Email design best practices

When creating emails or email campaigns, consider the following recommendations to improve readability, accessibility, and user experience. By following these guidelines, you will improve your email’s usability across different devices and platforms, ensuring your message reaches your audience effectively.

• Keep email width between 600-800 pixels to ensure compatibility across most email clients and to display well in preview panes.
• Use a grid-based structure and avoid complex elements that require advanced float or positioning settings. Simple layouts are more likely to render correctly.
• Most email clients block images by default, so minimize their use and always include descriptive alt text.
• Ensure that images that you add by URL can be accessed by all intended email recipients. Keep in mind that emails may be forwarded beyond the initial distribution list.
• Avoid using images as the sole means to convey critical information, as background images may fail to load in some clients.
• Do not rely on images, or compositions of smaller images into a large one, to communicate your message. While large graphic elements may look very attractive in preview, they perform poorly.
• Use basic, cross-platform fonts such as Roboto, Arial, Verdana, Georgia, and Times New Roman. Custom fonts may not render correctly across all clients.
• Avoid elements that require Flash or JavaScript, because they may not be supported by the recipient's mail client. For animations, use GIF files as a compatible alternative.
• Optimize for mobile users:
  • Design emails to be legible on small screens without zooming.
  • Optimize images to prevent slow load times on mobile.
  • Ensure links are easy to tap on touchscreen devices.