Email Copy
Choosing an accessible button label
Write email button labels that describe the destination, match accessible names and make each action clear out of context.
An email button label should tell readers what will happen when they activate it. “View delivery options” and “Confirm my place” are clearer than “Learn more” or “Click here”. Choose the label from the destination and the reader's task; then check that the visible wording and accessible name agree.
Name the destination or action
Ask what the next page actually does. If it opens a booking form, use “Book an appointment”. If it opens a PDF, “Read the event guide” is more informative than “Download”, especially when the guide's format matters.
Do not promise a completed action if the click only opens another step. “Pay now” may be misleading when it leads to a cart review.
W3C's link-purpose guidance explains why context matters: some people navigate by scanning a list of links. A label that makes sense only after rereading an entire paragraph gives them little help. The button can be concise without being vague.
Vague label / More useful when the destination matches
- Click here
- View the updated timetable
- Submit
- Send my enquiry
- Learn more
- Compare membership options
- Continue
- Review order details
The right wording depends on the real destination. These examples are prompts for editing, not ready-made labels for every campaign.
Vague vs. Accessible Button Labels
- Vague label
- Click here
- More useful when the destination matches
- View the updated timetable
- Vague label
- Submit
- More useful when the destination matches
- Send my enquiry
- Vague label
- Learn more
- More useful when the destination matches
- Compare membership options
- Vague label
- Continue
- More useful when the destination matches
- Review order details
Keep visible and spoken labels aligned
An accessible name may be supplied by the button's text or by attributes in its markup. W3C's label-in-name guidance explains why the visible words should appear in the accessible name: people using speech recognition need to be able to say what they see. If the button visibly says “View plans” but is announced as “Open pricing information”, the mismatch makes it harder to operate.
Avoid using an icon alone for a primary action unless it has a clear name in the markup and its meaning is obvious in context. If a designer uses an image as the button, ensure the alternative text states the action. Ordinary text on a styled link is usually easier to edit and more resilient when images are blocked.
Review the surrounding promise
A clear label cannot repair misleading nearby copy. Put restrictions, deadlines or costs close to the action when they affect a decision. If one message has several buttons, use distinct names for distinct destinations. Repeated “Read more” buttons under separate cards make a list of links hard to interpret.
In the final test, read only the button labels in order. Can someone predict each destination? Then follow each button in a test email and confirm the landing page matches its label. Check with images off and, where possible, with keyboard and screen-reader navigation.
