Simplicity
Some years ago main pages of websites were full of content. Nowadays we would consider all of them to be cluttered and confusing. The whole web shifted from clutter to focus, from too much content to few content.
The same trend applies to email design: simple, clean layout and with few content. It usually means a one column layout, with beautiful pictures, big headlines and some text, all divided by a lot of white space. The good news is that these designs work well on desktop, web and mobile email clients as well.
Flat Design
Drop shadows, gradients or anything which gives the illusion of three-dimensions is considered dead nowadays by designers. Flat design is the trend, and it already invaded Microsoft and Apple as well. New websites are all flat so will be new email templates as well.
Flat design is convenient from an HTML coders perspective as well. It makes it easier for us to deliver the same, pure look and feel in various browsers and email clients too. Check out Fltdsgn.com for inspiration or read The beginner’s guide to flat design.
Template above is available for free on EDMdesigner.com
Renaissance of Animated GIFs
Animated GIFs live their renaissance on web and in email as well. GIFs are the safest alternative for embedded video in email, so they will continue to be popular in 2015 as well! Why are animated GIFs so trendy?
Call-To-Action or Main Content Written With Custom Fonts as Image
Email designers have to live with many limitations in email design, but thankfully they can still use custom fonts wisely in their designs.
Using custom fonts in a text format is not stable enough in email, so they have to be inserted as an image into your email templates. But be careful and don’t flood your email with these fonts. Thrive to keep a healthy text to image ratio.
When you use custom fonts as an image, 20px (depending on font type) should be the minimal size for you to consider, since your image may be scaled down on the mobile version. Always make sure you test your email templates prior sending or at least check out the mobile preview in EDMdesigner (or other tool you use).
Creativity, Differentiation
The email channel is a very crowded space nowadays, so it’s getting harder and harder for email marketers to be noticed. The average email subscriber receives more than 400 commercial messages each month. Which emails will be remembered?
The creative ones, which have nice design and relevant content! Check out this example from Disney.
Do you have anything to add? We would love to hear from you in the comments section.
