Creating a great EMail Signature

So you want to get started creating a great email signature? Here are the steps you should go through to make it happen. Create your email signature in pure HTML Host images on your website Install in your email client Create your signature Email signatures should be created in basic HTML to ensure they work […]
Last updated: September 3, 2014

So you want to get started creating a great email signature? Here are the steps you should go through to make it happen.

  • Create your email signature in pure HTML
  • Host images on your website
  • Install in your email client

Create your signature

Email signatures should be created in basic HTML to ensure they work on as many email clients as possible.

Here are a couple of hints on what makes a good email signature:

  1. Include your name, company name, website URL and phone number – most important!
  2. Include a few of your important company social media profile links – useful!
  3. Don’t include lots of crazy coloured text, or paragraphs of it. People read email on a mobile device more than desktop now.
  4. Keep the images to a minimum, no one wants to download a load of data unnecessarily

First create your signature, in an HTML file, on your computer. Preview it on the browser and check you have what you need. Do a few test runs by sending it to a few friends, by copy / pasting it into your own email client.

Of course, if all of this is too hard, you can contact us for help, or check out the numerous gig’s on Fiverr.com that can help you produce an email signature.

Host images on your website

Your email is not a website, and as such to avoid those annoying attachment icons, but there is no attachment, you should host the images in your email on your website. Preferably on a secure server. This means a server using SSL so that any web client can display the image. If you can’t so this on your own server, then try out a service like imgur.com.

This used to be an issue, as clients like Gmail didn’t download images by default for security reasons. Hackers were able to generate code and push it through an image. However Gmail changed its rules December 12th, 2013 and all images are filtered by them and displayed by default.

Install your signature in your email client

WINDOWS LIVE MAIL

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Once logged in, on the Home tab, click “Email message”
  • In the body of the Windows Live message, paste that content
  • Click File > “Save as file”
  • Browse to where you want to save the file and enter a file name
  • Change the Save as type field to HTML Files (*.htm, *.html) and save
  • Click File > Options > Mail
  • In Options dialogue box, click the “Signatures” tab
  • Under Signatures, click “New”
  • Under Edit Signature, click File > Browse and select the HTML file you just created
  • Click “OK”

OUTLOOK CLIENT

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • In Outlook, click Tools > Options and then go to the “Mail Format” tab
  • Under the Signatures section, click the “Signatures” button
  • Click “New”
  • Enter a name and be sure “Start with a blank signature” radio button is selected then click “Next”
  • In Edit Signature window, click “Advance Edit” which will open up the default editor
  • Paste your content and save
  • When returning back to Mail Format tab, be sure to select your new file in the “Signature for new messages” drop-down and hit “Apply”

OUTLOOK.COM

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Once logged-in, click the Settings gear icon
  • Select “More mail settings” and then “Message font and signature” under Writing email
  • Select “Edit in HTML” option and paste your content
  • Click “Save”

GMAIL

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Once logged-in to Gmail, click on the Settings gear icon
  • Under “General” tab, scroll down until you find the Signature section
  • Click inside the Signature box and paste your content
  • Check the box that reads “Insert this signature before…”
  • Save changes

YAHOO

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Once logged-in to Yahoo mail, select Options > Mail Options
  • Go to the Signature category and click “Color and Graphics” if you don’t see an HTML formatting toolbar
  • Click inside the Signature box and paste your content
  • Save changes

AIM / AOL MAIL

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Once logged-in to email portal, click the Settings link from the top navigation bar
  • Go to “Compose” category and be sure “Use Signature” and “Rich Text” is selected under Signature
  • Click inside the Signature box and paste your content
  • Save changes

APPLE MAIL

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Go to Mail > Preferences and click the “Signatures” tab
  • Click the “Add Signature” button and a text area will slide open
  • Paste your content into that text field and click Save

THUNDERBIRD

  • Open the HTML file with your signature in a browser such as Firefox, or Chrome
  • Drag, select all and copy the content in the HTML signature page you have
  • Open a rich text editor such as Microsoft Word or Wordpad and paste your content
  • Save the file as signature.html (must be an HTML file) to a place it will never be deleted
  • From the main Thunderbird menu, go to Tools > Account Settings
  • Select the account you wish to apply this signature to
  • Be sure the “Attach this signature” box is ticked
  • Browse and select your signature.html file and click “OK”

Note: Outgoing e-mail signatures are not supported by iPhones, Android smart phones or MobileMe service

Instructions provided with an HTML signature from Sucantare on Fiverr.com

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Duncan Isaksen-Loxton

Educated as a web developer, with over 20 years of internet based work and experience, Duncan is a Google Workspace Certified Collaboration Engineer and a WordPress expert.
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