Advanced Email Design Course

Lesson 1 • Core Email Design Constraints

Identifies the technical and creative limits unique to email, including CSS support gaps. Connects constraints directly to practical design choices made throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of a Marketing Email

Breaks down every structural component of a commercial email from preheader to footer. Gives learners a shared vocabulary used in all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Email Design Goals and Metrics

Defines what success looks like in email design using measurable performance indicators. Frames design decisions as levers that directly affect open, click, and conversion rates.

Lesson 1 • Colour Theory Applied to Email

Covers colour relationships, contrast ratios, and brand palette application in email contexts. Ensures designs meet accessibility contrast standards while remaining visually compelling.

Lesson 2 • Spacing, Padding, and Layout Grids

Establishes consistent spacing systems and grid structures that create professional, scannable layouts. Prevents the cluttered or unbalanced designs common in beginner email work.

Lesson 3 • Imagery and Iconography in Email

Defines best practices for selecting, sizing, and optimising images and icons for email use. Addresses image blocking and alt text as both design and accessibility concerns.

Lesson 4 • Visual Hierarchy in Email Layouts

Teaches how size, weight, and position create a reading path that leads to the call to action. Directly improves click-through rates by reducing cognitive friction.

Lesson 1 • Inline CSS and Style Blocks

Explains when to use inline styles versus embedded style blocks and how clients handle each. Prevents common rendering failures caused by misplaced or unsupported CSS.

Lesson 2 • Typography in Email Code

Covers font stacks, web font loading, and fallback strategies that maintain readability everywhere. Connects typographic code choices to brand consistency and accessibility.

Lesson 3 • Dark Mode Coding Strategies

Addresses how major clients invert or alter colours in dark mode and how to control the output. Ensures designs remain on-brand and legible across light and dark environments.

Lesson 4 • Email-Safe HTML Structure

Teaches the table-based layout model and correct DOCTYPE usage required for broad client support. Provides the structural foundation all subsequent layout work depends on.

Lesson 1 • Transactional Email Design

Addresses the unique requirements of order confirmations, receipts, and account notifications. Balances functional clarity with brand consistency in high-open-rate messages.

Lesson 2 • Building a Scalable Template System

Introduces modular template architecture that allows teams to build new emails from reusable blocks. Reduces production time and enforces brand consistency at scale.

Lesson 3 • Newsletter and Digest Design

Teaches modular content structures that organise multiple articles or updates into a scannable format. Connects editorial hierarchy to reader engagement and list retention.

Lesson 4 • Promotional Email Design

Covers layout patterns, urgency cues, and offer presentation for sales and promotional campaigns. Applies visual hierarchy principles to maximise click-through on commercial offers.

Lesson 1 • CTA Button Design Fundamentals

Covers size, colour, shape, and label copy for buttons that attract clicks across all devices. Connects button design directly to the visual hierarchy established in earlier chapters.

Lesson 2 • CTA Placement and Repetition

Defines rules for where and how often to place CTAs based on email length and content type. Prevents oversaturation while ensuring the action is always within reach.

Lesson 3 • Persuasion Principles in Email Layout

Applies social proof, authority, and reciprocity cues within email layout to support conversion. Connects behavioural psychology to specific design and content placement decisions.

Lesson 1 • Colour and Contrast Accessibility

Applies contrast ratio standards to text, buttons, and UI elements within email designs. Ensures content is readable for users with low vision or colour vision deficiencies.

Lesson 2 • Keyboard and Motor Accessibility

Addresses focus states, tap target sizing, and link spacing for users with motor impairments. Connects mobile touch design from earlier chapters to broader accessibility needs.

Lesson 3 • Cognitive Accessibility in Email

Simplifies layout complexity, language, and animation to support users with cognitive differences. Improves overall readability and comprehension for all subscribers.

Lesson 4 • Accessibility Testing and Auditing

Introduces tools and manual checks used to audit email accessibility before deployment. Establishes a repeatable QA process that integrates with the production workflow.

Lesson 1 • Link, Image, and Content QA

Teaches systematic checks for broken links, missing images, and incorrect dynamic content. Prevents subscriber-facing errors that damage brand trust and campaign performance.

Lesson 2 • Cross-Client Rendering Testing

Covers tools and methods for previewing emails across desktop, webmail, and mobile clients. Identifies the highest-priority client combinations based on audience data.

Lesson 3 • Email QA Process Overview

Defines the full QA workflow from code review to final send approval, including roles and checkpoints. Establishes a professional standard that prevents costly post-send errors.

Lesson 4 • Deliverability and Spam Testing

Introduces spam scoring tools and content practices that protect inbox placement rates. Connects design and copy decisions to technical deliverability outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Iterative Design and Version Control

Establishes a structured process for updating templates based on performance data and feedback. Introduces version control habits that keep template libraries organised over time.

Lesson 2 • Reading Email Analytics for Designers

Translates open rate, click map, and scroll depth data into actionable design insights. Connects performance metrics introduced in Chapter 1 to real campaign data interpretation.

Lesson 3 • File Size and Load Performance

Covers image compression, code minification, and asset optimisation to reduce email load time. Directly improves rendering speed and reduces data costs for mobile subscribers.

Lesson 4 • Building a Performance Improvement Roadmap

Synthesises analytics, test results, and accessibility audits into a prioritised design improvement plan. Prepares learners to present data-driven design recommendations to stakeholders.