# Email Design: Balancing Text and Images for Better Results

Sending an email with only one big, beautiful, image is like sending a love letter in a spreadsheet: it's just not appropriate.

## An email is not a magazine page

But a picture is worth a 1000 words… Isn't it?

Here is the impression you will make with anyone who uses an email client that disables images by default:

If you're lucky enough to reach the inbox, that is: a big image with no text is a spammer favorite. If a big image is all you send, you might be flagged as such, causing ISPs to block you or having your email fall in the junk folder of your subscriber.

## What's to be done

You have precious few seconds to make an impression. You're lucky enough for people to have opened the email, make sure your contacts get something worth opening:

- **Use a 60-40 text to image ratio.** Always have text, and it should be more than the Unsubscribe link. Your email should be interesting even without any images
- **Your images should be no larger than 600 px**
- **Your images should be clickable**
- **Not all your images should be touching**
- **Use clear "Alt" tags.** Nothing is worse than a big blank square… except a big blank square with a tiny "Picture 1" alternate text. Give a hint as to what people are missing out on, and encourage them on the top of the email to display images to have a better experience
- **Add text links.** This will give subscribers who have not displayed the images a resource for information and may generate interest for your email

## What's an "opened email" anyways?

Opens are calculated based on images displayed and links clicked.

By having people display the images or click on the links, you'll have a better idea of the real impact your campaigns have.

## Related Articles

- [Email Design Checklist](./email-design-checklist)
- [Why Image-Only Emails Hurt Deliverability and Engagement](./why-image-only-emails-hurt-deliverability-and-engagement)
- [How to Increase Email Engagement: Proven Strategies](../engagement-optimization/how-to-increase-email-engagement-proven-strategies)