What Makes a Good Email Signature Banner?

By Jennifer Bassett | Marketing

In a time where inboxes are overflowing, and attention spans are shrinking, every interaction with a potential customer needs to be strategic.  Emails remain a cornerstone of business communication, but a standard signature with just your name and contact information is a missed opportunity.  

It’s like having a prime billboard location gathering dust—a wasted space that could be used to make a lasting impression. 

Purpose of an email signature banner

Enter the email signature banner, a powerful marketing tool that can transform your email signature from a static sign-off into a dynamic mini-ad campaign. 

In practice, it’s a graphical element that’s added to the bottom of an email signature (or, with Rocketseed, you can also add banners to the top of your emails). 

Typically a rectangular image around 650 pixels wide by 90-150 pixels tall, it’s a subtle yet impactful way to raise your email game and drive real results, encouraging recipients to take action.

So, think of your email signature banner as a miniature billboard attached to every email you send.  It offers a strategic space to achieve several key objectives:

Branding:

Every email you send is an opportunity to reinforce your brand identity. A well-designed banner that incorporates your brand colors, logo, and fonts strengthens brand recognition and consistency across all communication channels.

Promotion

Email signature banners are a fantastic way to promote upcoming events, showcase new products or services, or highlight special offers.

Engagement

A well-designed banner can grab attention and encourage recipients to take action.  By incorporating a clear call to action (CTA), you can drive website traffic, generate leads, or increase event registrations.

Key elements of a good email signature banner

How many emails do you send in a typical day? 

That’s a significant amount of real estate you can leverage with an effective email signature banner to connect with your audience on a deeper level— all without being intrusive or spammy. 

The key elements of a good email signature banner are:

Visual appeal

• Design quality: High-quality images and professional design elevate the overall look of your email signature banner.  Poor design can tarnish your brand’s reputation.  Therefore, investing in good design practices is crucial.
• Brand consistency: Your email signature banner should reflect your brand’s colors, fonts, and logo.  This consistency helps reinforce your brand identity, making your emails instantly recognizable to your recipients.

Clear messaging

• Concise text: Keep the text short and impactful. Your audience should grasp the message within seconds.  Avoid cluttering the banner with too much information; stick to the essential points.
• Call to Action (CTA): A clear and compelling CTA is vital.  Whether it’s visiting your website, registering for an event, or checking out a new product, the CTA should be easily noticeable and actionable.

Relevance

• Target audience: Tailor the banner content to your audience’s interests and needs.  Understanding your audience helps in crafting messages that resonate and drive engagement.
• Timeliness: Ensure the banner content is timely and relevant to current campaigns or events.  Outdated banners can confuse recipients and reduce the impact of your communication.

Best practices for designing email signature banners

Knowing the essential elements is just the first step.  Here are some best practices to ensure your email signature banners are effective marketing tools that convert:

1. Simplicity

• Minimalist design: Avoid cluttering your banner with excessive graphics or text.  A clean and elementary design with a clear hierarchy of information is easier to read and understand on any device.
• Focus: Keep your banner laser-focused on a single, clear message or promotion.  Don’t try to cram too much information into a small space.  Always imagine that you have a few seconds to grab someone’s attention and tell them something important.

2. Responsive design

• Mobile-friendly: We’ve all become accustomed to checking emails on the go.  With most emails currently being opened on mobile devices, it’s mission-critical for your banner to display correctly.So, ensure the design is responsive and adjusts automatically to different screen sizes.  Refrain from letting your carefully crafted banner become a jumbled mess on a smartphone screen.

• Scalability across email clients: Your banner should be like a chameleon, capable of adapting to different environments.  So, iteratively test it across popular email clients like Gmail and Outlook, to ensure a consistent presentation.Inconsistencies can break the visual flow and detract from the professionalism of your message.

3. Testing and analytics

• A/B testing: The world of marketing is all about experimentation.  Don’t be afraid to A/B test different banner designs and messages to see what resonates best with your audience.Always test variations of colors, CTAs (call-to-action), and visuals to see what combination yields the highest click-through rates (CTRs).
• Analytics: Data is your friend!  So, track your banner performance using analytics tools offered by email signature software like Rocketseed. Monitor CTRs, the number of impressions, and even where recipients click within the banner.Furthermore, always analyze the data to understand what’s working and what’s not.  This allows you to continually refine your banners and maximize engagement.

4. Integrating email signature banners into your strategy

Platforms like Rocketseed can help integrate banners into email signatures seamlessly.  These tools offer templates, analytics, and easy implementation, making your job easier.

Also read: 33 Great Email Signature Banner Examples