Email Marketing Design Tips: How to Create Branded, Engaging Emails

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for building relationships with your audience and driving conversions. However, in an inbox full of competing messages, your email design plays a critical role in capturing attention. Branded email templates that are visually engaging and well-crafted can increase open rates, click-throughs, and overall email engagement.

Here’s a guide to designing emails that look professional, reflect your brand, and deliver results.

1. Start with a Strong Visual Identity

To make your emails instantly recognisable, align their design with your brand’s visual identity. This consistency reinforces your branding and builds trust with recipients.

Key Elements of a Branded Email Template:

• Logo Placement: Include your logo prominently at the top of the email.

• Colour Scheme: Use brand colours throughout your email design for cohesion.

• Typography: Stick to your brand fonts while ensuring readability across devices.

• Imagery: Incorporate high-quality images or graphics that reflect your brand’s tone and style.

Tip: Use your website as a design reference to maintain a seamless brand experience across platforms.

2. Prioritise Mobile-Friendly Design

With more than half of all emails opened on mobile devices, a responsive design is non-negotiable. Your emails should look great and function seamlessly on screens of all sizes.

Mobile-Friendly Email Design Tips:

• Use a single-column layout for better readability on smaller screens.

• Keep fonts at least 14px for body text and 22px for headings.

• Make buttons and links large enough to tap easily.

• Optimise images to load quickly without sacrificing quality.

Tip: Test your emails on multiple devices before sending to ensure a consistent user experience.

3. Craft a Clear and Compelling Layout

The structure of your email impacts how well your message is received. A clean layout with clear hierarchy ensures recipients can quickly find and digest the information.

Effective Email Layout Tips:

• Header: Include an attention-grabbing headline that conveys the main message.

• Body: Keep text concise and break it into short paragraphs or bullet points.

• Call-to-Action (CTA): Highlight your CTA with contrasting colours, bold fonts, or buttons. Place it prominently and make it actionable (e.g., "Shop Now" or "Learn More").

• Footer: Include essential information like social media links, contact details, and an unsubscribe option.

Example: An e-commerce brand might use a bold headline to announce a sale, followed by product highlights and a brightly coloured “Shop Now” button.

4. Use Eye-Catching Visuals

Visual elements help break up text and make your email more engaging. Incorporate images, illustrations, or GIFs that align with your message and brand.

Tips for Visual Design:

• Use high-quality images to make your emails look professional.

• Add GIFs sparingly to create movement and draw attention without overwhelming the design.

• Maintain a balance between visuals and text to avoid clutter.

Tip: Ensure all visuals are optimised for quick loading and have descriptive alt text for accessibility.

5. Pay Attention to Typography

Typography plays a crucial role in readability and overall aesthetic appeal. Select fonts that are consistent with your brand while ensuring they’re legible across devices.

Typography Best Practices:

• Stick to web-safe fonts like Arial, Verdana, or Roboto to avoid rendering issues.

• Limit your design to two fonts: one for headings and another for body text.

• Use ample line spacing to improve readability, especially for longer paragraphs.

Example: A modern brand might use a bold sans-serif font for headers and a clean serif font for body text to balance style and clarity.

6. Focus on Colours and Contrast

Colour isn’t just about aesthetics - it also guides the reader’s eye and emphasises key elements.

Colour Design Tips:

• Use your brand colours for headings, buttons, and accents.

• Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background for readability.

• Add pops of colour to draw attention to CTAs or important sections.

Tip: Avoid overwhelming the design with too many colours; stick to 2-3 primary shades for a cohesive look.

7. Incorporate Personalisation Elements

Personalised emails tend to perform better because they feel more relevant to recipients. Incorporate design elements that make your emails feel tailored.

Personalisation Ideas:

• Use dynamic content blocks that adapt based on user preferences or behaviour.

• Include the recipient’s name in the header or subject line.

• Highlight products or services based on past purchases or interactions.

Example: A travel agency might personalise visuals by showcasing destinations similar to those the recipient has browsed.

8. Ensure Accessibility for All Users

Accessible emails cater to a broader audience, including those with visual or cognitive impairments.

Accessibility Tips:

• Use alt text for images to describe their content.

• Avoid relying solely on colour to convey meaning; add text labels or icons.

• Provide sufficient spacing between clickable elements to prevent errors.

Tip: Test your emails with tools like a screen reader to ensure usability for everyone.

9. Test and Optimise for Engagement

No matter how well-designed your email is, testing and optimisation are essential for maximising its performance.

What to Test:

• Subject lines: Experiment with different tones and styles to improve open rates.

• CTA placement: Test various positions to see what drives the most clicks.

• Design variations: Compare layouts or colours to identify what resonates best with your audience.

Tip: Use A/B testing to make data-driven decisions about your email design strategy.

10. Analyse and Iterate

Track your email campaign metrics—such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions—and use these insights to refine your designs over time.

Metrics to Monitor:

• Engagement rates: Are recipients interacting with your content?

• Bounce rates: Are your emails reaching the right audience?

• Conversion rates: Are readers taking the desired action?

Tip: Regularly update your templates to align with emerging trends and audience preferences.

Conclusion

A well-designed email is more than just a marketing tool—it’s a way to showcase your brand’s personality, connect with your audience, and drive results. By following these email marketing design tips, you can create visually engaging, on-brand emails that boost engagement and conversions.

At Ono Creative, we specialise in crafting branded email templates that stand out in any inbox. Let’s transform your email marketing strategy into a powerhouse for your brand!