3 Email Design Trends for Content Marketers to Use in 2022

Marketers are anticipating another busy year with customers at the forefront. So, of course, email remains a primary engagement tool in their arsenal. However, given that 40% of marketers have reported budget cuts for their email strategy during the pandemic, it will not be an easy task.

This is exactly why impeccable email design will contribute to a successful email engagement strategy in 2022. So let’s look at three design trends that will rule this year.

1. Minimalist Email Design

With information overload in the inbox, simple design strategies will prevail. Minimalist emails work because they promise a clear focus on the core task of communication.

You don’t frustrate readers with cluttered messages. These simple designs offer clear, crisp text that your audience can easily read – making them more likely to take an action, e.g. E.g. converts to a subscriber, makes a purchase, etc.

Minimalist #email designs don’t frustrate readers with cluttered messages, says @imkevin_monk of @CMIContent. Click here to tweet

Here’s why minimalist email design works:

• Ensures the message doesn’t get lost in a plethora of distractions. Communicate a key action or two to get the best results.
• Intelligently captivates an audience constantly bombarded with too much information in their lives.
• Attracts attention and communicates quickly and clearly.
• Allows readers to quickly read the email. Nobody wants to read through complicated messages that take time to understand, especially on mobile devices.
• Provides a more enjoyable branding experience than loud designs that can feel overwhelming.
• Forces content marketers to focus on two to three key elements of the message that readers need to take action.

Some best practices for minimalist email designs are:

• Use a strong headline that acts as a hook.
• Don’t use (or use sparingly) jargon or industry jargon.
• Create searchable content, especially the call-to-action (CTA) buttons and links.
• Use color wisely, rely on branded colors instead of standalone or contrasting color schemes.
• Use negative space.
• Create a visual hierarchy that’s easy to follow and digest.
• Use icons instead of text.

Let’s look at this email from G2, the peer-to-peer review company. Notice how it follows a minimalist design philosophy. The negative space makes the email easy on the eyes and the design makes the information easier to digest.

Negative spaces make the #email easy on the eyes, says @imkevin_monk of @CMIContent. Click here to tweet

The CTA is also a simple button that is prominently displayed at the bottom of the email.

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2. Dark mode email design

With the increasing use of devices in dark mode, it’s only natural that this trend would find its way into email design as well. Dark mode emails are easy on the eyes, especially in low light conditions. They also use less battery power on the reader’s device since it doesn’t require a backlight.

With the increasing use of dark mode devices, it’s only natural that this trend finds its way into #email design, says @imkevin_monk of @CMIContent. Click here to tweet

From a psychological point of view, dark mode can signal that the email is important. It’s also a great way to keep distractions at bay and encourage the reader to focus on the email at hand.

Here are some tips to follow when creating a dark mode email:

• Design your light mode email first and then convert it to a dark mode version. It is important to maintain consistency across devices.
• Use dark text on an off-white background to create contrast between the content and the background.
• Do not use colors that are too bright or garish as they make the content difficult to read.
• Avoid red items on a black background as they can be difficult to read for people with eye problems such as astigmatism.

Design dark mode emails by starting with light mode first, says @imkevin_monk via @CMIContent. Click here to tweet

Here’s a great example of a dark mode email we sent to my company, Email Uplers. I’ve included the light version to show that the color palette and design are the same. The content is easy to consume in both modes and the CTAs are prominent.

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­­­­­­­3. Microinteraction Email Design

Designing emails with micro-interactions can increase engagement without significantly impacting email load time. These tiny animations or interactions occur when the reader interacts with an element on the screen.

Microinteractions can guide the reader through the email. They can also be used as a visual feedback mechanism. For example, when readers click a CTA button, it will animate slightly to convey the action being taken. This signal can prevent readers from jumping off or making mistakes.

A microinteraction fulfills three important functions:

• Provides feedback when the reader triggers an action and communicates status visually.
• Helps readers navigate between pages or sections and see the results of their actions.
• Reinforces the sense of direct manipulation, enhancing the reading experience.

Some best practices for micro-interactions in email designs are:

• Use two to four micro-interactions in an email.
• Add elements that appeal to human emotions.
• Minimize load time and integration with server requests.
• Make sure the micro-interactions work and contribute to the overall user experience.
• Test micro-interactions under different conditions to ensure they work as intended.
• Keep each micro-interaction simple and consistent within an email or even across a campaign if possible.

Here’s a case in point from men’s grooming company Harry’s. You have created a simple and interactive quiz. Readers are asked to answer three simple questions by clicking on their preferred option. There are no wrong answers and the quiz will match them to the most appropriate scent. This use of micro-interactions creates a remarkable way to engage readers while likely increasing sales and customer experience.

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I’m looking forward to

Email design is evolving with new trends. In 2022, it’s also important to think about how your audience interacts with the content of your emails – what devices they use, how they scroll and what elements they click. If you provide an appealing design, they’ll be more likely to check your brand’s emails than the many other content marketer emails in their inbox.

Check out this infographic from Email Uplers that dives deeper and lists all the design trends that will dominate in 2022.

Source: 6 Email Design Trends for 2022

Cover photo by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute