An email newsletter producing a consistent uptick in readership can be relied upon, long-term, as a solid backbone for any successful growth strategy (yes, even with younger audiences). While social media and search engine optimization are in a state of constant flux, the underlying technology of email is universal and accessible across all platforms and devices.
Nail images in emails best practices, and your publication will stand out in your reader’s overloaded inbox. Over time, readers will come to anticipate highly curated and relevant experiences every time they open an email, and the email image strategy you use will play a key role.
Large companies competing for attention in the same inbox may have entire divisions dedicated to churning out email marketing campaigns. However, it’s important to remember that impactful and relevant editorial work will always have a key advantage over the glossiest email marketing. With consistency, your emails will be viewed by readers as a service, as opposed to an ad.
Why are newsletter images important in editorial content?
Anyone who has worked in a newsroom will understand the impact visuals can have on increasing engagement with content. Photojournalism and infographics are highly effective at helping journalists tell stories. The right email image selection will not only catch the attention of readers but it will keep that attention by adding vital context, comprehensibility, and memorability.
This is important because, in addition to the editorial purpose of your newsletter, it is fundamentally a marketing tool intended to create and reinforce a call to action, such as convincing readers to visit the website or become a subscriber.
Just as with journalism, email marketing images are critical to building trust with the consumer, which in turn will encourage them to take action. If a consumer is struck by an image of a model with a specific coat, they will be more likely to purchase it. Content — and the images that make that content better understood and memorable — need to be intentionally created and constantly refreshed to reinforce novelty, recognition and a fear of missing out.
This is where your publication’s advantage over the majority of marketing emails comes into play. Strong newsletter images are an opportunity to “show” as opposed to simply telling readers about the quality of your journalism.
How many images should be in a newsletter?
Trust your storytelling instincts and treat the newsletter as you would treat images on the publication’s main website to make your content engaging. It is key to keep in mind that the number of images used will affect the amount of words needed in the newsletter.
Most major email applications will pre-scan emails to help users filter their inboxes. This scan will be looking for a balanced ratio of written to visual content. An email heavy on images and light on text may be marked as promotional in nature. This increases the chance that the newsletter will have its images blocked, or the entire email filtered into a low-priority tab or simply sent directly to the spam or trash folder.
Many email marketers suggest the 60/40 rule to avoid this: clear and concise text should make up 60 percent of your email, while images should stay below 40 percent.
Choose the correct image format for your newsletter
Consider the balance between image quality and file size when choosing a format for your newsletter images. Here are recommended formats and their features to help you make an informed decision.
PNG
Pros:
- It is universally accepted by most email applications.
- It will not lose quality when altered.
- It has a wider range of compatible colors.
- It allows for more versatility, such as the capacity to translate transparent backgrounds.
Cons:
- While transparency can be a perk, it can also cause headaches if not planned for. For example, dark mode may completely alter how the PNG appears.
- Larger file sizes compared to JPG, especially for images with many colors.
PNGs should be the first choice for use in a newsletter. It offers versatility for various content types, from graphics to logos, and enhances the newsletter’s overall presentation.
JPG (JPEG)
Pros:
- It has a high compression capability and ability to reduce the file size without significant loss of quality.
- It is widely supported across various platforms and devices.
- It is suitable for photographs and images with many colors.
Cons:
- Not ideal for images with transparency.
- Lossy compression can result in artifacts and quality degradation with repeated editing and saving.
GIF
Pros:
- It will add movement to your email as it supports animation.
- It is widely supported across various platforms and devices.
Cons:
- It has a limited color palette (256 colors), which can result in reduced image quality for complex images.
- The file sizes can be larger, meaning that you will have to optimize it to ensure the GIF will load in the email.
Using video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro is the best way to create original GIFs and have the most control over their optimization. However, many free alternatives exist such as Ezgif and Clideo.
Best practices for optimizing newsletter images and graphics for email delivery and engagement
Images play a crucial role in email marketing, as they help capture subscribers’ attention and convey messages effectively. However, it’s important to keep in mind the optimization and accessibility of images to increase engagement, and ensure smooth email delivery and user experience.
What is a good file size for newsletter images?
A good file size for a newsletter depends on various factors such as the content of the newsletter, the recipient’s internet connection speed, and the email service provider’s limitations.
However, here are some useful guidelines for you. For individual images within the newsletter, aim for file sizes that are as small as possible while keeping acceptable quality.
- JPEG images: Try to keep the size under 100-200 KB.
- PNG images: The file size might be slightly larger due to the lossless compression but still aim to keep each image under 200-300 KB.
- GIFs: While GIFs are proven to boost reader engagement, they can be tricky to optimize. Try to aim for a file size of 1-2 MB or less. This will ensure a faster loading time and prevent emails from being marked as spam due to large attachments.
What is alt text and why does it matter for newsletter images?
Don’t forget image accessibility! Alt text, also known as alternative text or alt attributes, is a critical component of web accessibility, including in newsletter design. It holds particular significance for individuals reliant on screen readers, making it a fundamental aspect of email accessibility guidelines.
Email newsletter services will provide the option of including alt text for each image. Familiarizing yourself with how to write highly effective alt text will ensure your newsletter reaches every member of your audience.
Why is it a good idea to hyperlink images in a newsletter?
When hyperlinked, images can also make for a smoother overall user experience while driving traffic. Readers are more likely to click an image versus text if they are looking for more context. For images that are also hyperlinked, alt text is important for explaining the image’s click-through function to specific readers.
Before crafting a newsletter strategy you need proper tools to manage, resize, and optimize the data load and size of the images. Otherwise, images will not load in the email properly, or will appear blurry once they do. Familiarizing yourself with an image optimization platform such as Adobe Photoshop can help. If Adobe is outside of your price range, there are plenty of alternative tools available.
The optimal size for newsletter images
Most email newsletter services will suggest (and often require) that users use an optimal “placeholder” image size in their default templates. These suggestions, including the newsletter header size, are designed based on a few generalized assumptions about your subscribers including:
- Which email client they are more likely to use
- Anticipated screen resolution
- Anticipated device
- The types of content your newsletters will provide
Our recommendation is to tailor the template and placeholder image sizes to your target audience. Most services will give you a general idea of which templates work best for which audiences. For example, if you know that your audience primarily use a desktop to read emails, using a traditional template with placeholder image sizes of 600 pixel width may be a safe choice. If they are more likely to open emails on mobile, 320 pixel width may a better bet.
The same variance between desktop and mobile will impact your newsletter header size, with 70 pixels being an optimal height for desktop emails, and 200 pixels being the optimal height on mobile.
A helpful element to look for when selecting an email service provider and template for your newsletter is whether it will automatically resize images based on how the user opens the email. This will take the guesswork out of choosing the right size.
Lastly, follow this golden email image size best practice: once you have selected a template, images should be as close to double the size of how the image will actually appear (i.e. the newsletter template’s placeholder dimension) as possible.
For example, if the template requires a width of 600 pixels minimum, the image used should be at least twice the size of the placeholder image (1200 pixels in this example). For the best possible optimization, scale down images to as close to double the dimension. While a 2400 pixels-wide image may look good in a 600 pixels-wide placeholder spot, it also carries an excessive data load that may cause lags or errors when readers open the newsletter. If your template does adapt to desktop versus mobile viewing, use the larger of the two dimensions.
Read more 📖 “Email newsletters 101: A complete guide for independent publishers and journalists” to find out how to craft effective email newsletters that boost audience engagement and revenue growth.
