Email Newsletter Design: How to Make People Actually Open Your Emails

Email Has the Highest ROI of Any Marketing Channel

Email marketing returns $36-42 for every $1 spent. But only if people actually open and read your emails. Most don't.

The difference between a neglected email and an effective one? Design and psychology.

The 6 Elements of High-Performing Emails

1. Subject Line (Your Only Chance to Get Opened)

The subject line determines if someone opens your email. Boring subject lines get ignored.

What works:

• Curiosity: "This design hack is changing everything"
• Specificity: "Save 3 hours on design with this tool"
• Urgency: "Open by Friday to get 20% off"
• Personalization: "Sarah, we miss you" (if you have their name)

What doesn't work:

• "Check out our latest blog post"
• "Company updates"
• "Hello"

Length: Keep it under 50 characters so it's not cut off on mobile.

2. Preview Text (The Second Chance)

After the subject line, Gmail shows a small snippet of your email. Use this real estate intentionally.

Good: "See how local businesses increased sales by redesigning their websites"

Bad: "View this email in your browser"

3. Header Image (Visual Hierarchy)

Your email should have a clear focal point. A well-designed header image sets the tone and guides attention.

Best practices:

• Use one image per email (not cluttered)
• Compress it to under 50KB (so it loads fast)
• Use high contrast so text is readable (if there's text overlay)
• Include your logo so it's recognizable

4. Body Copy (Skimmable Layout)

Most people skim emails. They don't read word-for-word. Design for skimming:

• Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
• Bold key phrases
• Use bullets for lists
• Keep it to 150-200 words (less on mobile)

5. Call-to-Action Button (Clear and Contrasting)

Your email should have ONE primary CTA button. Not 5, not 3—one.

Button design:

• Use a contrasting color
• Make it large (at least 44px tall)
• Use action words ("Read Article", "Get Quote", "Shop Now")
• Add padding around it (whitespace makes it more visible)

Placement: CTA should appear in the top 1/3 of your email. If someone has to scroll to find it, they won't.

6. Mobile Optimization (50% of People Open on Phone)

Test your emails on an iPhone and Android. Ask yourself:

• Are images loading?
• Is text readable (font size 14px minimum)?
• Can I tap the button easily?
• Do I have to scroll horizontally?

Pro tip: Use a responsive email template. Don't design a desktop email and hope it works on phones.

Email Psychology: Why Some Emails Get Clicked

Pattern Interruption

Your email competes with 100+ others in an inbox. Use unexpected design or copy to break through.

Example: An email with a bright gold button (our brand color) stands out against gray competitors.

Social Proof

Include customer testimonials, star ratings, or "trusted by 500+ businesses" language. People respond to proof.

Scarcity

"Offer ends Friday" or "Limited spots available" creates urgency. Use it sparingly—overuse kills credibility.

Metrics to Track

• Open rate: Target 20-30% (industry average is 15-20%)
• Click rate: Target 2-5% (industry average is 1-2%)
• Unsubscribe rate: Keep below 1%

If your open rate is below 15%, your subject lines need work. If your click rate is below 1%, your email content or CTA needs improvement.

One Quick Test

Redesign your next email with these 6 elements. Track your open and click rates. We guarantee they'll improve by at least 20%.

If you need help designing emails, many email platforms (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Klaviyo) have professional templates. Don't start from scratch.