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Why You Should Avoid Sending Image-Only Emails

Beefree team
Beefree team
Oct 20, 2015
Why You Should Avoid Sending Image-Only Emails
Why You Should Avoid Sending Image-Only Emails

Originally published on October 20, 2015. Last updated August 27, 2021.An image-only email might seem like a good idea, until you preview the email and come across this error.

images-not-displayed-image

As an email marketer or designer, the dreaded, “Images are not displayed,” error might make you wince. But this is what subscribers could come across when greeted with an image-only email.While incorporating images in email can better draw your subscribers’ attention and create more interest, these emails are not always going to show up in the ways you expect them to.Want to avoid the pitfalls of image-only emails? Here are some tips on how to better optimize your campaigns.

6 reasons why you should avoid sending image-only emails

Create image-only emails risks encountering a number of inbox, mobile rendering and other optimization challenges including:

1) Email image display settings being turned off

In the past, many email subscribers wouldn’t see or take the time to download the images in their email. This was due to email service providers blocking images by default and subscribers also having the option to personalize their email image settings:

display-settings

Email service providers did this to protect their subscribers from spammers who would usually send image-only emails. This was common practice. As a result, back in 2013, about 43% of Gmail subscribers viewed their emails with images turned off.Nowadays, many email service providers, like Gmail and Apple, load images by default but still provide the option to block images. The “Ask before displaying external images,” setting also interferes with rendering. When users have this display setting turned on your image-only emails will look like this blank, empty email until they choose to turn on “always display images,” from your sending address:

image-blocking

For privacy and security reasons, many subscribers may also block images due to tracking pixels, which are embedded inside email images and used to gather marketing data.As an email marketer, it’s crucial to think about the possibility of images being turned off when designing your email to keep them from being blocked, broken or inaccessible.Remind your email list to turn their display image settings on (or at least add you to the list of trusted sources) so they can receive the full customer experience.

2) Difficulty downloading images 

Sometimes emails take a long time to download, and all that subscribers see is a message near the bottom of their screen that reads, “Download remaining XX bytes.”Typically, this occurs when your readers have reached a maximum download size limit. Depending on a subscriber’s connection speed and data plan, it’s not wise for them to download images that are too big, especially if they are on their phone and the image is not optimized for mobile.When downloading friction occurs, your subscribers will likely delete your email rather than waiting for it to load. If your email isn’t optimized and images take too long to download, add more text to balance the email out. Be sure to test your emails to find the right balance of text and images.

3) Emails marked as spam 

Image-only emails often get flagged as spam. Spammers have mastered concealing their text inside of these emails. And since about 45% of all emails sent hit the spam box, it's best to learn best practices on how to stay out of there.If you fill your email from top to bottom with images, chances are that spam filters will catch your email before your subscribers ever get a chance to see it. Optimize your emails with a healthy mix of text and images to ensure that your emails reach your subscribers.

4) Not optimized for mobile 

With 42.3% of people deleting emails when they're not optimized for mobile, it’s best to avoid using only images in your email campaigns. Image elements are fixed, making it difficult for image-only emails to render properly. Creating this type of email risks blurry images, a loss of readable text, and a lack of functional links and CTAs.A mobile-friendly email consists of both text and images. This ensures that subscribers understand the gist of your email, images or not, and no matter the device they are viewing from. Optimizing for mobile devicesisn’t a choice anymore, but a necessity. Designing in mobile design mode ensures that your email looks the way you intend it to on both desktop and mobile.

5) Lack of accessibility

Not including live text in your emails leads to accessibility problems. Screen readers often can’t decipher the content of an image, and rely on alt text to explain what the image is about. Avoid putting CTAs and other text inside your email images. Screen readers won’t pick up on these elements, which means this is not the best way to reach all of your subscribers.This also goes for individuals who need to translate their email messages to a different language. The translator can’t pick up on text inside of images. Again, another reason to include a balance of live text and images so your emails are accessible to all subscribers.

6) Lack of searchability

Sometimes users want to go back through their inbox to find an email containing a coupon, special offer or other specific information. Image-only emails rule out the possibility of finding this email because there are no text or keywords to pick up on when searching their inbox. Even trying to copy and paste certain parts of your email text is impossible since your text is solely inside your images.

How to improve an image-heavy email

Just because image-only emails should be avoided, does not mean you can’t include images in your emails. Optimizing images correctly are key to a high-converting campaign. Let’s look at a few email design best practices for image-heavy emails:

  • Find a text to image ratio that works for you. Have enough text in your emails so your subscribers can understand your message with images turned on or off. 
  • Design for mobile. With mobile email now accounting for at least 50% of opens, marketers can no longer gamble with a design that isn’t optimized for mobile devices. Take control over how your email appears on smaller devices and make your emails fully mobile-responsive
  • Create bulletproof buttons. Use HTML rather than an image to ensure your CTA buttons are clear, clickable and render correctly on all devices.  
  • Use ALT text. Include alternative text for all images in your emails. These need to be clear so subscribers can understand your message.

Design beautiful emails in BEE Pro

Image-only emails are visually appealing, but they aren’t the safest design choice if you’re looking to create perfectly responsive emails. It’s best to find a balance between live text and images. BEE provides you with the tools you need to optimize your design process to create perfectly balanced emails. Start creating in the design suite now with a free trial.

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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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