Definition
A typography scale defines proportional font sizes and line heights used consistently across emails, creating hierarchy and readable layouts.
Consistent scaling helps readers parse headings, body, and captions.
A type scale creates hierarchy and readability across your emails, making design consistent and professional. Generous line height and a readable body size help mobile readers. Using a scale rather than arbitrary sizes keeps it coherent.
Building a Scale
Define a clear set of heading and body sizes.
Keep line-height generous for mobile reading.
Why It Matters
A type scale creates hierarchy and readability across your emails. Understanding it makes design consistent and professional.
Best Practices
- Define a clear set of heading and body sizes.
- Keep line-height generous for mobile reading.
- Use a scale, not arbitrary sizes, for coherence.
- Test in key clients.
- Use 16px body as a readable default.
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Related Glossary Terms
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Above the fold in email refers to the content visible to a recipient before they scroll, a critical area for first impressions and primary calls to action.
Accessible CTA (Email)
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Adaptive Design
Adaptive design in email uses predefined layouts that adjust to specific device or client widths, rather than fluidly resizing to every possible screen.
AI-Generated Content in Email
AI-generated content in email is copy, images, code or subject lines produced by artificial intelligence tools to speed up campaign production and testing.
Alt Text
Alt text is the written alternative to an image in an email, displayed when images are blocked, slow to load, or consumed by screen readers.
Autoplay Video in Email
Autoplay video in email refers to the limited ability to play video content automatically when an email is opened, using specific client-supported techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
It creates visual hierarchy and consistent spacing. A type scale creates hierarchy and readability across your emails, making design consistent and professional.
16px is widely readable on mobile and desktop. Generous line height and a readable body size help mobile readers.
Yes, roughly 1.4 to 1.6 improves mobile readability. Using a scale rather than arbitrary sizes keeps it coherent.
A set of sizes derived from a base ratio. A type scale creates hierarchy and readability across your emails, making design consistent and professional.
Yes, readability drives it. Generous line height and a readable body size help mobile readers.