If you're reading this blog, you use email a crazy amount. But do you feel like you've really mastered it yet?

Often, we are so caught up in the message we are trying to get across in an email, that we actually lose track of the things that matter most; sentence structure, grammar, punctuation...and email signatures! When was the last time you really looked at yours?

Having a good looking email signature isn't just about telling people what your job title is, or giving out your contact info willy-nilly. It is an opportunity to show off your company or personal branding, and leave a lasting (and hopefully positive!) impression.

Here are 5 useful tips to take your email signature to the next level.

#1 - Keep It Short

Email signatures should be between 3-5 lines and only include the necessary contact information.  This will make it look clean and easy to read.  Once you have the format down, then you can get into the aesthetic.

Here's an example of how you can keep it appealing and still informative:

#2 - Include Social Media Links

Social media is a huge part of your branding, whether for your professional or personal life.  It allows you to add that personal touch, and give your reader an indication of what you, or your brand, stands for.  Including social media, links are a great way to gain followers and create transparency around your brand.  Try to use simple icons as links to these accounts if possible!

#3 - Keep It Consistent

When choosing fonts and colors, it is important to remember that your signature is an extension of you/your company, so make sure it is on brand.  Your email signature should use the exact same colours, fonts, shapes, and images your official branding does. These are the small but noticeable touches that give a brand more value and credibility. Some signatures even include a profile photo, which can be helpful if you are frequently meeting with new clients.

#4 - Use Space Dividers

Sometimes it is hard to not jam-pack your signature with tons of information.  One way to combat that is to use space dividers.  This is a great way to break up different types of information, like your logo, name and contact information, or even a call to action.  A very common divider used is the glyph divider, which is the vertical bar symbol (i.e., I.)

#5 - Use Hierarchy to Direct the Eye

Since all of the information in your signature is important, a hierarchy is needed to separate it visually, as well as guide the reader's eye. Using font weights, color, or scale to direct the eye of the reader to the information you want them to see first.  For example, having your name in a larger size, coloured and bolded at the top, like you see here, signals to the reader to start reading the information there.

Although all these bits of advice are rather intuitive, it might be difficult to implement everything mentioned. If you want to make your email signature perfect, don’t hesitate to use an online generator like Newoldstamp. It allows you to create and modify an email signature via a simple editor. Adding social links, photos, and promo banners with plain HTML are somewhat daunting. However, using software that streamlines the work for you makes the whole process a lot easier. You can even create a master signature so that your employees have similar signature templates. Use the code NOSSHIFT for 25% off the paid version of Newoldstamp today! 

Spend the time to create a professional, clean and well thought out email signature. Your recipients will appreciate it!