Responsive Email Templates for Squarespace
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:
- Set up mobile-responsive email templates in Squarespace
- Customise templates to match your brand identity
- Use Squarespace's design tools to create professional email layouts
- Test and optimise your templates across different devices
Introduction
Your email subscribers use all sorts of devices to read your messages. Some check emails on their phones during commutes, others scan through on tablets, and many still prefer desktop computers. If your emails don't look good everywhere, you're missing opportunities to connect with your audience.
Squarespace Email Campaigns handles the technical side of responsiveness automatically, but you still need to make smart design choices. This chapter shows you how to create templates that work brilliantly on any screen size whilst staying true to your brand.
Lessons
Setting Up Your Base Template
Start with Squarespace's responsive foundation. All templates automatically adjust to different screen sizes, but some work better than others for your specific needs.
Step 1: Go to Marketing > Email Campaigns in your Squarespace dashboard
Step 2: Click 'Create Campaign' and browse the template library
Step 3: Pick a template that matches your content structure (newsletter, promotion, announcement)
Step 4: Click 'Use This Layout' to start customising
The single-column templates work best for mobile devices. Multi-column layouts can work, but they'll stack vertically on smaller screens.
Customising Colours and Fonts
Your emails should feel like a natural extension of your website. Squarespace makes it easy to maintain brand consistency across both platforms.
Step 1: In your campaign editor, click the 'Design' tab
Step 2: Use the colour picker to match your website's palette
Step 3: Select fonts that complement your site's typography
Step 4: Adjust spacing and sizing to match your brand's visual style
Keep your colour choices simple. Too many colours can make emails look cluttered, especially on small screens.
Working with Images and Layout
Images need special attention in responsive emails. They should look sharp on high-resolution screens but load quickly on mobile connections.
Step 1: Upload images at least 600 pixels wide for the main content area
Step 2: Use Squarespace's built-in image editor to optimise file sizes
Step 3: Add alt text to every image for accessibility
Step 4: Preview your layout in both desktop and mobile views
This is the bit most people miss: test your images by viewing them at different sizes. What looks perfect on your desktop might be too small to read on a phone.
Advanced Customisation Options
Sometimes you need more control over your design. Squarespace offers several ways to fine-tune your templates without breaking responsiveness.
Step 1: Use the block editor to rearrange content sections
Step 2: Adjust padding and margins using the spacing controls
Step 3: Experiment with different header and footer layouts
Step 4: Add custom CSS through the Advanced panel if needed
Be careful with custom CSS. Test thoroughly across devices if you make changes to the default responsive behaviour.
Practice
Roll your sleeves up and create a test template:
- Choose a simple single-column template from the Squarespace library
- Change the colours to match your brand (pick 2-3 colours maximum)
- Add your logo and a sample heading
- Include one main image and a paragraph of text
- Preview the design on desktop and mobile
- Send a test email to yourself and check it on your phone
This exercise helps you understand how your design choices affect the mobile experience. Make notes about what works and what doesn't.
FAQs
Do Squarespace email templates work on all email clients?
Yes, they're tested across major email clients including Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail. However, some older versions of Outlook may display minor differences.
Can I use custom fonts in my email templates?
You can choose from Squarespace's font library, which includes web-safe options that display consistently across email clients. Custom font uploads aren't supported in Email Campaigns.
How do I know if my template is truly mobile-responsive?
Use Squarespace's built-in preview tool, send test emails to different devices, and check your email analytics for mobile open rates and engagement.
What image formats work best for email templates?
JPEG and PNG formats work reliably. Keep file sizes under 1MB for faster loading, especially on mobile connections.
Can I create completely custom layouts?
You can modify existing templates significantly, but you can't start from scratch. This limitation actually helps maintain responsiveness and deliverability.
Jargon Buster
Mobile-responsive: Email design that automatically adjusts layout, text size, and images to look good on any screen size
Email client: The software or app people use to read emails (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.)
Template: A pre-designed email layout that you can customise with your own content and branding
Alt text: Hidden text that describes images for people using screen readers or when images don't load
CSS: Code that controls how web pages and emails look (Cascading Style Sheets)
Wrap-up
Creating responsive email templates isn't about mastering complex code. It's about making thoughtful design choices that work across devices. Squarespace handles the technical foundation, but your content and design decisions determine whether subscribers engage with your emails.
Start with simple, clean layouts. Focus on one main message per email. Test everything on your own devices before sending to your list. With practice, you'll develop an eye for what works in email design.
Next, we'll look at writing compelling email content that gets people to take action. Good design attracts attention, but great content drives results.