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Email builder overview
Designing emails in Audience Republic is easy with our drag-and-drop email builder. Whether you're sending a one-off message or creating a reusable template, this guide walks you through the essentials.
Canvas: The central area where you build your email layout.
Right-side Menu: Contains three sections:
Settings: Adjust overall email characteristics like background color, font, link color, content width, and more.
Rows: Add layout containers to organize your content.
Content: Add specific blocks like text, images, buttons, videos, and dynamic tags.
Creating your email layout
Drag and drop rows to structure your email layout.
Add Content Blocks:
Text, Headings, Paragraphs, Lists
Images and Videos
Buttons and Icons
Timers and Dividers
Menus and Social Media Links
Dynamic Tags and Tables
Insert Event Block (connects to existing events)
To delete or duplicate a component or row, just click the block you'd like to delete and click the garbage can icon that appears.
If you've designed an email you'd like to reuse, click the Template drop-down at the top of the page and select Save as Template. Want to learn more about email templates? Check out this article on using email templates.
Images & videos
Embedding videos
Most inboxes don’t support embedded videos—like YouTube or Spotify—because they rely on iframes, which many email clients block for security reasons. While some platforms (like Apple Mail, Thunderbird, and Outlook) offer limited support, major providers like Gmail and Yahoo do not. And embedded videos can trigger spam filters and hurt deliverability.
But don’t worry—there’s an easy workaround that still lets you harness the impact of video:
Take a screenshot or thumbnail of your video
Add the image to your email
Hyperlink it with the video’s URL
Images
Image Width: Keep images no wider than 600px to match standard email layouts.
File Size: Limit image size to 1MB for faster loading across devices.
File Name: Avoid using symbols like # % : @ / in file names, or the image won’t upload.
How to access your uploaded images
Open the email builder.
Drag and drop the Image block into your layout.
Click Browse.
All previously uploaded images will appear in the File Manager.
Use the search bar to quickly find specific images.
How to create a folder to organize your images
In the File Manager, click the folder icon (next to the search bar).
Name your new folder.
Click into the folder and upload new images—these will be saved within it.
Note: Files cannot be moved between folders after upload. This is because each file’s location defines its URL path. Moving it would break any links where the image is already being used.
Design settings & adjustments
Once you’ve added content blocks and rows, simply click on any part of your email layout to customize it further.
The right-hand panel will display editing options where you can adjust elements such as:
Padding: Use the padding tool under Block Options to add spacing.
Content Width: Under Settings, adjust width (max 600px for best rendering).
Link Colors: Customize link colors under Settings. To remove underlines, click the link icon in the text editor and uncheck "Underline."
Size: How big or small you'd like the content block
Undo/redo feature
Scroll to the bottom of the builder to use the back/forward arrows.
For earlier changes, click the circular history icon to choose from a list of actions.
Adding and updating event details
To add or update an event in your email:
Drag the "Insert Event" block into your email layout.
Click "Select Event" to choose from your existing events.
Note: Make sure the ticketing URL is correct and active before sending your message.
To change an existing event, click on the event block in your email, then click "Select Event" in the top right corner to choose a new one.
Always double-check that the event link is working—especially for purchase buttons.
Best practices for email design
Body Content: Be concise and use casual, engaging language.
Visuals: Add images, color, logos, and buttons to make your message pop.
Layout: Use clean, easy-to-scan layouts with clear sections.
Personalization: Use dynamic tags to personalize emails.
Sender Info: Use a professional email address (not no-reply).
CTA: Make your call-to-action buttons stand out.
Test: Always preview and send yourself a test email before sending to your list.
Accessibility: Avoid all-caps, broken links, and hard-to-read formatting.
Social Links: Add your social media channels at the bottom.
For more tips on email deliverability and best practices, check out this help article.
Specific use cases and examples
Dark mode
Dark mode
Dark Mode inverts the colors on your device to decrease the amount of light on your screen, reversing a white background and black text to a black background with white text. In order to create a quality dark mode email make sure you apply these 4 factors.
4 factors when creating a dark-mode email
Colour palette contrast shifts between light and dark backgrounds: Dark mode adjusts the background and font colours of an email to make them lighter or darker. So, if your text or background is a dark colour, the dark mode setting will change it to a lighter one.
Some email clients auto-invert colours and some don’t - here's a breakdown:
Beware of transparent images: JPG images with white backgrounds will stay how they are which doesn't look professional. This can also lead to invisible sections if transparent images are used with text.
How to avoid this? Use PNGs with transparent backgrounds, and Make sure each image section you build expands to the full width of the email and fills in any potential gaps with additional white image pieces.
Dark Mode | Light Mode |
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Text readability on changed backgrounds: Dark mode emails can sometimes cause an unwanted disappearing act in your campaigns. Suddenly black text, icons, logos, and more are invisible against dark backgrounds.
How to avoid this? Avoid putting all the text in images, reduce the image-to-text ratio, and don't put pure white text on pure black backgrounds
Match the rows and background colour: Ensure that all rows' background colours, content area colours, and borders are the same colour.
Test before sending: Test your Dark Mode emails in as many ways as possible to see how they render on the three major email platforms: Apple Mail, Gmail, and Outlook.
If nothing changes...
This generally applies to Yahoo mail and Gmail webmail. In these cases, email rendering doesn't change in dark mode. Instead, the email client UI's colour scheme is shifted.
Partial color inversion
This generally applies to outlook.com. In this case, light-coloured sections only invert to darker colours.
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How to insert a Giphy in your email
How to insert a Giphy in your email
Are you looking to add some fun and excitement to your emails? Why not try inserting a GIF? Here's how you can do it:
Before you get started
Sending large files (such as GIFs) via email is not recommended because it may cause loading delays and increase the risk of emails being flagged as spam.
Max file size: Your file size should be no larger than 5MB
Compress your GIF file HERE
How to insert a GIF in your email
All GIFs must be saved as a "GIF File"
In the email body, insert the Image content block
Then select the GIF file that you want to upload
**Make sure to send test emails before sending the real email to ensure the GIFs are working correctly
How to embed a Spotify playlist in your email?
How to embed a Spotify playlist in your email?
You cannot embed Spotify playlists as most inboxes don't support Iframe since they can potentially link to shady or malicious content, that's why most email clients disable them.
A great workaround to embed a Spotify playlist is by taking a screenshot of the playlist and then adding it as an image to your email.You can hyperlink the image to the playlist URL so your recipients can access the playlist directly.
How to edit the background image and colors
How to edit the background image and colors
Go to Messaging and click on the email or New Email to create one
Located at the sidebar, click Settings
Click on Background Color and select the color
The entire background color of the email body will then change to the selected color
How to add a background image
Click on the Settings tab, scroll down to Background image
Enable background image
Upload your image
*Ensure your image file name does NOT contain the % symbol as it will not upload*
Background image support varies across email clients. Choose a fallback content background color for optimal results
How to edit a background image within a content box
Click on the content row and drag it into the email builder body
Click on the Row, in the sidebar tab, enable Row background image
Select Change image to upload an image
Select the options: Fit to background, content area or Row, repeat or centre
To resize the image, click on the image
On the sidebar menu, click Apply Effects
Select Resize
Click Save
How to edit the background colors of your content
In the email builder, click and drag Content into the email body
Click on the Row tab (in the sidebar)
To add a background color to the content only, select Content area Background Color
To add a background color to the entire row, select Row Background Color
Web-safe fonts vs web fonts
Web-safe fonts vs web fonts
Web safe fonts are typefaces that come pre-installed as default fonts on most computers and devices. Using web-safe fonts gives you the best chance of having your text appear as intended in your emails.
Popular web-safe fonts: | Accessible web-safe fonts: |
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Web fonts
Web fonts are not technically web-safe fonts because they do not come installed on most devices by default. For example: Ubuntu Condensed; as this font is only present on Ubuntu Linux.
Web fonts only work in some email clients. Using Web fonts can cause a higher risk of emails not rendering exactly as planned. So it’s important to understand whether the font you want to use is email-supported. Check out the table below:
Each email client also has a preferred or default font which recipients would see instead of your chosen web font. The three most popular desktop email clients have the following defaults:
Apple Mail = Helvetica
Gmail = Arial
Microsoft Outlook = Calibri
Add an HTML countdown timer to your email
Add an HTML countdown timer to your email
Use this countdown timer generator site to create your Countdown timer
Copy the HTML code
Drag and drop the HTML icon into your email body and insert the HTML code
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Countdown example
The HTML example code is in red text:
<div class="our-class">
<table align="center">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="https://gen.sendtric.com/countdown/s0ptzwb6vy" style="display: block;max-width:100%" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
How to Embed a Survey in Your Email
How to Embed a Survey in Your Email
Why Embed a Survey in Your Email?
Instant Engagement: Recipients can start the survey right from their inbox—no extra clicks needed.
Effortless Experience: The simpler the process, the higher the chances of completion.
Hook with the First Question: Starting with an easy, visible question encourages recipients to continue.
Less Friction, More Responses: Fewer steps mean fewer drop-offs and more reliable data.
Dynamic & Interactive: Embedded surveys make your emails more engaging and personalized.
Real-Time Insights: Many tools let you track responses instantly, so you can quickly adapt your strategy.
Flexible Customization: Use the custom HTML block to embed not just surveys, but any interactive content.
How to embed a survey into an email
Prepare Your Survey
Typeform: Navigate to the 'Share' panel in your workspace and select 'Embed in an email'.
SurveyMonkey: Go to the 'Design Survey' section and ensure the first question is a supported type. Toggle on 'Embed first question' when composing your email.
Copy the Embed Code: Copy the HTML code that the survey platform provides.
Open Audience Republic's Email Builder: Log into Audience Republic and open the email template you wish to edit.
Insert Custom HTML Block: Drag and drop the 'Custom HTML' content block into your email design at the location where you want the survey to appears
Paste the Embed Code
Click on the newly inserted 'Custom HTML' block. A panel will appear on the right side displaying the HTML code editing pane.
Paste the copied HTML code from the survey platform into this pane.
Validate and Test
The Email Builder's code sanitiser will validate your code. Ensure it doesn't remove essential parts of your survey embed code.
Send a test email to verify that the survey appears and functions as expected.
Finding your survey data
The survey data will go to the survey tool
Please export this as a CSV file
And manually import the data into your Audience Republic account
AI title Assistant tool in the email builder
AI title Assistant tool in the email builder
An invaluable tool for your email marketing strategy is the AI Title assistant found in the email builder. It can easily draw in your target audience and increase email open rates.
How to use the AI tool in the email builder
Go to Messaging Menu
Click Add a new message (email)
Click and drag a Title block
Select the 'Write with AI" button
Insert what you'd like to write about in the AI Title Assistant
Click Apply to use the AI suggested Title, or regenerate
Top 5 AI prompts to use
Creative prompts to drive their curiosity: Encourage them to wonder.
Prompts with keywords: Include clickbait to tease them, but keep the promise.
Interactive prompts: Use exclusivity to make them feel like they are part of the VIP club.
FOMO: Make them fearful of missing out on something.
Personalisation: Speak to them directly, as if you know them.
Emotional Pull: Strike a chord with your emotions or make you laugh.
Short and sweet: get to the point.
Cliffhanger: Leave them wanting more.
Urgency: Start a fire, but keep it realistic.
Still need help?
Contact us at support@audiencerepublic.com