Creating HTML Emails: A Step-by-Step Guide with Code Examples

3 min readJul 11, 2023

HTML emails are an effective way to engage with your audience, communicate important information, and promote your products or services. However, crafting HTML emails can be challenging due to various email clients and their different rendering capabilities. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating HTML emails, along with code examples to help you get started.

Step 1: Structuring Your HTML Email The first step is to structure your HTML email properly. Use a table-based layout to ensure compatibility across different email clients. Here’s an example of a basic HTML email structure:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Your Email Title</title>
    <style>
      /* CSS styles for your email */
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <!-- Email content goes here -->
  </body>
</html>

Step 2: Use Tables for Layout: As mentioned, tables are the preferred method for structuring the layout of HTML emails. Create a table with nested rows and columns to achieve the desired design. Be mindful of mobile responsiveness and use media queries to adapt the layout for different screen sizes.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Email Example</title>
</head>
<body>
  <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
    <tr>
      <td>
        <table width="600" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center">
          <tr>
            <td>
              <h1>Welcome to our Newsletter!</h1>
              <p>Dear Subscriber,</p>
              <p>We're excited to have you on board. Stay tuned for our latest updates and news!</p>
              <p>Regards,</p>
              <p>The Newsletter Team</p>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td>
              <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="margin-top: 20px; background-color: #f1f1f1;">
                <tr>
                  <td>
                    <h2>Latest Articles</h2>
                  </td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                  <td>
                    <h3>Article 1</h3>
                    <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</p>
                    <p><a href="#">Read more</a></p>
                  </td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                  <td>
                    <h3>Article 2</h3>
                    <p>Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</p>
                    <p><a href="#">Read more</a></p>
                  </td>
                </tr>
              </table>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td>
              <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="margin-top: 20px;">
                <tr>
                  <td align="center">
                    <p>Don't miss out, <a href="#">subscribe now!</a></p>
                  </td>
                </tr>
              </table>
            </td>
          </tr>
        </table>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </table>
</body>
</html>

Step 3: Adding Content to Your Email Next, you’ll want to add the content to your HTML email. This can include text, images, buttons, and other elements. Remember to use inline CSS for styling to increase email client compatibility. Here’s an example of adding a heading and paragraph to your email:

<body>
  <h1 style="color: #000000; font-size: 24px;">Welcome to Our Newsletter!</h1>
  <p style="color: #555555; font-size: 16px;">Stay up-to-date with the latest news and offers.</p>
</body>

Step 4: Styling Your Email To ensure consistent rendering, it’s crucial to style your HTML email. Use inline CSS for styling individual elements. Here’s an example of styling a button:

<body>
  <button style="background-color: #0088cc; color: #ffffff; padding: 10px 20px; border-radius: 4px;">
    Read More
  </button>
</body>

Step 5: Optimize for Images: Use compressed and properly sized images to minimize the email’s file size. Always include alternative text (alt text) for images to provide context if they fail to load. Host your images on a reliable server such as Site like Imgur and Google Photos, Remember to use absolute paths to avoid broken image links.

Step 6: Testing Your HTML Email Before sending your HTML email, it’s essential to test it across different email clients and devices. One popular tool for email testing is Putsmail.com. It allows you to send test emails to various email clients and provides previews of how your email will appear. Ensure your email looks great and functions correctly across different platforms before sending it out to your subscribers.

Conclusion: Creating HTML emails requires careful consideration of email client compatibility and design consistency. By following the steps outlined in this guide and utilizing testing tools like Putsmail.com, you can ensure that your HTML emails look great and engage your audience effectively.

Additionally, On my portfolio site, https://emmanuelajako406.github.io/email-templates/ you will find a collection of professionally crafted email templates & Signatures that demonstrate my ability to create visually striking and responsive designs. These templates are customizable, allowing you to tailor them to your brand’s unique requirements and message.

Remember, a well-designed HTML email can leave a lasting impression and drive engagement for your business. Happy email crafting!

P.S. Want an email signature of your brand? Reach out and let’s craft one that makes a lasting impression.

Creating HTML Emails: A Step-by-Step Guide with Code Examples

Written by Emmanuelajako