Email Template Best Practices for 2026

Technical Foundation

Use Table-Based Layouts

Despite modern CSS capabilities, email rendering still relies on tables for reliable layouts. Nested tables with proper role="presentation" attributes provide the most consistent cross-client rendering.

Inline Critical CSS

Many email clients strip styles from the head, so inline your most important CSS on individual elements. Use tools to automate this process while maintaining readable source code.

Specify Everything

Do not rely on defaults. Explicitly set colors, fonts, spacing, and alignment. Different email clients have different defaults that can break your design.

Design Best Practices

Keep Width Under 700 Pixels

Email preview panes and older email clients display narrower content. A maximum width of 600-700 pixels ensures comfortable reading without horizontal scrolling.

Maintain Generous White Space

White space improves readability and reduces cognitive load. Do not crowd elements together. Give content room to breathe with adequate padding and margins.

Use System Fonts as Fallbacks

Web fonts may not load in all email clients. Always specify system font fallbacks: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Georgia. Your email should look good even without custom fonts.

Content Best Practices

Front-Load Important Information

Many readers only see the first few lines. Put your most important message and primary CTA near the top. Do not make readers scroll to find your main point.

Write Scannable Content

Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear subheadings. Most email readers scan rather than read word-by-word. Structure content for scanning.

Include Clear CTAs

Every email should have a clear primary action. Make CTAs visually prominent and use action-oriented language. "Get Started" is better than "Learn More."

Image Best Practices

Plan for Image Blocking

Many email clients block images by default. Your email must make sense without images. Use bulletproof buttons (HTML/CSS, not images) and descriptive alt text.

Optimize File Sizes

Large images slow loading and may trigger spam filters. Compress images appropriately. Total email size should ideally stay under 100KB.

Balance Image to Text Ratio

Emails that are mostly images often trigger spam filters. Maintain a healthy balance of text and images. Avoid image-only emails.

Accessibility Best Practices

Use Semantic Markup

Use proper heading hierarchy, paragraph tags, and list elements. This helps screen readers understand your content structure.

Maintain Sufficient Contrast

Text should have at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background. This benefits everyone, not just those with visual impairments.

Write Meaningful Link Text

Avoid "click here" links. Use descriptive link text that makes sense out of context. Screen reader users often navigate by links alone.

Testing Best Practices

Test Across Clients

Test in Outlook (multiple versions), Gmail (web and mobile), Apple Mail, and mobile apps. Use testing tools like Litmus or Email on Acid for comprehensive coverage.

Send Test Emails

Preview tools are helpful but do not catch everything. Send actual test emails to accounts you control and review them on real devices.

AI-Generated Templates

Following all these best practices requires significant expertise. Sequenzy generates templates that incorporate these practices automatically, so you get professional, compliant templates without mastering every technical detail.