10 Tips For Responsive Email Design

Responsive design has become the hot topic in the digital marketing world. Now more than ever it’s important to utilize responsive design for your brand when it comes to websites and email marketing. Let’s be honest, no one wants to open a tiny website or email. Here are the top 10 tips for responsive email design.

1. Always think “mobile first” – It’s much easier to begin with the mobile experience and work your way up. Remember that your desktop and mobile don’t have to mirror each other in design or content.
2. Keep the navigation simple – Creating a user-friendly experience is crucial to your email marketing success. If there are too many category menus, then a subscriber will leave the email. Keep it simple.
3. Use a readable font – Just because the font looks good on a desktop doesn’t necessarily mean it will on a Smartphone. Use a minimum of 13 pixels.
4. Put top priority messages first – This is a no-brainer. The objective of an email is to get a click. If you start with the important content, it is more likely the user will immediately click through your website.
5. Optimize images – How quickly an email opens is based on the connection the subscriber has to the Internet. If the images are too large, it will continue to bog down the page load speed resulting in the user leaving the email.
6. No GIFs – Yes, people tend to love a great gift. But, they don’t usually work on mobile. So, be sure to pick an awesome image!
7. Above the fold – Remember that old saying? It applies here. Be sure that your call to action is above the fold and grabs the attention of the consumer.
8. Bigger buttons – Make your call to action buttons bigger. Within reason, of course.
9. Mobile-friendly landing pages – If your website is not responsive, be sure to link to mobile-friendly landing pages. Remember the number one rule is always to think mobile first! This applies to the entire email process, not just the overall design.
10. Auto-apply promo codes – Take the time to copy your discount code. It’s harder for mobile users to toggle between open tabs and applications.