Adding a background image to your email campaigns is a highly underrated process that very few marketers use. However, it can quickly take your email campaigns from drab and boring to exciting. When deciding to use full background images in your emails, you might want it to look like a magazine cover, so how do you avoid it turning into a dated Myspace page? Keep reading to find out the benefits of email backgrounds and what they have to offer your marketing campaigns.
What Are Background Images in Emails?
As the name suggests, background images for email have the image element placed in the background of the HTML (or code). This means that the image is embedded directly into the background, and the text of your email goes on top of it. This is completely different from just adding an image to your email. In this case, the image will just appear in the body of your message, and any typed text won’t go over it.
You may be thinking, why not create an image with the text already added and simply upload that to your email? That way, you have the background and text without having to rely on coding or using an email marketing tool like Chimp or MailerLite. However, you’ll soon discover the drawback of trying this method.
Firstly, when you create an image with text and multiple elements, the file size increases. Many email clients have restrictions on file sizes, and if your file is too large, you won’t be able to upload it to your email.
Another reason why this might not work is that not all email clients display the in-message images or background pics. If all of your text is within the image, the reader won’t be able to see anything.
If you have some graphic design skills, you can design the background image for your emails yourself. This is a great option if you’re looking for something specific, as it enables you to keep your brand in mind while designing your background images. Alternatively, you can use sources like Pexels, Unsplash, and Picjumbo to download royalty and license-free email background images.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Background Image in Emails?
Creating visually appealing email campaigns is a good way to stand out among your competitors. The best background image also increases your conversion rate, as readers are more likely to interact with emails that draw their attention and elicit emotions. Using a background image in emails can be a great way to add that visual element your email is lacking. But you can always keep it simple by using a single color for your background.
Alternatively, you can choose to add different backgrounds to different elements of your emails. Finally, if you’re brave and it matches your brand, you can even use bold and patterned mail background images.
Using a background for email campaigns has the following benefits:
- Increases conversions
- Gives your emails a professionally finished look
- Turns your emails into mini-websites
- Makes your emails stand out and grab attention
- Gets subscribers to continue reading
How to Add Backgrounds to Emails
There are two main ways of creating a background email. The first is by embedding the background directly into the HTML of your email. This process requires some basic coding skills. Alternatively, you can use a drag-and-drop email builder like Mailchimp or MailerLite to easily add a background to your emails without needing to code.
How to Add Backgrounds Using HTML
When it comes to coding the background for emails, there are a few ways you can do this in HTML. The first is by using table background attributes. Alternatively, you can also use in-line CSS styles or embedded CSS styles. There are numerous guides available online to give you step-by-step instructions on any of these processes.
How to Add Backgrounds Using a Drag-and-Drop Editor
The easiest and fastest way to add a mailer background image is to use an email builder tool. These tools have been designed to make creating visually stunning email campaigns easier. Most of these tools will have a background option available on their menu. If you want to add an email background, you simply add an image or color here, and it will automatically be applied to the background of your email.
Best Practices for Adding Images to the Background of Emails
Let’s take a quick look at some of the best practices when you add an email background image.
Know Which Email Clients Display Background Images
You should keep in mind that not all email clients will display images when you decide to use any image or background in your campaigns. If all of your clients use email clients that don’t show images, then you could be wasting your time by creating beautiful backgrounds for your campaigns.
Size of Your Background Image
The size of your chosen image is also important. The larger the file, the longer it will take to open and view. This can cause the reader to exit the email before reading it, or it might just not show fully. The recommended maximum file size for a background is 1 MB.
Add Alt-Text as a Backup
If you decide to use backgrounds regardless of your subscribers’ email clients, it’s a good idea to add alt-text to your image. This way, if the image isn’t displayed, the reader will receive a text telling them what the image was about. This way, they don’t miss out. You should also choose a plain background color to show with your email in case the image doesn’t appear.
Choose the Right Background Image
Your text and call-to-action should be the focus of your email, not the background. As such, make sure to choose a background that’s appropriate and highlights your text and CTA, and adds more value to the content of your messages.
Final Thoughts
Including a background image in your email campaigns is a great way to draw attention and get more conversions when used properly. You can add them using coding or by using an email builder tool.
If you want to monitor the effectiveness of your email campaigns to see if adding backgrounds makes a difference, take a look at the Free Email Tracker for Gmail extension. This useful tool works directly in Gmail and shows you when the email was opened, how many times, and much more.
