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10 Responsive Email Design Tips

Beefree team
Beefree team
Jan 15, 2016
10 Responsive Email Design Tips
10 Responsive Email Design Tips

We're always on the lookout for responsive email design tips to share with youin our collective effort tomake email design better. This week, we stopped by aDesigning Responsive Email seminar led by Noble Desktop, one of New York's top digital design training institutes, to connect with email marketers and get the lowdown on the latest design tips.

The seminar was a good reiteration of many of the basics we've covered here in our Email Design Workshop blog:how design impacts an email campaign’s success rates and how to turn responsive designlimitations into strengths. Thank you, Noble Desktop, for the important reminders and great inspiration, which shouldbe used for all types of emails, responsive or not (though, of course, by using our intuitive, drag-n-drop BEE email editor, all of your emails are automatically responsive!).Here are the top 10 responsive email design tips we took away from the seminar:

1. Make your responsive email a teaser.

We know there's a lot you want to communicate to readers on your mailing listabout your upcoming event, newest product, biggest sale, or company announcement. But your email is not the place to get into detail. Think of your email as a teaser for the main content of your message—which can be found on your website after readers tapyour call-to-action button. Here's a great example from Best Buy: themessage isshort, focused, and to-the-point, leading readers directly to the CTA.

responsive email design best buy

2. Create a hierarchy within your responsive email.

Create focus and organization in your email bytelling yourstory in a hierarchical fashion. Envision how your message could be structuredusing the inverted pyramid model.

Inverted-Pyramid-Method

Campaign Monitor shows us a great example of this method in action in an email from InVision:

example pyramid

Each section begins with a compelling visual element, followed by a short, bold headline with supportive text that leads directly to a call-to-action buttonmakingit clear what to do next. It's an excellent way to communicate quickly and get click-throughs from readers with short attention spans (i.e., all of your readers).

3. Your CTA should never say "Click here."

Don't waste space by telling readers where to click, especially because on mobile devices, readers are tapping, not clicking. "Click here" isn't really a call to action. Skip it and tell readers directly what they should do.Use a clear, direct action verb—and be concise. Try using personal pronouns like “my” and “your” that make your message friendly and engaging. You could try: “Reserve my spot now” or “Get my free ticket.”Read more about how to optimize CTA buttons in our post How to Design Bulletproof CTA Buttons in Email. Here's a great action-oriented CTA button from Skillcrush:

Screen Shot 2016-01-15 at 8.40.31 AM

4. Never use a single large image in a responsive email.

In other words, avoid the pitfalls of the image-only email.Using just one large image in your email will increase your spam score, so the email may not make it into readers' inboxes at all. It also means your email won't be fully responsive. And if your imagedoesn't load, readers will only see ALT text. The solution? Always use a balance of text and images in your email.

5. Design on a grid.

Grid-based designs are easier to make responsive. That's because HTML emails are built with tables comprised of rows and columns.Email editors that capitalize onmodular template design—like our BEE email editor—automatically help you arrange content in a grid while providing plenty offlexibility in arranging content. In a previous post, we checked out this infographic from an Aveda emailanddrew up lines to show how the content fell into four quadrants:

Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 10.44.04 AM

The original contentwas all one image, but by breaking it up into 4 separate images on a grid, we made it mobile responsive (see the full tutorial here).

Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 1.57.33 PM
Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 1.57.19 PM

6. Remember ALT text.

Be prepared for your images not to load. Some email clients don't automatically load images, and some subscribers don't enable auto-loading for security purposes. Here's how that original Aveda email above looks with images disabled:

ScreenShot1417

ALT text allows these readers to understand your message, even without images. When writing your ALT text, remember to keep the text short. If it breaks onto 2 lines, some email clients will not display it. If you can, style your ALT text by adding styling to the image (your image won't look any different, but when your ALT text appears, it will be the font, color, and size you specified).

7. Your email is not a website.

If you follow Tips #1 and #2, then you're probably in good shape. A focused, succinct email should be designed for clarity and shouldcommunicate a single call to action. So there's no need to crowd the email, or the header, for example, with extraneous links, menus, and messages, like in this example from Target:

header target

Go with simplicity. And, remember to use the data you have to make customizations.When someone comes to your company's website, you don't know much about that visitor. Your mailing list, on the other hand, is another story. You have data about your subscribers. Use it to tailorversions of your campaign for segmented, targeted portions of your audience to improve conversion rates.

8. Be selective with custom fonts.

Most email clientswill not support your brand's custom font. Use them sparingly to make a statement, like in the main header of your email, then incorporate email-safe fonts for the body of your message. Here's a great example from Mashable:the blue "Mashable / Alerts" header is in their brand font (and is displayed as an image) but the sub-header is plain text with a great HTML background color (and the following header under the images is plain text, too).

mashable

Your selection of email-safe fonts is somewhat limited, but when in doubt, go with a serif. Many brands use Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana.

9. Don't forget preheader text.

An email's preheader is a small amount of text that follows the subjectline in the inbox. Here's how to customize the preheader text from the MailUp blog.

preheader and subject line displayed

Subscribers use preheader textas a screening tool, deciding whether or not the email is worth reading based on just a few words, so using compellingpreheader text can increase open rates. The first plain text that appears in your email will show up as preheader text.

preheader-text-in-email

But it needs to be short; Campaign Monitor adviseskeeping your preheader text to between 40-50 characters. Once the email is open, preheaders can be visible or hidden.

10. Use animated GIFs wisely.

Animated GIFs are powerful visualstorytelling tool that work seamlessly across most email clients. Outlook is the big exception—Outlook 2007 and newer will only display the first frame of your GIF (it won't animate), so plan for that when you're designing.Banana Republic uses a question mark as its first frame in the animated GIF below so that even without animation, the message makes sense:

Screen Shot 2015-12-14 at 2.41.34 PM

And here's the GIF in motion:

banana

Depending on the number of frames and their resolution, GIFs can turn into large files. Oversized GIFs can be slow to animate and eat up data plans onmobile. Minimize the size of your animated GIF by animating only what needs to be animated; as the frames rotate, the fewer pixels change, the smaller your file size will be. Read our Top 4 Tips for Using Animated GIFs in Emailpostfor more info.

Questions? Comments?

And now it's time to start designing some clear, compellingresponsive emails! Let us know if you have any tips or questions in the comments, and give the BEE email editor a try for your next campaign. It's free, requires no registration, and all emails designed with BEE are 100% mobile responsive (and you won't need to code a single line).Save

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Let’s get into it.  

#1. Unique, tailored experiences 

Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “We faced the challenge of connecting meaningfully with an audience that expects more than one-size-fits-all communication.” 

When we speak about crafting tailored emails we mean going beyond the recipient's first name in the subject line. We’re talking about optimizing your entire email strategy to design multi-stage touchpoints to nurture leads across the customer lifecycle. As well as, leveraging data to send hyper-personalized, relevant, and engaging emails that feel less like a broadcast message and more like a conversation. 

Many are using AI machine learning algorithms and AI automation to analyze customer interactions, past purchases, browsing habits, website visits, and even social media behavior to curate engaging email content that resonates deeply with the real-time needs of recipients.

For PetLab Co this looked like including content such as an individual’s pet health history or product usage timelines. Damian Grabarzyk expands, “This approach transformed the conversion rate and strengthened customer loyalty. As we look ahead, I see brands in 2025 moving beyond generic personalization to adopt strategies that make customers feel truly understood and valued.”

On the other hand, many are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) for crafting tailored experiences. Customers today are more likely to trust the opinions of peers over branded messages. UGC like customer reviews, testimonials, videos, and photos are the best form of social proof depicting real people using and benefitting from your products or services. 

We see the benefits of using both AI and UGC to get the most out of your email conversions ;). 

#2. AI tools as an addition, not a substitution

Experts at NordPass state, "AI-powered content generation tools are not here to replace email copywriters and marketers. These tools make us more efficient. The smarter the tool is, the better equipped we are to create high-performing email content that drives results." 

AI tools can support us by significantly enhancing the speed, precision, and effectiveness of your emails. For instance while traditionally A/B testing has required a lot of time to analyze small variations with AI you quickly implement and test multiple email elements and make adjustments based on real-time engagement data. There are AI algorithms that can even predict which variations are most likely to resonate with different audience segments, leading to more accurate targeting and faster optimization.

In short, AI tools are revolutionizing the way we craft and optimize our email’s deliverability. There are many different types of AI solutions so we suggest finding the right one for your needs. 

#3. Even more transparency around data

With AI continuing to rise, folks are more and more concerned about where their data is going. That’s where zero-party data collection becomes a key strategy in email marketing, allowing you to gather data directly from customers rather than relying on third-party sources. 

Zero-party data includes information that consumers willingly share, such as preferences, interests, and purchase intentions. This data is often collected through surveys, preference centers, quizzes, or interactive content and is highly valuable because it is shared explicitly, ensuring accuracy and deeper personalization without privacy concerns associated with third-party tracking.

As privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data will empower you to deliver hyper-personalized email experiences while respecting user privacy. This approach will help you build trust, as customers feel more in control of their data, and you gain insights that lead to more relevant and engaging email content.

#4. The death of static emails

With attention span getting shorter day after day, digest-format emails are expected to rise in popularity in 2025. Presenting email content in an easy-to-scan, organized, and minimalistic layout will surely help deliver the most relevant information in a fraction of the time. 

Additionally, interactive emails will allow recipients to directly engage within the email without having to visit a landing page or website. Interactive elements like product carousels, polls, and quizzes create a dynamic experience that keeps subscribers engaged, especially in visually driven industries like fashion brands

So what now? 

You’ve heard these strategies before, but now it’s time to actually put them into action. The brands that win at email marketing in 2025 won’t just be sending emails—they’ll be creating experiences. Whether it’s hyper-personalized content, AI-driven efficiency, zero-party data collection, or interactive emails that break the mold, the key is to stay ahead of the curve.

So, what’s the first strategy you’ll finally implement? Your inbox (and your audience) are waiting.

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Email makes gathering authentic product reviews quick and easy. By collecting sincere feedback, you can build trust, increase sales, boost loyalty, and innovate product improvements. 

That said, requesting reviews via email requires precise timing, personalized messaging, and lots of engagement optimizations. But don’t worry—we’ll walk you through some key steps to create email campaigns that deliver the valuable feedback you need.

Why product reviews matter

Product reviews do more than confirm that you're meeting customers’ needs. Sincere feedback drives loyalty and sales, offers valuable customer insights, and helps you develop a strategic product development roadmap.

  • Fosters customer loyalty: Requesting and listening to feedback makes your customers feel valued and heard. It demonstrates that you prioritize customer satisfaction, which helps you build stronger, long-term relationships. Review requests also act as re-engagement emails by starting new conversations with customers.
  • Increases sales: Social proof drives sales. According to a recent survey by Power Reviews, 90% of potential customers use online reviews to make purchasing decisions. In fact, reviews have more influence over purchasing decisions than product prices. Turning product reviews into customer testimonials and encouraging reviews on third-party sites can significantly boost sales.
Image sourced from powerreviews.com
  • Builds Customer 360 insights: Customer feedback delivers insights into customer needs and sentiments, enriching Customer 360. Exactly what is Customer 360? It’s a unified, 360-degree view of customer data. It empowers you to tailor products and customer experiences to meet individual needs and preferences. 
  • Drives product improvements: Sincere customer feedback reveals what target customers like/dislike about your products. It provides key insight into their value, functionality, and usability, unlocking large-scale development opportunities.

How to create an email campaign to collect product reviews

Want to unlock the power of product reviews? Let’s explore how to create email campaigns that encourage customers to share their feedback.

Segment your audience

Like promotional emails, product review requests shouldn’t be sent to every subscriber.

If subscribers haven’t had the chance to try your product, product review requests will feel irrelevant and may trigger unsubscriptions. So, only send review email requests to customers recently trying your product.

You can do this by segmenting your email list based on where customers are in the buying cycle. Target loyal customers, recent purchasers, and first-time buyers with tailored email campaigns. This ensures that you’re sending emails to customers most likely to respond with insightful feedback.

Write a compelling email subject line

According to Superoffice, 33% of people open an email based on the subject line. 

Image sourced from superoffice.com

To get the click-through rates you want, your email subject lines should be personalized, relevant, and engaging. Here are some examples:

  • Did you love [product]? Or hate it? Let us know!
  • We value your opinion — help us improve!
  • We want YOU to help us make our product better!
  • Up for a discount? Share your feedback for 10% off! 

Learn more > Tips for writing open worthy subject lines.

Optimize for customer engagement

A successful email marketing strategy relies on customer engagement. Here are some key email elements you need to encourage interactions.

  • An attractive email design: With the right layout, color scheme, typography, and images, you ensure easy readability and promote interaction. Use these engagement-boosting email design best practices to help you create a design that boosts conversion rates.
  • Gratitude and value: Thank customers for reading the email and explaining why their feedback is so important. Also, consider including a personalized Gmail email signature with your content details to build trust and encourage customers to engage with your review request. 
  • Personalized, relevant content: Personalized email content motivates engagement. Use customer data platform (CDP) data to tailor messages to individual customers. What is a CDP? It’s a centralized platform that collects and unifies customer information, building comprehensive customer profiles. 
  • Incentives: Offering a small discount can motivate customers to leave reviews, especially first-time buyers. That said, incentives can (sometimes) generate insincere reviews, so stress the importance of honesty. 
  • A strong call-to-action (CTA): Your CTA should direct readers straight to the reviews submission page. Use clear CTAs with bold buttons and typography to make it stand out.
  • Mobile responsiveness: If your emails are slow to load or don’t display correctly on mobile devices, your bounce rate will spike. Leverage solutions that offer advanced mobile optimization features — such as Beefree— to create responsive emails every single time.

Ask specific, concise questions

Complex, drawn-out questions that are too open-ended can disengage customers. So, get straight to the point with concise, direct questions. Here are some examples:

  • What did you think of [specific product feature]?
  • How often do you use our product?
  • What are your favorite/least favorite features?
  • How likely are you to recommend this product?
  • What could we do to improve our product?

Use a mixture of closed and open-ended questions to increase your chances of receiving meaningful responses.

Make it easy to respond

The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more responses you’ll receive. So, make the process as seamless and convenient as possible. One way to do this is with survey emails.

Email surveys have high response rates. They can be completed within the email with minimal effort, which is a big plus for busy customers. And, they can generate a wealth of quantitative data and metrics that are quick to analyze, leading to faster improvements. BeeFree has an extensive collection of email survey templates to suit every need.

For longer review requests, include a CTA that directly links to the review submission page. Review forms should use simple, clear language, be optimized for mobile, and have a progress bar. 

You could even provide your telephone contact details to allow customers to leave a review via telephone. It’s the preferred communication method for 55% of Baby Boomers according to Hubspot, so it’s worth considering. 

Leverage small business telephone services from Vonage to access call center capabilities like virtual receptionists and CRM integrations, streamlining processes.

Also consider directing customers to leave reviews on popular review sites, such as Google and Amazon.

Optimize email timings

If you send product review requests too early, there’s a chance your customers won’t have tried your product yet. But if you send them too late, your customer might have forgotten their experience. 

So, when’s the best time to request reviews? 

Aim to send review requests within 7-14 days post-purchase. This gives customers a chance to try the product a few times, leading to more sincere, meaningful reviews. Plan for seasonal surges such as Black Friday and incorporate them into your schedules.

Key takeaways

Do email campaigns work for gathering valuable product reviews that drive improvements, boost trust, and increase sales and loyalty? 

Absolutely — but they need to be strategic.

To generate sincere reviews and valuable data, ensure your marketing emails are personalized, engaging, and optimized for convenience. And, use email list segmentation and marketing automation to ensure they’re sent to the right customers at the right time.

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