevent senders from using pictures to validate your email address. Users must manually enable image downloads or add senders to their safe senders list.