6 strategies for incorporating email graphics successfully

What are email graphics? 

While many may think of graphics as just images, they encompass so much more. Email graphics can be illustrations, interactive elements, icons, videos, infographics, GIFs, and anything in between that together craft beautiful and compelling emails. 

While they seem to be merely decorative, all of these elements work towards capturing the attention of your audience. 

Why do email graphics matter?

According to Vero, emails with visual content experience a 42% higher click-through rate than those without. In an era where attention spans are short and first impressions hold weight, email graphics help attract and retain your reader. More specifically, email graphics impact:   

• Email scannability: Graphics break down text-heavy emails into manageable chunks that guide the reader's eye to the desired action.
  

• Message clarity: Complex information can be challenging to convey through text alone. Graphics, such as infographics and charts, can help get your message across more effectively and ensure your audience can easily digest your content.
  
  
• Click-through-rates: Campaign Monitor states that videos only can increase click-through rates by up to 65%. Visuals are powerful motivators that draw attention to call-to-action buttons or links within your email.
  
  
• Personalization: By incorporating personalized visuals, such as custom illustrations or images tailored to the recipient's interests or past behaviors, you create a more engaging and relevant experience. 

How to implement email graphics successfully

Best practices for email graphics will vary greatly depending on which one you plan to implement, but generally, there is a set of guidelines to follow.

1. Stay on brand, always

When it comes to building and strengthening your brand’s recognition and trust, consistency is key. When  subscribers open your emails, they should immediately recognize them as coming from your brand, even before reading a single word.

Your email graphics should reflect your brand's style guidelines. 

2. Design with mobile in mind

With a significant amount of emails being opened on mobile devices, ensuring your graphics are mobile-responsive is non-negotiable. Mobile responsiveness means your images and layout adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes, maintaining readability and visual appeal. Test your emails on various screens to ensure that your graphics display correctly. When possible, use scalable vector graphics (SVGs), as they can adjust to different screen resolutions without losing quality.

3. Optimize for accessibility 

As a best practice, it is essential to consider how folks with different abilities engage with your emails. Including alt text for all graphics helps ensure that those with visual impairments and screen readers can understand the context of your email, helping to maintain the integrity of your message and the overall user experience.An additional bonus is that alt text also helps when your graphics fail to load. 

4. Ensure appropriate size and format 

Optimizing the size and format of your graphics is crucial for both email loading speed and overall user experience. Large files slow down email loading times, which may frustrate recipients and lead to higher bounce rates.

Recommended formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF)

• JPEG: Typically lower in quality but loads faster than the alternative. Best for images without text that provide minimal context.
  
• PNG: High in quality but slower in load time. Best for images with transparent backgrounds or graphics, such as infographics and charts, that provide important information. The use of these graphics should be limited. 
• ‍GIF: Use GIFs for simple animations to add movement and interest to your emails without significantly impacting load times.

5. Host on reliable servers

Hosting your graphics on a reliable server ensures they can load properly in your emails. Unreliable hosting can result in broken images or slow loading times, which can disrupt the user experience and detract from the professionalism of your emails. Opt for reputable hosting services that offer high uptime and fast delivery to ensure your images are always displayed as intended. 

6. Think outside the box

The best thing about email graphics is that they are not permanent. Feel free to experiment with different trends, layouts, and graphics to see what works best to engage your audience! 

Best tools for crafting stunning email graphics‍

Canva

Canva is a well-known design tool that is perfect for creating email graphics, even with little to no design experience. With a vast library of design elements to choose from, Canva makes it easy to produce visually appealing graphics tailored to your brand.

Figma

Figma is a powerful design tool favored by professionals for its advanced features and capabilities. Figma's vector-based design tools enable precision and flexibility, ensuring your graphics are high-quality and scalable.

Beefree

Beefree is a versatile and user-friendly tool designed to help you create visually stunning emails easily. Its drag-and-drop builder enables you to effortlessly add email graphics such as logos, icons, infographics, videos, GIFs, and other interactive elements. 

Directly within the builder, you can use Mobile Design Mode to ensure that your email graphics are displayed as intended across all screen sizes 

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