How does email rendering work?


There are 15,000 different email rendering previews. Email rendering verifies how to optimally display your emails for various web clients, email clients, and devices that your customers use. Five key factors determine how an email renders:


  • Operating systems: Apple, Windows, and Linux all have different structures and policies.

  • Email service provider: Email platforms display their own templates differently. They operate mobile stacking and font adjustments based on their settings. So elements appear differently across every ESP.

  • Screen size: Emails should adjust to varying screen sizes of different smartphones, desktops, laptops, and tablets.

  • App and web-based email clients: Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo display HTML differently and may disable certain features.

  • Images enabled or blocked: Often, email clients block images. So, your email must convey the message without the intended imagery.


The following examples illustrate how rendering works: 



So why is email rendering important for MSPs?


Email rendering creates a seamless user experience for customers. This is especially true for HTML emails. It helps ensure your design and message are presented as expected. Consider the following to know why email rendering is crucial:


  • Continuous changes in operating systems and browsers, sometimes without an update.

  • Modifications made by email service providers affect your email’s code, such as stripping JavaScript or <embed> codes.

  • New, upcoming email design trends that appeal to your audience.


Further, the email layout changes basis the email client your customers use. In fact, the email client's rendering engine does it all regardless of how you have designed the appearance. Most modern-day email providers follow basic HTML/CSS to render emails. But Microsoft Outlook's --Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016--tricky rendering engine offers minimal support to basic HTML/CSS. These versions use Microsoft Word to render HTML emails, leading to limited support for HTML and CSS. 


Rendering and testing emails go hand-in-hand when it comes to your ROI. For example, if your email appears off to a prospect who uses Gmail or opens it on a tablet, you’re potentially missing out on converting them.


Testing emails takes time. But it’s the only way to ensure your email is free of errors and renders correctly on every device. The extra effort exceeds the reward of meeting your bottom line and acquiring new or repeat customers.


How to troubleshoot email rendering issues?


Email technology is evolving to fit user preferences. As a result, MSPs must ensure they adhere to email best practices to produce desired results. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to email standards and online platforms, the following best practices can ensure your emails will be viewed correctly. 


  • Preview designs in real devices - phone, tablet, or laptop to see how the design looks.

  • Emails need to be sized around 600px wide and under 102kb size to load quickly and get delivered better.

  • Include a fallback background colour behind the original image in case the image doesn’t render.

  • Set fallback fonts and CSS to accommodate Outlook. Otherwise, the content will appear in Times New Roman. Avoid custom fonts and utilize something universal like Arial or Helvetica.

  • Utilize a bulletproof button that includes a small snippet of in-line CSS and HTML.




How can Zomentum help?


To overcome email rendering constraints, Zomentum Email Editor recommends avoiding copy-pasting the content. Because it might break emails on some platforms like Outlook, however, you can paste the content per your convenience as depicted below:



Note: We recommend you avoid using Paste with Formatting specifically if you or your clients use Outlook as the email client.