I used to use images... and sometimes still do for client emails, depending.
But I no longer use them in my own emails and recommend you consider not using them in yours.
The number one reason is deliverability.
Unless you are using images optimized for email, they absolutely DO hurt your deliverability.
Meaning, emails are more likely to be sent to spam or Gmail's promo tab, instead of directly to the inbox.
They also affect readability.
People are reading your emails on their phone, a tablet, their laptop or the giant curved screen in their office.
Each of those devices displays your email differently
So you just never know how it's going to look in all of those different environments.
Which could affect email performance after it gets opened.
But there's one thing that irks me more than anything else about most people who use images in their emails:
The images in question do not further the content of the message itself.
Sometimes people will use animated gifs or whatever to enhance the point of the message.
That's how I do it for clients who insist on including them.
But most images are "banner" images, usually placed at the top of the email.
Where they detract from the message by forcing readers to overcome an obstacle in order to get to the body of the email.
No bueno.
I'd show you a screen grab by way of example, but...
...no images, remember? 🤣
At any rate...
If you're using images in your emails... especially at the top of the message before your body copy... and most especially if you're not optimizing those images for email deliverability...
...I recommend you take a second look.
If your open rates and click-through rates aren't where you want them, try removing images for a month or two and see if that makes any difference.
You can always add them back in later, if you want to.
Paul Keetch
