The ultimate guide to newsletter images

Images are powerful tools for email engagement. Incorporating high-quality newsletter images can significantly boost your results.

The ultimate guide to newsletter images

If your newsletters lack visual impact, you’re missing opportunities to engage readers.

This guide will show you how to use images effectively to create more engaging newsletters.

Why newsletter images matter

Images grab attention and improve email performance. They can:

  • Boost open rates by up to 42%
  • Increase click-through rates by up to 158%
  • Improve brand recall and recognition

However, not all images are equally effective. You need the right images, used strategically.

6 best practices for using newsletter images

  1. Use high-quality images: Ensure your newsletter images are clear and professional-looking with high resolution.
  2. Maintain brand consistency: Choose newsletter images that reflect your brand’s unique style and tone.
  3. Incorporate alt text: Boost accessibility and SEO by adding descriptive alternative text to all newsletter images.
  4. Balance text and images: Avoid overwhelming your readers with too many images. Maintain a good text-to-image ratio.
  5. Use relevant visuals: Ensure your newsletter images directly relate to your content for better engagement.
  6. Test on multiple devices: Check how your newsletter images appear on various screen sizes to ensure they look great everywhere.

Free newsletter images

You don’t need a large budget to use professional-quality images in your newsletters.

Here are effective ways to get free newsletter images:

1. Create free newsletter images with AI

Minutemailer’s AI image generation feature creates custom images quickly:

  1. Describe the image you need in detail
  2. AI creates the image in seconds
  3. Review and use the generated image in your newsletter

2. Use Minutemailer’s built-in file library

Minutemailer offers a convenient built-in file library to store and manage your newsletter images. Here’s how to make the most of it:

  • Upload your images: Go to your file library in Minutemailer to upload images in JPG, PNG, and GIF formats (including animations).
  • Add alternative text: Improve accessibility and SEO by writing descriptive alt text for each image.
  • Link product images: For product-related newsletter images, add links to your website for seamless integration in your next newsletter.

3. Use customer generated content

Your customers create valuable content about your brand. With permission, you can reshare their content in your newsletter for authentic social proof. Here are ways to encourage customer-generated images:

  • Create a competition: Encourage people to post about your company or brand on social media to boost content creation.
  • Ask for a review: When people make a purchase ask them for a review including a photo of how they use your product.
  • Live events: Create a live event or use your physical location if you have a store and take some great photos of people interacting with your company and products.

4. Free stock images websites

There are many excellent sources for free images. Here are recommended options:

  • Unsplash - The best quality stock images out there.
  • Pexels - Millions of free stock images.
  • Pixabay - Over 4.5 million stock images.
  • Stocksnap.io - Millions of free stock images.
  • Lummi - AI generated stock images.

5 strategies for effective newsletter images

Once you have your images, use these strategies to maximize their impact:

  1. Mobile-first approach: 81% of people check email on their phones. Ensure your images display well on small screens.

  2. The 3-second test: Your image should grab attention within 3 seconds. Test your images with your target audience.

  3. Emotional connection: Use images that trigger emotions. Happy customers, appealing products, and engaging scenes resonate with readers.

  4. Text overlays: Add compelling headlines or messages directly on images for stronger engagement.

  5. A/B testing: Test different images to see what resonates best with your specific audience. Results vary by demographic.

How to create newsletters with free images in Minutemailer

1. Start from an image

Minutemailer allows you to create an entire newsletter based on a single image:

  1. Select or upload an image in the file library (JPG, PNG or GIF including animation)
  2. Choose “Create email from image”
  3. A new email will open in the editor with your chosen image

This feature offers a fast way to create visually appealing newsletters.

2. Using the Minutemailer email editor

The Minutemailer email editor makes it simple to incorporate newsletter images:

  1. Select or upload and insert images from your file library
  2. Move images around and adjust margins
  3. Create balanced layouts with text and images

Quick start guide for newsletter images

Here’s a summary to get started quickly:

  1. Sign up for Minutemailer
  2. Create an email from an image – Simple and professional
  3. Use AI to generate custom images when needed
  4. Always optimize for mobile devices
  5. Test, measure, and refine your approach based on results

Ready to improve your email marketing?

Quality newsletter images are essential for standing out in crowded inboxes.

Try these strategies in your next campaign to see improvements in open rates, click-throughs, and overall engagement.