Email Content Best Practices

When you create content for email communication, consider these best practices:

• Keep your content clear and concise. We recommend a maximum of 250 words for your total email body content.

• Use a consistent font for all email messages for a specific appeal to create a common identity across messages.

• Minimize the use of images, and adjust the size of images to use minimal space within the email.

• To comply with CAN-SPAM regulations, include a link to your website, a contact phone number and email address, and your organization’s name and location.

• To build relationships and increase response rates. To personalize the message, use merge fields such as the recipient’s first name.

• Invite recipients to update their profiles on your website so they know you value their participation.

• To prevent an increased score as a potential sender of spam, do not use “click here” as the text to display for links.

• Include at least one call to action such as “join,” “donate,” or “visit our website.” We recommend the call to action be the focus of the message and be immediately visible.

• Use inline styles instead of defining classes or using external references, as some email clients such as Gmail or Outlook don't always render the styles correctly.

For more information, visit Blackbaud's Email Resource Center.