🎨 Email Design Best Practices
Create emails that look great and drive results
⏱️ 15 min read
The Foundation of Great Email Design
Well-designed emails get opened, read, and clicked. This guide covers proven principles for creating emails that perform.
💡 Pro Tip: 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Always design mobile-first.
Layout and Structure
- Single column layout: Works best on all devices
- Clear hierarchy: Use headings to guide readers
- Logical flow: Most important content first
- White space: Don't cram too much content
- Scannable: Use bullets, short paragraphs
Color and Branding
Consistent branding builds recognition and trust:
- Use your brand colors (2-3 primary colors)
- Ensure sufficient contrast for readability
- Avoid bright backgrounds that hurt eyes
- Use color strategically to highlight CTAs
- Keep background simple (usually white or light gray)
Typography
Font Choices
Stick to web-safe fonts: Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana
Font Sizes
Body text: 14-16px | Headlines: 22-28px | Minimum: 14px for readability
Line Height
Use 1.5-1.7 line height for comfortable reading
Images
Use images wisely:
- Optimize size: Keep under 1MB per image
- Alt text: Always include descriptive alt text
- Relevant: Images should support your message
- Responsive: Images should resize on mobile
- Format: Use JPG for photos, PNG for graphics
- Balance: Don't make emails image-only (spam filters)
⚠️ Important: Many email clients block images by default. Your email should make sense without images.
Call-to-Action (CTA) Design
Your CTA is the most important element:
- One primary CTA: Don't confuse readers with multiple options
- Button style: Use button-styled links, not plain text
- Contrasting color: Make it stand out
- Action-oriented text: "Get Started", "Download Now", "Shop Sale"
- Size: Large enough to tap on mobile (44x44px minimum)
- Placement: Above the fold and repeated if email is long
Mobile Optimization
Essential mobile design principles:
- Use single-column layouts
- Make text at least 14px
- Use large, tappable buttons (minimum 44x44px)
- Keep subject lines under 40 characters
- Front-load important content
- Test on actual mobile devices
Content Guidelines
- Concise: Get to the point quickly
- Scannable: Use headings, bullets, short paragraphs
- Personal: Use "you" and personalization tags
- Value-focused: Lead with benefits, not features
- Clear: Avoid jargon and complexity
- Urgent (when appropriate): Create FOMO with limited offers
Accessibility
Make emails accessible to everyone:
- Use sufficient color contrast (4.5:1 ratio)
- Add alt text to all images
- Use semantic HTML headings
- Avoid all-caps text
- Make links descriptive (not "click here")
- Test with screen readers when possible
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Too much text (keep it under 200 words)
- ❌ Multiple CTAs competing for attention
- ❌ Images without alt text
- ❌ Tiny fonts (under 14px)
- ❌ Too many different fonts or colors
- ❌ No mobile testing before sending
- ❌ Ignoring email client differences
Testing Your Designs
- Send test emails to yourself
- Check on multiple devices (phone, tablet, desktop)
- Test in different email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail)
- Verify all links work
- Check image display and alt text
- Read through for typos and errors