Overview

Email is one of the most common channels for marketing and communications at UCLA Health. Here, you’ll find best practices and guides to help you send more effective email campaigns.

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Email signatures

Your email signature is like a digital business card — it provides contact information and visually connects you with UCLA Health.

Using the Email Signature:

Outlook for Windows

To create new signature:

1. Compose new message
2. In the messages tab, go to the "Signature" icon and select "Signatures."
3. Click on "New" to create a new signature and give it a name.
4. Hit the "OK" button.
5. Copy and paste one of the signatures above into the body.
6. Personalize the information with your name, title, phone and email address.
7. Click the save button to save your new signature.

 

To use existing signature:

1. Compose new message.
2. Click on the "insert" tab.
3. Then click on "Signature" and select existing signature.

Outlook for Mac

1. Select Outlook > Preferences. The Outlook Preferences window opens.
2. Select "Signatures." The Signatures dialog box opens.
3. Select "+" beneath the list of signatures. A new signature line appears in the signature name list.
4. Enter a name for the new signature and type the desired text of your signature under Signature.
5. Select the Signature name and click "Edit."
6. Copy and paste one of the signatures above into the body.
7. Personalize the information with your name, title, phone and email address.
8. Click to close the window, and then click save to save your new signature.
9. Close the dialog box when you are finished.

To use existing signature:

1. Compose new message.
2. Click on the "Signature" button.
3. Then click on "Signature" and select existing signature.

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Email best practices

This guide is intended to help you create more effective and stylistically consistent email campaigns. While it covers best practices for common email attributes, it’s not an exhaustive list of UCLA Health style and design guidelines. For a more thorough list, refer to the Identity sections of these guidelines. There are sections to this guide. You may click on any section to jump ahead.

Subject lines | Preheaders | Copy | Call to action | Design | Lists & unsubscribes | Accessibility | Tools & resources

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Subject lines

Here are a few tips:

• Limit subject lines to 32 characters — mobile users see only 30–35 characters.
• Use sentence case. All caps may trigger spam filters, and title case seems less friendly.
• Start with verbs and important keywords.

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Preheaders

An email preheader is an additional line of preview text that displays in the inbox after the subject line. The preheader gives the recipient a better idea of what the email is about, and whether they should open it.

Here are a few tips:

• Limit to 40–75 characters.
• Lead with important keywords.
• Add additional detail to support your subject line.
  Example subject line: Save up to 30% on school textbooks
  Example preheader: Offer expires Saturday

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Copy

Email attention spans are short. Be concise with your copy and use email as a gateway to a landing page, where conversations and longer interactions happen.

Here are a few tips:

• Keep language positive and friendly.
• Use action words like save, get, watch and join.
• Avoid negative words like don’t, never, cancelled and miss out.
• Avoid overly enthusiastic adjectives like perfect, wonderful and amazing.
• Use the second person voice — avoid future tense, whenever possible.
• Proofread your message before sending.

AP Style is the preferred style for UCLA Health email communications. For more on copy and tone, see the UCLA Health Copy and Editorial section of Brand Guidelines.

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Call to action

A CTA (call-to-action) links readers to external content or asks them to do something. It is one of the most important pieces of content in an email.

Here are a few tips:

• Always be direct and straightforward.
• Design a visually appealing CTA button. Buttons perform better than text links.
• A CTA button should be located near the top of the email.
• Link to the appropriate destination page that delivers on the CTA’s promise.
• Use actionable phrases, e.g. “Reserve your seat”

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Design

UCLA Health templates have been designed to help you create a cohesive look and structure.

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Lists and unsubscribes

Always practice mindful use of mass email to be respectful of your recipients’ time and attention. Emails must display an unsubscribe button or link.

Here are a few tips:

• Keep email file size under 100KB. Emails over 120KB may trigger spam filters.
• Be cautious linking to any websites of poor reputation in your email.
• Place the unsubscribe button or link in an easy-to-find spot near the bottom of the email.
• Use the word “unsubscribe” instead of ambiguous phrases like opt out, or delete.
• The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 established requirements and penalties around commercial emails, including content and opt-outs. It’s a good idea to review these rules before creating your email marketing strategy.

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Accessibility

Email accessibility is the practice of designing your emails so that people with disabilities or assisted devices can view and interact with the content. UCLA Health templates are designed to help ensure that your emails are compliant.

Here are a few tips:

• Choose large and readable fonts.
• Keep content simple.
• Use color contrast for better viewing — choose one text color and one background color.
• Make clickable links and CTA prominent.
• Avoid complicated animations and images.

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Tools and resources

For more in-depth email standards and best practices, take advantage of the resources below:

Subject Lines and Preheaders

• Everything you need to know about email subject line copywriting
• Email preheader best practices
• How to write catchy email subject lines

Copy

• Check your text readability
• Write concisely with Hemingway

Call to Action

• Call to action best practices

Design

• Email Design Guide (Mailchimp)

Lists and Unsubscribe

• CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business
• Avoid spam filters
• Unsubscribing best practices

Accessibility

• Test color contrast
• Accessibility best practices
• The Guide to Accessible Emails

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