Content Guidelines
On This Page
Strong email content is essential for connecting with your audience and driving engagement. Follow these guidelines to write clear, concise emails that align with NC State brand standards and communicate effectively with your recipients.
Email Text
Your email copy should be written to follow the NC State brand. The Writing for NC State page on the brand website provides writing guidelines on editorial style, respecting your audience, using the Think and Do mantra, and voice and tone.
Order
Recipients scan emails quickly, often reading only the first few lines. Lead with your most important information and calls to action to maximize visibility, and use a logical flow to guide readers toward the action you want them to take.
Length
Shorter emails render consistently across devices and have higher read-through and engagement rates from readers, especially on mobile devices. Keep email content concise by using links to direct readers to your website for more detailed information.
Check that your email is an ideal length by viewing the email preview page, which displays a box to the right of the email indicating whether it meets length requirements. Open the email preview page by clicking the computer icon in the top right corner of the editor and clicking “Preview in new tab.”
Block Strategy
Varying your block types improves readability and engagement. Different blocks create visual hierarchy, break up dense text, provide natural rest points for the eye and signal shifts between ideas or sections. This variety helps readers navigate your content more easily, increasing the likelihood they’ll read through your entire email.
Animated Blocks
Three blocks in the Email Builder use animation:
Use one animated block per email. Excessive animation distracts readers, increases file size and can trigger accessibility issues for some recipients. Always use animated blocks for their intended purpose: one header at the beginning of your email and a divider only within the body content.