When creating email, follow the Content Accessibility Fundamentals, which include guidance on:

• Headings: For lengthy emails, use headings to help organize the content and make it easier to read.
• Lists: Use lists to structure your content and make it easier to read.
• Link text: Write descriptive link text and avoid using URLs as link text.
• Alternative text for images: Always include descriptive alternative text for images, unless the images are purely decorative. See Microsoft's Improve image accessibility in email video for information about adding alt text in Outlook.

While you may be tempted to use an image or graphic to make your message look as good as possible, there are several problems with this approach.

• Images may be blocked: Some email programs allow users to block all images, or the email program may have an algorithm that blocks image-only emails, because those kinds of emails appear to be spam.
• Users can't change the contrast: Users with low contrast vision may have a hard time reading the text in the image if they can't customize the contrast.
• Users can't switch to dark mode: Images will not respond to dark mode settings, which could be irritating to users whose eyes are sensitive to light.
• Alt text may be insufficient: Writing alt text for an entire graphic full of lots of text and various kinds of imagery can be awkward. Plus screen reader users can't interact with alt text. For example, they can't easily pause and listen to the words again or listen to the spelling of words. There is also no semantic structure to alt text. There is no way to embed a bulleted list or headings into alt text, for example.
• Zoomed text may be pixelated: If a user with low vision needs to zoom in, the text in a graphic will not be as clear as real text.

(Source: Deque University.)

• Do not use an image of a flyer or poster as the content of your email.
• Before attaching a document to an email, ask yourself if it's the best way to communicate the information. Could you simply add the content of the document to the body of the email? 
• If it’s absolutely necessary to attach a file to an email, make sure the document is accessible. See accessible PDFs, accessible Word documents and accessible PowerPoints for more details.
• If you do attach an event flyer to an email, make sure that all of the text in the flyer is included in the email body text.
• Important information like event date, time and location should always be included in the email body text.

Including images in your email can add visual appeal to support your message. However, it's important to ensure image accessibility.

• Include alt text on images.
• Do not include images of text.
• Do not include an image of a flyer in the body of your email. 

See Microsoft's Improve image accessibility in email video for information about adding alt text in Outlook.

• Avoid including auto-playing video content.

• Avoid overusing emojis or relying on them to communicate messaging. If you do use them, add them to the end of your message rather than in between words.
• Don't use emojis to replace words.
• Avoid using emoticons created with punctuation and keyboard characters. They lose their meaning when read with assistive technology.

Avoid using animations in your emails.

• When adding your signature, use actual text for your name and contact information to ensure accessibility.
• Avoid including images in your signature.
• Be sure to follow the university's Email Signature Guidelines.