Access mails format

On our platform, we use Stripo as our main tool for designing emails. This tool offers more than 1,500 templates available on their website (https://stripo.email/es/templates/), all of which are compatible with our specifications.

However, the format of the mails has certain technical limitations that must be considered to ensure that the mails are functional, visually attractive and do not end up in the SPAM folder.

Fonts

Emails do not work like web pages when it comes to typography. On mobile devices, emails open with two default fonts: Helvetica Neue on iOS and Roboto on Android. This means that it is not possible to upload a custom font to display correctly on all devices.

If a client or designer considers the use of a specific font essential, the only solution is to convert the email design into images. However, this should be done with caution, as more than 75% of emails are opened from a smartphone, and it is essential that the content displays correctly on these screens.

This is a key piece of advice we always give to ensure that emails are readable and functional on all devices.

Images

Including images in emails can be useful, but it also has important limitations that need to be taken into account:

1. Emails composed only of images:

On corporate domains or newly created email accounts, there is more than 85% probability that these emails will be marked as SPAM or not displayed at all.

This problem does not depend on the sending method, but on the cybersecurity policies that many companies apply.

If the client or designer decides to take this risk, we can proceed, but we always recommend informing of this possibility.

2. Outlook on PC:

In this version, mails containing images require the recipient to click on ‘download images’ in order to view them. Until then, the mail will look almost empty, which can affect the perception of the message.

To minimise these problems, we always include a link to a web version of the email in emails sent from our platform. This ensures that even if the images do not load, the content is still accessible.

Outlook restrictions

Outlook, especially in its PC version, has certain limitations that affect the layout of emails:

1. Background images:

Outlook does not support background images in emails. This is not up to us, but a Microsoft decision. Therefore, we always recommend defining an alternative background colour. This way, we avoid text (especially if it is white) becoming illegible if the background is not displayed.

2. Download images:

As mentioned before, Outlook requires the user to click on ‘download images’ in order for images to be displayed. This means that, initially, the email may appear empty.

For these reasons, it is important to take these restrictions into account when designing emails and plan alternatives to ensure that the message is clear and functional on any platform.

Structure and design

The layout of emails does not work like that of a web page. Instead of using layers or overlapping elements, emails are built with tables. This means that it is not possible to create complex layouts where images or elements are cut out and fit together, as they could become misaligned when opened on different devices or email clients.

In addition, it is crucial to design for both desktop and mobile view. Although the design should look good on both, keep in mind that more than 75% of emails are opened from a smartphone. If you only think about the mobile version, your email may look chunky on large screens, and vice versa.