Every detail counts in email marketing. Subject lines, graphics, and CTAs get all the glory, but at Centric Squared, we’ve seen one of the most overlooked elements become one of the most effective: the email footer.
Small but mighty, your footer helps ensure compliance, encourages clicks, and builds trust. In fact, emails with optimized footers see an average increase of 12% in click-through rates and a 20% reduction in spam complaints.
Getting the footer right is a balancing act. It should be short enough to avoid clipping, but still provide useful information.
Read on to learn how to optimize your email footer and get inspired by effective footer designs. Your conversion rates will thank you.
What Should I Include In My Email Footer?
The key is to include what matters most without creating clutter. As you consider what to include, be sure to design it in such a way that your main message still shines.
And with that, here are 10 essential elements you should consider including in your footer. These recommendations are based on our extensive client experience and industry best practices so your footers turn into a quiet conversion engine.
1. Company Contact Information
Including your company’s physical address and phone number in the footer builds credibility and ensures your email looks professional. Plus, your business’s physical address (or mailing address) is required in the US by the CAN-SPAM ACT. Wuffes, for example, includes its main office address, reassuring subscribers that they are dealing with a legitimate business.
2. Unsubscribe Link
Compliance is non-negotiable in email marketing. An unsubscribe link is not just a legal requirement under laws like the CAN-SPAM (which also requires the inclusion of a physical postal address) and GDPR Act, but it’s also an opportunity to manage your audience more effectively. This could be further supported by routine list cleaning which helps in achieving compliance. Your subscribers should be able to easily opt-out of your content. Make it clear and accessible, like Supergoop’s simple “Unsubscribe” option. It’s OK if it’s small, it just needs to be clickable and preferably at the very end of your email because that’s where everyone is used to looking for it. Any other placement may feel like you’re trying to hide it.
3. Social Media Links
Make it easy for subscribers to keep up with your brand beyond email. Just link to the platforms where you’re most active – no need to list everything. Reggie, for instance, uses branded social icons that draw attention without being distracting in their email footer.
Tip: D2C brands often link to IG, TikTok, and Facebook, while B2B brands prioritize LinkedIn and X.
4. Legal Information
Including links to your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use protects both you and your subscribers. It’s also a signal that you take data protection seriously. Plus, if you have any terms for specific promotions make sure to include them here. Customers should be able to understand the terms of the promotion whenever you are promoting it. Fable, for example, includes a clear link to their privacy policy and terms of service, as well as a section on the promotional terms of their sale.
5. Secondary Call-to-Action (CTA)
Footers are prime real estate for a subtle second CTA. This could be a link to your app, a prompt to refer a friend, or a link to a help center. Use this for whatever an overarching priority is for your business. Cordial for example, has a secondary CTA to leave a review as part of their footer design.
6. Tell People How They Heard About You
It’s a good best practice to let people know why you’re emailing them. Include a short explanation. Some examples are:
- You’re receiving this email because you’ve signed up for our list.
- You’re receiving this email because we’ve done business together in the past.
- You’re receiving this email because you’ve expressed interest in [topic].
You’ll see lower spam rates when you are transparent about this and it’s a good practice for basic email etiquette.
Litmus, for example, includes a short line.
7. Social Proof
Prospective customers are always on the lookout for social proof because it helps them in the consideration phase. Showcasing testimonials or ratings can build credibility and encourage action. For example, including a Trustpilot badge or a link to recent customer reviews can make your brand more trustworthy. Eden Ashram, for example, includes its Platinum Trusted Service Award in its footer.
8. Mobile-Friendly Design
According to a recent survey, 5 in 10 smartphone users prefer to receive business communications via email. That means ensuring your footer is mobile-friendly is a must. Make sure that all links and buttons are easily tappable and that the layout remains clean and readable on small screens. This is the primary reason why simpler designs are more effective. Cheeky Bonsai, for example, does a good job with a simple footer menu & focusing on two social media platforms.
9. Email Preferences Link
If you are sending multiple types of emails, it’s important to give subscribers a way to manage their preferences. This will reduce unsubscribes and help subscribers have a personalized experience. Typically, this will lead to a “preference center” to indicate what topics they’re interested in, choosing what types of emails and how often. It’s important that the options you give subscribers are respected. Atlassian’s Loom, for example, includes a manage preferences link.
10. Branding Elements
Though your email footer is a small space, it’s also an opportunity to leave a small reminder of your brand and build familiarity over time. Reinforce your brand by including your logo, brand colors, and a tagline in the footer. Bubble does this well by using their logo and a reminder of what makes them unique.
Email Footer Mistakes That Kill Your Conversions
Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to make mistakes in the footer. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:
1. Cluttered layout: A footer packed with too many elements can overwhelm the reader and create visual fatigue and add unnecessary weight to the email that can cause clipping.
2. Tiny, unreadable fonts: Avoid forcing readers to squint or give up altogether, especially on mobile. Try to be as concise as possible instead.
3. No clear next step: If the footer has no secondary CTA or helpful navigation (like social links or a contact option), you’re missing a valuable opportunity to increase engagement.
4. Too many choices: While it’s tempting to include tons of links as a “just in case, keep it simple and purposeful. Too many choices often result in decision paralysis, where the reader clicks nothing at all.
5. No alignment with the rest of the email: A footer is an opportunity to include links that will help subscribers engage with you. Take the time to think through what that means for each campaign – your click through rates will increase when you consider the subscriber’s journey and design for it.
Great footers don’t have to be re-invented for every email. Keep a few go-to versions handy like “promotional”, “blog-focused”, or “values-focused”. This way you’re ready to go and can just focus on minor tweaks with each campaign.
About Centric Squared
At Centric Squared, we understand how these small but critical details like a well-crafted email footer can make a significant impact on your campaign’s success. If you’re ready to optimize your email footers or even your entire campaign strategy, we’re here to help. Contact us today, and let’s work together to take your email marketing to the next level.