Email Templates and Best Practices

Note for Beginners: View E-Communications Basics before working with our templates.

Convio

Convio email marketing software enables you to deliver large volumes of email efficiently with sophisticated subscriber management, customizable templates and useful performance data.

• Training: UW Advancement Training and Support (ATS) supports all Convio users. Contact them to set up Convio training at advhelp@uw.edu or (206) 221-3947.
• Setup: After establishing permissions with ATS, provide a list of your desired email subscribers by uploading here. Include the subscriber first and last name and email, as well as any additional information you wish to use.

Design

• Best practices for e-newsletter design
• University Brand Guidelines

Header Guidelines

The header, also known as the masthead, refers to the graphic at the top of a message containing the name of the e-communication. These guidelines help ensure that the header you create or order complies with the UW’s visual brand standards.

• Photos: Incorporate either generic or textured photos in your header. Generic photos should have a strong right-hand focal point so that the name of the e-communication is easy to read.
• Patch & Band: All UW e-communications should contain the patch and band graphic element. See brand recommendations for utilizing the patch and band, including transparency, relative size suggestions and correct placement. The University of Washington academic seal should only be used for official academic purposes (see guidelines).
• Sizing: The recommended header width is 600 pixels (px), which provides maximum visibility in a variety of email programs. Headers should be at least 100 pixels high; all UW Marketing templates utilize a 190-pixel header.
• Content: Your header should include either the UW word mark with the unit listed separately or your full department signature (see examples).
• Fonts & Colors: The fonts and colors you use in your e-communications should adhere to the university guidelines.
  • Sans serif fonts: Frutiger or Arial
  • Serif fonts: Matrix (available in the Signature Logo Art Pack on the Brand Guidelines page)
  • Colors: See web color guidelines.
• Link Bar: The link bar, placed under the header image, complements the band in color and size. Links to Web pages and social media should be readable and right justified.
• Text: Readability is key in e-newsletter and e-invitation header content. Consider using drop shadows, bold typeface and similar elements to help text stand out from the background image. Refer to university brand guidelines for suggestions.

Header Templates

If you are proficient in the graphic software programs Adobe Photoshop or InDesign, you can download the layered PhotoShop files below to create your own header graphic. If your unit needs additional design resources, contact Creative + Communications or UW Creative.

If you want to incorporate a photo into your header, you can find a wide selection in our photo database.

Example Headers

Content Guidelines

See the Content Guide for the best ways to engage your audience.

Dimensions: As with headers, the recommended width for the body of your e-communication is 600 pixels (px), which provides maximum visibility in a variety of email programs without generating a horizontal scroll bar.

Layout: UW Marketing templates are available in both 1-column and 2-column layouts.

Footer Content: There are special requirements for footer content that help ensure compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act and provide recipients with a consistent way to find contact and subscription management links.

Required elements:

• Your department’s physical address
• The email copyright date
• A direct contact link
• A privacy policy link
• An unsubscribe link, which is automatically inserted by Convio

Templates
Download these html files and open in an html editor such as Dreamweaver or Notepad. Replace placeholder graphics such as the header image with your preferred content.

*Note: These files are intended to work with an html program and will not transfer to an Outlook message.

Example E-communications

• Foster School Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Foster CIE
• School of Nursing: Connections Monthly