Broken rendering and inaccessible layouts lower engagement and, in some jurisdictions, create legal exposure.
Mistake 1: Text embedded in images with no alt#
Why it hurts: this undermines email design and accessibility at the point where mailbox providers make their decision, and it is rarely surfaced by your own tooling until placement drops.
Fix: Use a single-column layout that reflows on mobile.
Mistake 2: Tiny grey text on light backgrounds#
Why it hurts: this undermines email design and accessibility at the point where mailbox providers make their decision, and it is rarely surfaced by your own tooling until placement drops.
Fix: Set alt text on every meaningful image and empty alt on decorative ones.
Frequently asked questions#
Does dark mode change email colors?
Some clients invert or adjust colors. Test in Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail dark modes and use transparent PNGs where possible.