I’ve noticed a growing trend of image-based email signatures created using templates from places like Canva. These images include contact information, social media links, and logos all wrapped up in what looks like an attempt at an aesthetically pleasing package. I think it is overkill. While they might look impressive at first glance, they create more problems than they solve.
Accessibility Nightmare
The biggest issue with image-based signatures is accessibility. When you embed contact information in an image, you’re essentially locking that information away from anyone using a screen reader. Phone numbers can’t be clicked to dial. Email addresses can’t be copied and pasted. Even if you’re not using assistive technology, trying to transcribe contact details from an image is unnecessarily frustrating.
Mobile Misery
Remember the last time you were on a slow mobile connection? Those signature images either take forever to load or don’t load at all. Without proper alt text (which most people forget to add), your contact information simply disappears.
Storage Bloat
Email chains with image signatures become bloated quickly. Each reply adds another copy of the signature image to the email. I recently saw an email thread where the actual message content was less than 1KB, but the chain had grown to over 5MB because of repeated signature images. This isn’t just wasteful – it can actually prevent emails from being sent when they hit size limits.
The Template Trap
Those Canva templates might look professional, but they’re creating a sea of sameness in our inboxes. Everyone’s signature looks like it came from the same cookie cutter. Worse, many of these templates prioritize style over substance, using fancy fonts and graphics that can break in different email clients.
A Better Way
Instead of image-based signatures, here’s what works better:
- Use plain text for all contact information
- Keep formatting simple and consistent
- If you must include a logo, make it small and optimize it properly
- Use HTML to make phone numbers clickable on mobile
- Ensure all information is accessible to screen readers
The most professional email signature is one that works for everyone, every time. It doesn’t need to be flashy – it needs to be functional. When someone needs to reach you, they shouldn’t have to wait for images to load or struggle to copy your phone number.
Our inboxes are cluttered enough without adding unnecessary images to every message. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways: plain text, properly formatted, gets the job done every time.
I’ve tried to read Moby Dick several times but I’ve always been interrupted. I start off strong by reading a little every night but then I skip one night. From there it goes down hill and I never finish.
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