Email Design Best Practices Overview
Strong email design is one of the most impactful investments you can make in your marketing strategy. When your emails are well-designed, they work harder — driving higher open rates, better engagement, and ultimately, more conversions from your Tenon campaigns.
This article covers the foundational principles of effective email design and how to apply them within Tenon's email builder.
The Fundamentals of Effective Email Design
Before exploring advanced techniques, it's important to establish a strong foundation. The following principles apply across all email types — whether you're building a one-time campaign, a multi-step customer journey, or a transactional message.
Readability
Your email should communicate its message clearly and quickly — even for recipients who are skimming. A few key elements support this:
White space — Don't be afraid of empty space. Generous padding between content blocks prevents visual overload and helps readers absorb your message without feeling overwhelmed.
Visual hierarchy — Use headers, short paragraphs, and clear section breaks to guide the reader's eye toward your intended action. Your most important content should always come first.
Typography — Stick to clean, legible fonts such as Arial, Verdana, or Georgia. Decorative or novelty fonts may look interesting in design tools but often reduce readability across email clients.
Responsiveness
A significant portion of your audience will open emails on a mobile device, and emails that aren't optimized for mobile are frequently deleted before they're read. Tenon's email builder is designed with responsiveness in mind, but there are a few practices worth keeping in your workflow:
Single-column layouts are the most reliable option for cross-device consistency. They require minimal adjustment to render cleanly on both desktop and mobile screens. Regardless of layout, always preview and test your emails across multiple screen sizes before sending.
Accessibility
Accessible email design ensures that every recipient — including those using assistive technologies — can engage with your content. It also keeps you aligned with increasingly important inclusive design standards.
Color contrast — Text should be clearly distinguishable from its background. The WCAG standard recommends a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for larger text.
Alt text — Every image in your email should include descriptive alt text. This supports screen readers and also provides a fallback when images don't load.
Dark mode compatibility — While not required, designing for dark mode improves the experience for a meaningful portion of your audience. Use images with transparent backgrounds and test your emails in both light and dark modes to ensure visual consistency.
Compliance
Every email sent through Tenon must include a clear, visible unsubscribe option. This is a legal requirement under the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act and the European GDPR, and Tenon's platform is built to support compliant email sending by default.
Brand Consistency
Consistency across your emails builds recognition and trust with your audience over time. Tenon's brand kit and template features make it straightforward to standardize your design across campaign types.
As a best practice, establish templates for your most common email formats — newsletters, promotional campaigns, journey messages — and review them periodically to ensure they stay aligned with your current brand standards.
Design Elements: Best Practices
Once your foundation is in place, the following elements can meaningfully enhance your emails:
CTA Buttons — Your call-to-action is the focal point of most emails. Make buttons visually distinct using on-brand colors, ensure they're large enough to tap easily on mobile, and use clear action-oriented language like "Get Started," "Learn More," or "Register Now." Consider placing CTAs in multiple locations for longer emails.
Images, GIFs, and Video — Visual content can significantly increase click-through rates and help communicate complex ideas more efficiently than text alone. Use high-quality, relevant imagery that supports your message rather than distracting from it. GIFs and embedded video previews can be particularly effective for product demonstrations within journey-based campaigns.
Need Additional Guidance?
Reach out to your Tenon customer support specialist—We’re always happy to walk you through best practices or help you get the most out of Tenon.