Email HTML Best Practices

Master the art of email HTML development. Learn proven techniques, avoid common pitfalls, and create emails that work perfectly across all email clients.

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Essential Best Practices

Follow these guidelines for email HTML that works everywhere

HTML Structure

Use table-based layouts for maximum compatibility
Keep HTML structure simple and nested tables minimal
Always include DOCTYPE and proper HTML tags
Use inline CSS for critical styles

CSS Guidelines

Avoid CSS shorthand properties
Use full color hex codes (#ffffff instead of #fff)
Avoid CSS floats and positioning
Test CSS support across email clients

Images & Media

Always include alt text for images
Use absolute URLs for all images
Optimize images for email (keep file sizes small)
Provide fallback text for when images are blocked

Accessibility

Ensure sufficient color contrast (4.5:1 minimum)
Use semantic HTML elements
Include proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, etc.)
Make emails keyboard navigable

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using CSS Grid or Flexbox

Limited support in email clients, especially Outlook

Use table-based layouts instead

Relying on web fonts

Many email clients block external fonts

Use web-safe fonts with proper fallbacks

Large image file sizes

Slow loading times and potential blocking

Optimize images and keep under 100KB each

Missing alt text

Poor accessibility and broken image experience

Always include descriptive alt text

Email HTML Template Structure

Basic Email Template

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