Email designers have started to realize that emails overloaded with images fail to evoke attention. Minimalism is the way to go, allowing the email content to shine–in this case, product photography.

Emails entertaining subscribers keep them engaged and increase click-to-open rates. Gamification is one such creative approach, with brands experimenting with word games and scratch cards to drive engagement.

1. F-Pattern Layouts

The F-Pattern Layout is a layout that is designed to guide user’s eyes across blocks of information on your site in a way that feels natural and comfortable. It takes into account the fact that most people prefer to read top to bottom and left to right, and aims to leverage this to drive user-engagement on your page.

This eye-scanning pattern is typically observed on pages that have a lot of text, making it ideal for text-heavy blogs, news sites and thematic editorials. It also works well for search results pages, where users will often start at the top of the results and then scan down. The first few words on a line of text tend to receive more gazes than subsequent ones, and this is the best place to highlight important keywords or phrases. This is why it’s common to see short catching headlines in the top position of a piece of content.

Following this, readers will read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement, according to Emails Nest. This additional element forms the “F’s lower bar.” Finally, they will scan a vertical line down the content’s left side in a movement that would create a solid stripe on an eye-tracking heatmap.

While it’s difficult to control how people will move their eyes around your website, the F-Pattern is a good place to start when trying to optimize your design. Bearing this in mind will help you better understand the visual hierarchy of your website and prioritize the elements that need to be seen by your audience. Keeping the F-Pattern in mind will also give you a better understanding of where to position interactive features such as videos or infographics on your page.

2. Compartment Email Layout

When it comes to email structure, email layout is one of the most important factors. This is because it determines how your email looks to readers, which will decide whether they read it or take the desired action. The email layout also determines how the content is displayed in your email. Email content includes text, images and CTA buttons. It is important to have a clear and organized layout so that it can be read easily.

When choosing an email template, there are many different types of layouts that you can use. These include single-column, multiple-column and hybrid-column layouts. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks. For example, the multiple-column layout is ideal for emails that contain a lot of visual content. It allows you to showcase your products in an organized manner and is perfect for email campaigns like product launches, feature updates and special offers.

However, the multiple-column email layout is not optimal for all email campaigns as it may not be suitable for mobile devices. Therefore, it is essential to test your email template with a usability testing tool to make sure that it works well on all devices.

Another type of layout is the inverted pyramid. This email layout pattern follows a simple visual hierarchy – it starts with an eye-catching visual or catchy content and then narrows down the user’s focus until they reach the main call-to-action.

Emails are sent to hundreds of people every day, so it is important that your email is able to grab the attention of your subscribers right from the beginning. This can be done by creating a compelling subject line and email preheader text that is clear and concise.

4. Gamification

Emails have long been known as a means of conveying serious business messages. But with rising concerns about screen glare, information overload, and short attention spans, emails are increasingly being crafted to deliver a bit of eye candy. In response, some brands are experimenting with new designs and interactive features that engage the audience.

Gamification is one way to do this. It can take the form of quizzes, puzzles, or even progress bars and notifications that can help your subscribers stay engaged with your brand and convert them into customers. Using a quiz builder, you can easily create and integrate these elements into your email marketing campaigns. But be careful not to overdo it — overly gamified emails can feel off-putting and interrupt the user experience.

Another 2023 email design trend is a simple yet impactful use of color. Bright, happy hues evoke positive emotions and give your emails a fun and fresh look. This approach is especially effective when combined with other trends, such as dark mode and neon colors, to create a jovial and vibrant effect.

Email marketers are also embracing visual storytelling by incorporating illustrations and animations into their content. These can be used to showcase the different stages of a product’s lifecycle or tell your brand’s story. Animated GIFs can be used to add movement and capture the attention of your subscribers, but it is important to keep in mind that too much movement can cause eyestrain. In order to avoid this, some brands are opting for a more subtle approach by adding a stop-motion style of animation to their emails. This gives the email a more organic and authentic look that resonates well with subscribers.

5. AMP

Emails have always been a bit of an odd duck among the communication channels. But they continue to be a key marketing tool for companies, particularly for B2C marketers. This year, marketers will embrace more playful and entertaining designs to stand out in the inbox and engage their audience.

Emails are becoming more like e-magazines, with their own stories and features to keep subscribers interested and entertained. Brands will take their audience on a journey with creative emails, including interactive elements such as quizzes and games, to boost engagement and retention.

While gamification is a great way to engage your audience, you should also remember that your email should still focus on the message and call-to-action. Using gamification as a supplement to your overall email strategy will boost performance and help you achieve diverse marketing goals, such as educating your audience or increasing anticipation for product launches.

For example, software as a service (SaaS) businesses can use gamification in their emails to promote demo bookings and improve onboarding experience. Or, travel and hospitality companies can entice consumers to book their tickets with email campaigns featuring real-time booking availability.

With a focus on the user and data-driven personalization, brands are going beyond the basics to create email experiences that are truly tailored to their audience. This trend is fueled by the use of AI to evaluate user data and purchase history to optimize email layouts, and even create bespoke copy.

It’s important to note that just because these email design trends are popular, it doesn’t mean that they will stay popular for the long-term. Ultimately, what works best for your business will be determined by your own audience and the unique personality of your brand. So, experiment and track your metrics to see if the latest trends work for you.