An eye-catching email signature helps promote a personal or professional brand and attract more customers. It enables the recipients to instantly identify the sender, learn more about their business, and reach out.
However, plain text with contact information isn’t as compelling as graphic content. That’s where an HTML signature comes into play.
Learn more about it before discovering how to create an HTML signature for free.
In this article
What Is an HTML Signature?
An HTML signature is a block of text and visuals at the bottom of every email you send. It’s like a business card. It can include your name, job title, company information, address, phone number, website, and social media profiles.
However, unlike its traditional counterpart, it contains HTML (HyperText Markup Language) code with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) styling to make the content visually appealing. That includes graphics and images (e.g., your headshot and company logo).
That content isn’t just for show – it contains clickable links to enable your recipients to call or email you, visit your website, and check out your social profiles.
Additionally, your HTML signature can showcase your handwritten signature. That’s perfect for creating a sense of authenticity, making your emails more personal and unique.
Why Create an HTML Signature for Free
Although email clients let you create custom email signatures, they leave much to be desired. They have limited customization capabilities, providing only standard colors and fonts – and don’t get us started with layout modifications.
The worst part? You can’t create an HTML signature in email clients. You can customize it and add a handwritten one, but that’s about it.
Creating an HTML signature with a free e-signature creator is a better alternative. You can customize it to reflect your brand and amplify your marketing. The best part? You can add a CTA button to entice the recipients to take action.
Why use a free tool? Because you don’t need to pay a graphic designer for something you can do with several clicks. That was standard practice before free HTML signature generators came into the picture. Anyone can now create an HTML signature for free – without coding knowledge.
How to Find a Quality Free HTML Signature Generator
You can choose from many HTML signature generators – free and paid. Here are the crucial factors to look for to pick a high-quality free e-signature creator:
- Customization – Your e-signature creator should allow you to adjust the layout, font family and size, and colors for the font, background, icons, and links, among other elements. Your HTML signature should ideally reflect your brand.
- Add-ons – A custom CTA, banner, handwritten signature, company logo, and disclaimer can improve your HTML email signature.
- Templates – Some HTML signature generators have a drag-and-drop builder for creating custom email signatures from scratch. That’s an excellent feature to look for, but ensure customizable, responsive templates with pre-built designs also exist for a seamless experience.
- Third-party integrations – Adding your HTML signature to your preferred email client should be a breeze. Ensure your chosen creator supports one-click integration to avoid the time-consuming manual process.
- Usability – Find an easy-to-use tool to avoid jumping through hoops when creating an HTML signature.
A quick Google search will provide you with top-rated free e-signature creators. Sift through user reviews to learn more about their features and pick the best one for your needs.
How to Use a Free E-signature Creator
HTML signature generators may differ in some features, but they all work the same. Here’s an example of creating an HTML signature with HubSpot’s free email signature generator, one of the most popular in its category:
- Step 1: Visit the tool’s web page and choose a template in the left sidebar.
- Step 2: Switch to the second tab and add contact details, including your name, job title, department, company name, address, phone number, website URL, email address, and social links.
- Step 3: Go to the third tab to stylize your signature by selecting the desired font, font size, and colors for the text, links, and theme.
- Step 4: The fourth tab lets you upload your custom signature images, including the profile picture and company logo. Once you do, scroll down to create a CTA copy, add the desired URL, and pick a CTA text and background color. You can also upload a CTA image.
- Step 5: Click Create Signature and hit Copy Signature or Copy Signature Source Code to save your HTML signature. You can directly add it to HubSpot, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or Apple Mail by clicking the corresponding button below.
This free e-signature creator is available online, so you don’t need to download anything. Also, it’s interactive, letting you instantly see the changes as you experiment with all the features.
Tips for Creating Your Own Free Signature
Creating a free HTML signature boils down to six crucial elements. Here are the essential tips for hitting the bullseye with each:
- Your name – Choose a standard font that will display correctly across devices and a color blending with other elements (e.g., the banner, if you add one). Your chosen color palette for the entire signature should match your company’s colors.
- Your company and job title – Add credibility by including this information below your name.
- Contact details – Enabling your recipients to reach you is crucial, so add a clickable phone number, website URL, and email address (if you’re sending from a no-reply email).
- Your headshot or company logo – A high-resolution photo will make you look professional and your emails more personal. If you create an HTML signature for an official company email, add your company logo instead.
- Social media icons – Clickable links to your social profiles will help the recipients get to know you better, boosting engagement and followers.
- A call to action (CTA) – Adding a CTA button with a compelling copy will entice people to take action (e.g., sign up for your newsletter, check out your product demo or free trial, or learn more about your services). It can be a part of a clickable banner directing your recipients to a specific landing page.
The most critical step when creating an HTML signature is applying hierarchy – like in the example above. Most importantly, add white space and horizontal or vertical lines to separate fields, preventing a cluttered design.
That’s why pre-built templates are excellent. They include clean designs that don’t bog down your messages with difficult-to-read content and graphics.
How to Fix Damaged Emails
System crashes, malware, network failures, Outlook glitches, and other unexpected problems can damage your OST or PST files. However, you don’t need to worry about data loss if these or other issues corrupt your saved emails.
Outlook repair tools like Wondershare Repairit for Email can fix damaged files and recover data – even deleted emails.
You can try this tool for free by downloading and installing it on your PC or Mac. Here’s how to fix damaged emails:
- Step 1: Launch the program and click Select File.
- Step 2: Search for damaged PST or OST files in the Find File tab or upload them in the Add File tab. Click Repair.
- Step 3: Once the program repairs your emails, preview them to ensure all the data is there, and click Save.
If you recover deleted emails, Wondershare Repairit for Email will save them in a new folder for seamless access.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to create an HTML signature for free, pick a free e-signature creator and design a compelling HTML code snippet for email correspondence. Whether you need it for a personal or professional brand, you’ll impress the recipients and entice them to engage with you.