what is an email signature
An email signature is a small bit of text, often in the form of an image or logo, that appears at the end of every email you send. It’s a great way to add a professional touch to your emails, as well as making sure that your contact information is always readily available.
Quite often these are used in the business world, but they can also be seen in more informal emails too. One of the benefits of having an email signature is to establish who the email is from (particularly when there are multiple departments within a company).
How To Create a Professional Email Signature
Creating a professional email signature isn’t difficult, and can be done in a few simple steps.
The first step is to decide what information you want to include. This could be your name, job title, company name, website address or even a small logo/image. Once you have decided this, it’s time to layout your information, do you prefer a single column or double?
This will all depend on how much information you’re including, but it’s important to consider readability and make sure that your signature looks professional.
Remember, your email signature is a small area at the bottom of your message.
what's the best format?
The creation process can be as simple as editing text and fonts within your email provider’s signature editor (these settings will vary by provider: Gmail – Windows Mail – Outlook). But if you want to create something a little bit more eye catching, then it might be worth designing a unique banner. This will enable you to customize your email signature with colors and images that match your brand aesthetics.
Determining the right format and deciding what other extras (such as GIF animation) can be added to your signature, is a personal choice. Just make sure you test out how it looks on both desktop and mobile devices before sending your emails.
examples of great email signatures
It’s always a good idea to look at examples of great email signatures. This will give you ideas on how to create a professional signature that stands out and looks amazing.
Some of the components that really make these stand out are the clever use of color, font selection and creative images. A great email signature layout almost resembles that of a business card (utilizing all the same components).
Clickable email signatures
If you’re looking for an even more advanced way of making your signature stand out, then clickable email signatures could be the answer. These allow you to create and embed hyperlinks directly into your email signature, so that clicking on them takes people directly to website pages.
Oftentimes these external links can be configured in the settings area of your email provider (Gmail or Outlook, for example).
However going full clickable and including icon links and logo animation could quickly take you into the realm of HTML email signatures and for the average user I don’t recommend designing something like that from scratch.
If you are looking for more info on clickable (HTML) email signatures, click the button below.
email signature services
Don’t know how to code HTML or create a nifty design? No worries, there are plenty of email signature services available that allow for the drag and drop of your information into premade template.
You are of course limited to their designs and code limitations (I’ve found some to have GIF import restrictions) but for the majority of (non-business) users these will be great to start.
These email signature service prices often are billed either monthly or annually for the service. The fees go to hosting and support.
Animated Email Signatures
An animated email signature is a version of your regular email signature, but with added GIF animation. The purpose is to make your emails more interesting or to promote important campaigns or events. Animated signatures are meant to encourage recipients to interact with your email, whether it’s by clicking a link or engaging with the content.
email signature image size
The proper size of any image placed in the footer of an email depends on how much area you have to start. If you are using two column layouts then your image or logo might need to be resized to remain proportionate with any text you have in the other column.
The best practice is to keep the maximum width of your signature around 600px and make sure that you are optimizing images for web (this means if you are using images, PNG is going to be far smaller of a file than JPG format).
types of signatures for professions
Email signatures are used in a wide array of professions and industries. For example, a lawyer might use a signature to include their legal qualifications and contact information, while an interior decorator could use it to show off links to some of their past work.
The key is to make sure that your email signature communicates the right message and reflects your profession accurately. For example a teacher will need different information fields than a real estate agent.
Email Signature Banners
Email banners are typically found in the footer of an email and are usually placed directly below the signature. This is a great place to feature any current promotions or special offers you might have, and can be used to draw attention to your latest product.
They are also good for featuring company logos, contact information and other important branding elements. They come in many sizes, but make sure to keep the size of your banner within the limits of most email providers.
email signature help
If you need help creating your signature, there are plenty of online resources that can assist for those DIY-ers. I’m also available to help you design the perfect email signature or just answer any questions you might have. Reach out and let’s chat!
With a bit of thought and effort, creating an email signature that stands out can be easy. By following these tips your emails will now look polished, professional and on brand. So go ahead and get creative with your signatures!