Email Signature Design
Best Practices Guide
Size & Dimensions
Overall Dimensions
- Maximum width: 600-700px (recommended: 320-600px)
- Maximum height: 200-300px (recommended: 150-200px)
- File size: Keep under 1MB total (ideally under 500KB)
- Mobile consideration: Design should scale well to 320px width
Image Specifications
- Format: PNG or JPG (PNG preferred for logos with transparency)
- Resolution: 72 DPI (web standard)
- Logo size: Maximum 150px wide × 100px high
- Social icons: 16px × 16px to 24px × 24px
Typography & Fonts
Safe Web Fonts (Use these for maximum compatibility)
Serif:
- Georgia
- Times New Roman
- Times
Sans-Serif:
- Arial
- Helvetica
- Verdana
- Tahoma
- Trebuchet MS
- Geneva
Font Guidelines
- Primary text: 12-14px
- Name/Title: 14-16px (can be bold)
- Company name: 12-14px
- Contact details: 11-12px
- Legal disclaimers: 9-10px
- Line height: 1.2-1.4 for readability
⚠️ Avoid:
- Custom web fonts (Google Fonts, etc.)
- Decorative or script fonts
- Font sizes smaller than 9px
Design & Layout
Structure Best Practices
- Left-aligned layout works best across all clients
- Single column design preferred
- Clear hierarchy with proper spacing
- Consistent margins: 10-15px between sections
Color Guidelines
- Text color: Dark colors (#333333, #000000) for body text
- Links: Blue (#0066CC) or brand colors
- Backgrounds: White or very light colors
- Contrast ratio: Minimum 4.5:1 for accessibility
Visual Elements
- Separators: Use simple lines (1px solid) or spacing instead of complex graphics
- Icons: Use standard, recognizable symbols
- White space: Essential for readability and professional appearance