The Email Mistakes Designers Keep Making (And How to Avoid Them)
The email was gorgeous — gradients, icons, balanced whitespace, and elegant typography. It looked perfect in Figma. But when the team tested it in Outlook, things went sideways fast: fonts were missing, buttons misaligned, and the layout broke on mobile. What happened?
This wasn’t a failure of creativity — it was a failure of understanding the medium.
Email isn’t a playground for web design experiments. It’s a battleground of inconsistent rendering engines, outdated clients, and brutal technical constraints. Designers who treat email like a modern web canvas often end up with broken layouts, frustrated developers, and disappointed users.
But here’s the good news: most of these mistakes are avoidable. And you don’t have to lose your creative voice to design emails that actually work.
Mistake #1: Designing for the Browser, Not the Inbox
Email clients are not browsers. They don’t support the latest CSS, and many reject external styles altogether. If you design your layout assuming flexbox, grid, or JavaScript-enhanced interactions will work — prepare to be disappointed.
How to fix it: Design within the constraints of HTML tables, inline styles, and mobile-first principles. Understand what’s possible across major clients like Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail. Use layout-safe components: stacked sections, bulletproof buttons, and tested typography styles.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Fallbacks
Custom fonts? Great — but only if you include fallbacks. Images for headers? Eye-catching — but not if they’re your only text. Many designers forget that some clients block images by default or ignore fonts they don’t recognize.
How to fix it: Always specify font stacks, write image alt text, and ensure your email communicates clearly even if images fail. Don’t rely on style to carry the message. Design for degradation — and make it graceful.
Mistake #3: Overcomplicating the Visual Hierarchy
Emails are scanned, not read. If your layout features five competing colors, three CTA buttons, and nested visual elements, your reader won’t know where to focus. Overdesign leads to underperformance.
How to fix it: Use a clear visual hierarchy: one heading, one CTA, clear spacing, and consistent alignment. Apply the “squint test” — if you squint and can’t tell where the eye should go first, simplify.
Mistake #4: No Consideration for Dark Mode
Dark mode is now the default for millions of users. If your email design doesn’t account for dark mode rendering quirks, you might end up with invisible text, distorted logos, or ghosted backgrounds.
How to fix it: Test emails in dark mode across multiple clients. Avoid transparent PNGs where possible, use system-friendly colors, and ensure contrast ratios are still accessible. Some ESPs allow targeting dark mode with media queries — use that to your advantage.
Mistake #5: Designing Without Thinking About Mobile
More than half of all email opens happen on mobile. If your design requires pinching, zooming, or horizontal scrolling — you’ve already lost half your audience.
How to fix it: Design mobile-first. Use single-column layouts, large tappable buttons, and generous spacing. Keep text legible and avoid placing links too close together. Test your design at common breakpoints like 375px and 600px.
Mistake #6: Not Thinking Like a User
Designers often focus on how an email looks — not how it feels. But the reader isn’t grading your layout. They’re asking: Is this helpful? Does it make sense? Can I act on it quickly?
How to fix it: Design emails like conversations. Ask yourself: What’s the user trying to do? What do they need next? How can I make that step obvious and easy?
Mistake #7: Failing to Collaborate with Developers
Designers often throw a static file over the fence, assuming the developer will “figure it out.” But without real collaboration, the developer is forced to interpret — or compromise — without understanding your vision.
How to fix it: Sit with your developer early. Ask what’s possible. Learn the limitations. Walk through the design together. A 15-minute call can save hours of back-and-forth and preserve the integrity of your work.
Mistake #8: Skipping Testing
Just because it looks great in your desktop preview doesn’t mean it will look right in Gmail on Android or Outlook 2016. Email is famously inconsistent — and skipping QA is like driving without headlights at night.
How to fix it: Use tools like Litmus or Email on Acid to test across clients. Create a testing checklist. Check alignment, font rendering, alt text, button behavior, and dark mode. Never send blindly.
Bonus Mistake: Prioritizing Beauty Over Function
There’s a temptation to “wow” with every design — but your audience just wants clarity. The most effective emails aren’t always the most beautiful. They’re the most usable.
How to fix it: Don’t design to impress other designers. Design to serve real people — tired, busy, distracted people. Keep it simple. Keep it real. Keep it actionable.
What Great Email Designers Do Differently
- They design within real-world constraints — not idealistic ones
- They test relentlessly, even when they’re sure
- They talk to developers before starting the design
- They use components and patterns that are known to work
- They advocate for the user, not just the brand
When you treat email like a product — not a one-off — your design improves. Your message lands. Your audience responds.
Final Thoughts: Simplicity Is Your Superpower
Email is messy. But it’s also one of the most direct, personal, and powerful communication tools you have. If you can design emails that are clear, trustworthy, and usable — you win.
So avoid the fancy mistakes. Embrace the humble patterns. And always, always design with both your user and your developer in mind.
Still thinking it through? Contact me here and I’ll help you get it right.