[FAQ]

I’m working on improving our email deliverability and making our campaigns more accessible and reliable, especially for users who have images blocked by default. I want to move away from our image-heavy designs.

What are some effective design techniques and best practices for creating a visually engaging email that relies primarily on text and layout, not on a lot of images? I’m thinking about things like typography, white space, use of colour, and other non-image elements that can make an email look great.

Looking for some great minimalist design tips. Thanks!

[Jeff Bullas]

Creating a visually engaging email with very few images is an excellent strategy. It can improve your deliverability, ensure your core message is always seen, and often results in a cleaner, more personal feel for the subscriber.

There are several key design techniques to achieve this. First, you must master your typography. This is your most powerful tool in a text-focused email. Use a clean, highly readable web-safe font for your body copy. Then, use a different, complementary font, a larger size, or a bold weight for your headings and subheadings to create a clear visual hierarchy. This guides the reader’s eye through your content. You should not use more than two or three font styles in total to maintain a clean look.

Second, be strategic and generous with your use of white space. Ample white space, also called negative space, is crucial for readability. It prevents your email from looking like an intimidating wall of text. Use short paragraphs, often just one to three sentences long, and consider increasing your line spacing slightly. This gives your content room to breathe and makes it much easier to read on any device.

Third, you should use colour purposefully. You do not need images to make an email colourful. You can use your brand’s colours for your headings, for your text links, and most importantly, for your main call-to-action button to create visual interest and guide the reader’s eye towards the most important action.

Fourth, you can utilise simple design elements and dividers. A simple horizontal line is a very effective way to visually separate different sections of your email. You can also use special characters or emojis, if they are appropriate for your brand, to draw attention to key points in your text. Some email editors also allow you to set a background colour for specific sections of text, which can create visual blocks without using images.

Fifth, focus on a strong, simple layout. A single-column layout is generally best as it is the most reliable for mobile readability. Ensure your content flows in a logical order, guiding the reader down the page from your main heading to your key points and finally to your primary call to action.

And sixth, make your call-to-action (CTA) button stand out. Even without using an image for your button, you can create a highly effective CTA using HTML and CSS, which most email editors handle for you. A button with a solid, high-contrast background colour and clear, action-oriented text will always draw more attention than a simple text link.

You do not need many images to create a beautiful email. By using strong typography, generous white space, a purposeful colour palette, and simple dividers, you can create a clean, professional, and highly engaging design that focuses all the attention on your message.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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