Study first
Review the ideas behind the questions
Check the Mailchimp design setup before an email moves to final review. Focus on the starting template, content blocks, mobile layout readability, complete button links, and useful image fallback text.
Pick the right starting point
A beginner email design decision starts with the builder and template source. Choose whether you need a blank start, saved brand layout, earlier sent email, or custom code.
- Mailchimp has a new builder and a legacy builder for creating emails and templates.
- The new builder is available for regular emails, automation-flow email actions, and several other email surfaces.
- Saved templates are reusable designs that can be edited with new content for future marketing emails.
In Practice
Reuse the right kind of previous work
Use a saved template for a repeatable brand layout. Use a recently sent email when the goal is to copy a finished earlier design as the starting point.
Treat code-your-own as advanced
A beginner should not choose custom HTML just because a normal template needs copy and image edits.
Common mistakes
Starting from custom HTML when the team only needs a normal reusable brand layout.
Create or select a saved template unless custom code is truly needed and the right plan and coding skill are available.
Q&A
What should a team use for a repeatable brand email layout?
Use a saved email template so future emails can start from the approved design.
When does a recently sent email fit as the starting point?
Use it when the team wants an exact copy of a previous send to edit for a new email.
Build the layout from blocks
Content blocks and layouts control how the email is assembled. Keep the structure simple, know where columns come from, and respect block limits.
- Content blocks are the building blocks for the email design and message.
- Layouts create columned areas for email content.
- Multi-column email layouts need mobile checks because they can display poorly when done incorrectly.
In Practice
Use columns only when they help
A two- or three-column row can make products or links easier to scan, but it should still preview cleanly on mobile.
Simplify cramped mobile sections
If product cards, text, or images become hard to read on a phone, adjust the section before approval instead of judging only the desktop version.
Common mistakes
Approving a multi-column product section because it looks good only on desktop.
Check the mobile version and simplify or stack the section if it becomes hard to read or tap.
Q&A
What should be checked before approving a multi-column email section?
Check how it renders on mobile and adjust it if the content becomes hard to read or tap.
Why might a one-column layout be safer for a simple mobile-heavy email?
A one-column layout is easier to read on mobile and tends to break more gracefully across devices.
Make blocks usable before send
A good-looking email still needs usable buttons and images. Button links need valid web addresses, and image blocks need file choices and alt text that still work when images are blocked.
- Button blocks need an absolute web address that includes http:// or https://.
- Images should use PNG, JPG, or GIF files, and RGB color mode or profile.
- Alt text describes an image when recipients cannot view it or use a screen reader.
In Practice
Use real web links on buttons
Before checks, check button links for a complete http:// or https:// address, not just a short path or internal note.
Keep sensitive files out of the public gallery
Do not upload private drafts, customer exports, or confidential files into the content gallery.
Common mistakes
Relying on an image-only offer without alt text.
Add concise alt text so recipients who cannot view images can still understand the image's value.
Q&A
What should a button URL include?
Use an absolute web address with http:// or https://.
Why add alt text to an email image?
Alt text explains the image when images are blocked or a recipient uses a screen reader.