Email Design Guidelines
If you take the time to create an informational email or newsletter, you probably would like people to read it, right?
These guidelines are based on the idea that people have many things to do and handling email may not be one of their favorites. Your readers may feel hassled by everyday life and if reading your email presents them with additional hassle, they may simply bypass it. Therefore, if you want them to read your emails, you should make the task as easy as possible.
It has been said, “Don't let the type get in the way of the words, and don't let the design get in the way of the information”. That's what this article is all about.
An important distinction is that emails are not flyers. Flyers might need to compete with other flyers or distractions, so they need to shout to draw the reader's attention. When someone is reading an email they have already focused their attention on what you have to say. You can speak to them quietly and respectfully.
There are ways to design email notices that make reading them quicker and easier, and that's good. Other design methods may make your emails more difficult to read, and that's not what you want to do.
The ideas below have all been researched and tested and are acknowledged to make reading in digital media easier.
Pyramids
Tell your readers the most important things at the top of the email. Don't make them wade past less important information before they come to the main information. This is called inverted pyramid style, and is often used in newspapers. Usually the "What" information is more important than the "When" information.
Headings
Clear and meaningful headings allow readers to scan the content and realize what it contains. They catch the eye and provide improved access to the text. Large undifferentiated blocks of text may be too much of a chore.
Center Justified Text
Text is easier to read when it has a straight left margin. A ragged left margin makes it more difficult for the eye to locate the next line of text. Center justified text should be reserved for some headings, but not all. Left justified headings allow the eye to quickly scan straight down a page, to see what's in it.
Bold Text
Use bold text to draw attention to important information, but use it sparingly. Too much bold text creates confusion, not clarity.
Italics
Italics have semantic meaning; they indicate a title, a foreign word or a spoken phrase. However, they are more difficult to read than regular text. Reserve italics for times when they are grammatically correct.
Color
Various colors have various psychological meanings. Wide and indiscriminate use of color may only create confusion. If your intention is to create the idea of playfulness, a small amount of wild color can be very effective.
Also, people tend to try to realize patterns in what they see. If they see colored text, they may try to understand the significance of the color. If there is no significance, then the color may only be a distraction.
Fonts
You should only use one or two fonts, at most. If you use two, a serif font and a sans-serif font work well together. Use one font for headings and the other for body text. Don't change fonts just to create variety.
As for fancy fancy display fonts, forget it. People will only see whatever fonts they already have loaded on their own computer, and most people have a limited variety. If you use a fancy font that your readers don't have, they will see a standard default font instead.
ALL CAPS
USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS MAKES TEXT MORE DIFFICULT TO READ THAN MIXED UPPER AND LOWER CASE.
Using all capital letters makes text more difficult to read than mixed upper and lower case.
It is suitable for short headings.
Bulleted Lists
A list of information is easier to read and understand when it is formatted as a list. Remember, if people refer back to an email later on to verify specific information, it may be easier to find in a bulleted list. For example:
- Date
- Time
- Location
Horizontal Lines
Use various characters to create horizontal lines very sparingly, if at all. If a visual distinction needs to be made, consider using a heading, instead.
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Conclusion
Put yourself at the computer screen of your readers. Think about how you would like to receive information. Design emails for the benefit of your readers, so they can read them as easily as possible. Don't toss in visual elements just for the sake of “design”. Design should enhance the presentation of your information, not distract from it.
For more information, or if you have any questions or comments, please contact me.
- 404-378-9493
- Steve at simplyFULL.com