The best email signature designs in 2023
27 April 2022
Visually, technically, and professionally – the best email signature designs should work in every sense of the word. At its most basic, a good email signature includes personal information such as your name, job title, department, and phone number.
However, the best email signature designs take things further by becoming a new marketing communications channel through the use of:
Other dynamic content such as feedback surveys and appointment booking links.
This is why we’ve prepared some examples of some good email signature designs we’ve seen this year. These can be used as inspiration to create an email signature design that will make you truly stand out from other companies.
1. Include relevant contact information for your email signature designs
The best email signature templates lay out all contact details within a simple grid. This makes the information easy to read. These details should be professional in nature. No personal information should be included if you are sending on behalf of a company.
When it comes to contact information in the best email signatures, less is more. The main details to include are:
Full name
Job title
Telephone number with the correct country code
Email address
Example
You can use a handwritten signature image to add a personal touch that the recipient might identify with such as in the example below.
Example
The example below includes all necessary contact information but also includes a corporate URL and a user photo. It is always good to put a face to a name, particularly over a channel that can feel very impersonal and corporate. You could use these examples as email signature inspiration.
2. Make your email signature template “social”
When you add links to social media in email signatures, you create a great opportunity to extend your marketing reach and increase your brand awareness.
Make sure that you use social media icon images in your signature though. URL links are too long, difficult to read, and off-putting.
However, when designing an email signature do not include too many social media icons. Using too many in your email signature will make your design look messy. And always make sure you’re using the most current icons available.
Example
This email signature idea uses four social media icons, which is the most we recommend. Their pleasant appearance is a cost-effective use of screen space and doesn’t overpower the main corporate logo.
3. Create your email design signature with mobile devices in mind
In a world where hybrid and remote working is now “the norm”, the best email signatures are as consistent on mobiles as they are on desktops.
However, each mobile email client has slight differences. Some mobile devices only support plain-text signatures, meaning any HTML code gets stripped out of emails. iOS is well known for having this issue. The only way to ensure consistency is to use email signature software.
Example
This email signature idea proves that email signature designs can be optimized for mobiles. The template is still able to deliver a payload of information without detracting from the email message itself.
4. Use more than one email signature
The best email signature branding should be used for external contacts, particularly those who don’t know your brand well. When used with relevant contact information, email banners, and social media icons, the recipient has various ways to interact with your company.
Then, once an email conversation starts, a new reply signature would be used. It still uses the same branding as your main signature but does not include as much content.
Examples
The first signature design presented uses a complex and bold design in order to make a good first impression.
Then, for any replies, the second signature is used to make the correspondence cleaner and easier to follow.
5. Use colors effectively
Bolder colors don’t really work on a backlit screen. Therefore, the best email signature designs use color in a way that highlights content or makes the signature stand out without overpowering the message text.
Example
This attractive email signature template is designed to work perfectly against a white background. It showcases the creativity of the brand without being too overbearing.
6. Choose the right image format
The best email signatures only use one of the following image formats:
PNG
JPEG
GIF
To use images in your email signature design, you can either host them online or embed the files directly. There are pros and cons to using either method. Given the fact that more people than ever view emails on their mobile devices, it is safer to use hosted imagery in your signature template.
We also recommend that you use animated GIFs with caution. While it is easier to embed these in email signatures, animated GIFs are not supported by all email clients. This means the GIF might not work as intended. When this happens, the animated GIF will simply display the first frame of the animation.
Example
This email signature uses a variety of different images from the corporate logo, awards, and feedback icons. Each image is rendered using HTML to place them in the correct location of the signature.
7. Promote your latest marketing activities
The best email signature examples use display banners to showcase new content and/or promotions. When compared to other marketing channels, there is no cost associated with using email banners. Every click is free and can go a long way toward helping you reach your marketing goals.
Example
This email banner is actively promoting a forthcoming event. It appears below the contact details in an eye-catching manner.
Any banner used for email signature marketing should include tracking code or UTM parameters embedded into the design. This is so it is easy to see how the email banner design is performing and if it needs to be optimized/updated.
8. Consider the use of internal email signatures
You can also put email signatures to effective use as an internal communications channel. Marketers instinctively think of external markets, but in large organizations, most emails are often sent between co-workers.
For internal email signatures, a more minimalist design can be used. This means the template only needs to include an internal extension number, job title, and corporate logo.
Example
This internal email signature is used to highlight a seasonal event to all employees. A small, tailored message at the end of your email can be an effective way to reach everyone in your company. In fact, the larger the company, the more powerful the internal email signature becomes.
9. Turn email signatures into a customer feedback machine
Customer satisfaction is a leading indicator of loyalty and future revenue. But the only way to find out if customers are satisfied is to get their feedback, which is quite difficult.
That’s why the best email signatures use one-click surveys to let customers leave feedback at the click of a button. This provides actionable data with every email you send. You will then know who is happy and who is not in real-time.
Example
This template uses emoticons to ask customers to provide feedback. Using universal icons like these means they can be easily understood by anyone regardless of language.
10. Use a strong call-to-action
As corporate email is constant, it is the perfect avenue to ask customers to directly engage with you. Beyond the use of email banners, the best email signature templates use a strong call-to-action to improve lead generation and drive engagement without coming across as forced. Adding a simple button to your template can turn a good email signature into a great one.
Example
This template includes a call-to-action button that lets recipients schedule a meeting directly with the sender. This button then links to the sender’s calendar, making booking a meeting with them really easy.
11. Highlight important certifications and awards
Certifications can instantly establish credibility with a recipient. Trust and respect are hard to earn, particularly over email. Each graphic you use can instantly trigger recognition from recipients.
Also, don’t forget to include award wins. These give your brand a big boost and tell recipients that you are a leading player. All of your subsequent outbound emails will therefore carry more authority as well as garner you additional publicity.
Example
This email signature template showcases a new award win for the company. It does not interfere with the rest of the design but is prominent enough to be clearly noticed. Ideally, award images should link to more information such as a press release.
12. Maintain legal compliance on all emails
Opinions on email disclaimers are subjective, and some people will always believe they don’t need them for compliance purposes. However, particularly in our experience, one of the main reasons why a company chooses to use one of our products is for compliance purposes.
Example
The best email signature designs like the below example place the disclaimer somewhat apart from the signature. It does not interfere with the rest of the design as a result. The font size is small and can be easily read against light backgrounds.
Summary
So what makes a good email signature design?
It must be visually appealing and conform to brand guidelines.
It must work on all email clients and on mobile devices.
It must comply with the law.
It must provide relevant and important information for recipients.
By taking inspiration from these email signature templates, you’ll easily be able to create the best email signature designs possible.
And to turbo-boost your email signatures, unleash the power of Exclaimer. Learn more or get yourself a free trial to see the power of email signature software for yourself.
