A poorly designed newsletter entices less attention and musters mammoth amount of unsubscribes. Email Newsletter Design Trends are changing by leaps and bounds; but remember, trend doesn’t always mean “something new”. It can be a deep grounded vintage trend evolving back to cater present demands – based on user’s changing preferences and needs.
Technology is certainly a driving force favoring trends like animated GIFs to move forward effectively. We’ve rounded up 6 breakthrough email newsletter design trends that will be prominent throughout 2016 and beyond.
1. Dynamic Storytelling through Emails
Storytelling through graphics and textual support can guide your subscribers through your brand’s thought process. It doesn’t only act like an emotional glue between your brand and its audience. It is effective at portraying your organization’s history, and the key benefits of your service or product.
Dynamic Storytelling creates message reinforcement that can ensure your customer’s longevity. It requires knowledge of graphics, storyboarding and how skillfully a message can be used. Maintain a proper balance between graphics and text so as to deliver the message in the sleekest way possible.
2. Typography in Emails
Higher-definition resolutions and starkly responsive designs are prime requisites of impactful typography. The two trends that are ruling the realm of typography are: hand-writing and serifs.
- Serifs:Serifs are helpful in enhancing legibility. A study by Jan Constantin stressed the prominence of serifs in email typography, as 64% used sans-serif for their body copy and 36% serif. Previously, due to lower screen size and resolution, they were discarded. However, screen sizes and resolutions are getting larger along with better layout designs. And, that’s what results into elegant fonts. Hence, today you can expect to see serifs more often in email newsletter designs.
- Hand-writing:Hand-writing demands to be done with much perfection, or else you won’t be able to deliver the intended impact in the email newsletter. It adds the much needed extra effect to the headers or tag lines. The main purpose of hand-writing lies in email logos, headers, tag line and so forth.With most people today accessing content on their mobile devices, most of the lower end devices like Fire HD 10 will display lower resolutions. Due to lower pixel density, this is much more noticeable over larger screen devices.The solution is to display typography on the basis of screen resolution. That means hand-writing and serifs would be displayed on mobile devices having high resolution; while, devices or screens with lower resolutions could receive fonts that are in accordance to its resolution. Not to mention, load time and server speeds are also to be taken into consideration.
3. Flat UI in Email Newsletter Design
Flat UI design presents the graphic elements and UI in the simplest way possible – showcasing the basic portrayal of real world with assortment of designs such as textures, shadows, rounded corners, etc. in email.
In addition to this, it even minimizes the usage of showy stuff that distracts visitors from the message that is to be delivered. Moreover, it requires less time to load. Flat design is here to stay as it is responsive and is even compatible with Material Design.
Visitors can easily find what they need rather than sifting through unwanted content. The trend is apt for establishing a balance between the two.
4. Modular Layout in Emails
Today, Modular aka card-based layout is being adopted by many brands for their email newsletter design. Organizing designs in the form of grids is nothing new. But, it’s the self-contained cards used as modules that have created a twist on the existing trend.
So, what makes it popular? It enhances email workload and workflow. Hence, it speeds up the way one builds up an email template or a campaign.
5. Animated GIFs in Emails
Despite the fact that animated GIFs have been on trend for around 25 years; it is acquiring more and more grip in the email market. The emotions that cannot be expressed by a static image can be well-delivered by GIFs. When it comes to portraying stories in an enriched fashion, GIF integration turns out to be the best option.
6. Interactivity in emails
Are interactive emails the next big thing? Well, the amount of threshold this trend is getting itself answers the question. Interactive email newsletter design doesn’t always require advanced knowledge of CSS and coding. All one needs to do is: create images, link them to the particular page and then examine the feedback you acquired from the subscribers.
The simplest example of the interactive email newsletter design trend is to let subscribers choose one of the two services you offer, or one or two blog posts you have written.
A Closing Note
No matter how interesting the information you are conveying to your subscribers, if it’s not delivered in the most presentable manner, it doesn’t matter. An aptly designed newsletter is competent enough to engross the subscribers into your brand’s vision and thought process. It is equal to putting your best foot forward in the market.
That’s why it is important to be aware of the trends that are ruling the current market and how we can make our brand STAND OUT from the rest.
These are just a few of the email newsletter design trends that will be increasingly prominent throughout 2016. Following trends just for the sake of sounding trendy is not at all a good idea. Hence, choose the one that suits best to your audience.
Are you planning to jump on board with any of the above mentioned trends, or possibly combine them? Or do you have predictions of your own? We’d love to know.
