Mobile devices are slowly conquering the world of email marketing. Depending on the list you analyze, about twenty percent and even more read their email on a smartphone. That means that you should keep up. You need to consider some new elements.
With some minor changes you can improve the reading experience on mobile screens. First you have to play with the font size. For plain text 13 pixels is acceptable. On a traditional screen that’s very large, but on a mobile screen that’s just big enough to being read easily. You also need to choose wise when using images. Bandwidth is something you need to consider. Highlight your links with bigger fonts and larger spaces, so that even a thick finger can easily navigate. Opt for single-column designs.
Unique layout
But you can take a step further. When you change all these things in your original design, it will also apply to desktop screens. There is a huge difference between a ‘scaled design’, where the layout on your desktop is being scaled to a mobile screen, versus a responsive design. Responsive design is the best choice for your email marketing strategy. Using CSS3 you will test which size of screen your reading is using. Depending on the answer, you will display a different design.
Find the limit
When testing you should choose a limit when you’re going to change the desktop design for your mobile design. With the technology that is used today, you best choose for 480px. But be aware. In the rapidly changing market of smartphones you should test the dimensions to the technical aspects of new models. In the typical mobile design you take into account font size and images. You may even consider to completely forget about the images. Because content should always prevail over layout. The less bells and whistles, the better your message is expressed. And that’s the point.
