Why is it important to design a strong email template?
Creating a well-designed email template isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a strategic tool that directly impacts how your audience perceives your brand and engages with your content. In a world where inboxes are overflowing, a standout template when paired with a strong subject line grabs attention, encourages interaction, and can make all the difference in driving conversions. With the right balance of branding, functionality, and mobile optimisation, a strong email template ensures your message reaches readers in a memorable and effective way.
Ready to start crafting emails that truly resonate? Below, we’ll take you through Get Better’s top tips for designing a template that does just that!

Create a Strong CTA (Call-to-Action)
Having a strong CTA drives engagement and communicates the email's purpose at a glance. An effective CTA should stand out visually—using bold colour and a clear, clickable button—so it’s easy to locate even in a quick scan. It's best to keep the CTA language straightforward yet action-oriented, like “Shop the Collection” or “Start Your Free Trial” and ensure it aligns with the main message of your email.
Placement matters too: your primary CTA should be positioned strategically, often toward the top of the email (above the fold), so it’s visible without scrolling. Secondary CTAs can appear further down, guiding readers who need more context (after the text and images) before taking action. Thoughtful CTAs do more than boost clicks; they clarify your email’s intent and ensure readers know exactly how to engage with your brand next.

Brand Text in the Header
Including brand text in the header is a subtle but effective way to establish immediate recognition and set the tone for your email. The header is the first thing your subscribers see, so adding your brand name or tagline here reinforces your identity from the get-go, ensuring that even a quick skim reinforces who the message is from. It also helps build familiarity over time, which is essential for fostering brand loyalty.
A branded header doesn’t have to be complex—a simple logo with your brand’s name or a concise tagline can do the trick. For example, if you’re sending a newsletter, the header could feature your brand name along with “Monthly Updates” to make it clear and consistent. Not only does this elevate the consistency of your emails, but it also contributes to a more cohesive and memorable brand experience, subtly encouraging engagement as readers associate your brand with a polished and engaging message right from the top.

Link Everything
Linking every clickable element in your email, from images to headers to buttons, gives your audience multiple engagement points, making it easy for them to explore your content. By ensuring every part of your email is link-friendly, you increase the chances of driving traffic exactly where you want it, whether that’s to a product page, a blog post, or a signup form.
Think of linking as a way to guide readers seamlessly toward specific actions without any guesswork. A product image should link to its product page, while your logo might link to your homepage. Consistent linking throughout the email not only enhances the user experience but also allows you to track which elements are most engaging. This data can then inform your future strategies, ensuring each link serves a purpose and optimises every click for maximum impact.
Optimise for Desktop and Mobile
Optimising for both desktop and mobile is crucial for a well-designed email template—especially since over half of all email opens occur on mobile devices. A responsive design ensures that your email looks polished and easy to navigate, whether it’s opened on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
Key elements to focus on include adjusting font sizes for readability, making buttons large enough for easy tapping, and maintaining balanced spacing for scannability. A single-column layout works well across all devices, keeping content neat and flow intact. Test your emails on different devices if possible—what looks great on a laptop may not translate well to a smartphone. Ultimately, a fully responsive design means each subscriber gets the best experience, increasing engagement and the chances they’ll take the desired action through your clear CTA, regardless of how they’re viewing.

Prioritise Visual Hierarchy
Prioritising visual hierarchy in your email template design helps guide readers’ attention and eyeline to the most important elements, like your main message and call-to-action (CTA). Visual hierarchy ensures that key information is both easy to find and quick to digest—essential in today’s busy inboxes.
Start by creating a clear, logical flow: use larger headlines to introduce topics, concise body text for details, and bold, contrasting buttons for CTAs. Arrange content from top to bottom with the most important elements at the beginning. Whitespace can be your friend —it separates sections and prevents visual overload, making the email feel clean and inviting. Imagery, too, should be purposeful and limited to visuals that enhance or support the message, never distracting from it. With a thoughtful visual hierarchy, your readers can effortlessly follow the intended path from start to finish, leading them right where you want them to go.
Conclusion
In summary, a well-designed email template is crucial for capturing your audience's attention and driving engagement. By focusing on key elements such as a strong call-to-action, effective linking, prominent branding in the header, and optimising for various devices, you create a seamless experience for your readers. Prioritising visual hierarchy ensures that your message is communicated clearly, guiding subscribers through your content.
Implementing these strategies can transform your emails from simple messages into powerful marketing tools. As you refine your email templates, remember that small adjustments can lead to significant improvements in performance. If you need support in enhancing your email design or strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out to Get Better today! With the right tools and guidance, you can take your email marketing to the next level.