What makes a good email footer design?
An email footer is the block at the bottom of every marketing email that holds your legal information, unsubscribe link, contact details and secondary links. Good email footer design makes that block easy to scan, readable on a phone and clearly separate from the message above it, while including everything the law requires. Many marketers spend hours on the subject line and body, then paste in a cramped grey footer; this guide covers what to put in it, how to lay it out, and three footer templates you can adapt.
Key takeaways
- Every marketing email footer needs an unsubscribe link, your company name and a valid postal address. CAN-SPAM, GDPR and CASL all require some version of this.
- Since 2024, Gmail and Yahoo also require one-click unsubscribe from bulk senders and expect opt-outs to be processed within 2 days.
- Design for mobile: live text (not an image), 12-14 px font, 4.5:1 contrast and tap targets of about 44 x 44 px.
- Separate the footer from the body with a background color or divider, and order it by importance: unsubscribe and legal first, extras after.
- Keep it short. A footer is a reference block, not a second newsletter.
What must an email footer include by law?
At minimum, a marketing email footer must identify the sender and give a working way to opt out. The exact rules depend on where your recipients are. This table summarizes the main requirements (it is a practical summary, not legal advice).
| Rule | Applies to | What the footer needs |
|---|---|---|
| CAN-SPAM (USA) | Commercial email to US recipients | A valid physical postal address (street address, registered P.O. box or private mailbox); a clear opt-out that works for at least 30 days after sending; opt-outs honored within 10 business days. |
| GDPR (EU/EEA) | Personal data of people in the EU | Withdrawing consent must be as easy as giving it; identify who you are and link to your privacy policy. |
| CASL (Canada) | Commercial electronic messages to Canada | Sender name, mailing address plus a phone number, email or web address; an unsubscribe mechanism valid for 60 days, processed within 10 business days. |
| Gmail and Yahoo sender requirements (2024) | Bulk senders (Gmail: 5,000+ messages a day to Gmail addresses) | One-click unsubscribe (List-Unsubscribe header) plus a visible unsubscribe link in the body; requests processed within 2 days. |
Mailpro adds the view-online and unsubscribe links to every newsletter automatically, and you can change their wording and style (see how to edit the unsubscribe link). When someone clicks, Mailpro moves the address to a separate unsubscribe list and blocks it from being re-imported. For the header side of the Gmail and Yahoo rules, read our guide to one-click unsubscribe (RFC 8058).
The 10 elements of an effective email footer
Elements 1-4 are required or close to it for marketing email. Elements 5-10 are optional: pick the ones that fit your goal and leave the rest out.
1. Unsubscribe link (required)
The unsubscribe link is the one element no marketing email can skip. Make it readable: "Unsubscribe" in plain words, at a normal footer size, not hidden in grey-on-grey text. A visible link costs you a few opt-outs; a hidden one costs you spam complaints, which do far more harm to engagement and deliverability. Offer a "Manage preferences" link next to it if you send several kinds of email, so readers can reduce frequency instead of leaving. Track the result with your unsubscribe rate.
2. Company name and postal address (required)
Show your legal business name and a valid postal address. It is required under CAN-SPAM and CASL and it reassures readers that a real business is behind the email. One line is enough: "Company Ltd, 12 Main Street, City, Postcode, Country."
3. Why the reader is receiving this email
A short permission reminder ("You're receiving this because you signed up at example.com") answers the question "how did they get my address?" before it turns into a spam complaint. It is especially useful a few months after sign-up, when people forget.
4. Privacy policy link
Link to your privacy policy so readers can see how their data is used. Under GDPR, transparency about processing is a core obligation, and the footer is the natural place for that link in every email.
5. Contact information
Add a reply-friendly email address or a link to your contact or help page. Make phone numbers and email addresses tappable (tel: and mailto: links) so mobile readers can reach you in one tap. A "reply to this email" note works too, and replies are a positive engagement signal.
6. Social media links
Social icons extend the conversation beyond the inbox. Limit them to the 3-5 networks where you are actually active, use recognizable icons, and give each icon enough space to tap. In Mailpro, the Social block in the newsletter builder puts your networks in one row with ten ready social icon sets (brand colors, grey, black, round) and adjustable size and spacing.
7. Brand identity
A small logo, your brand colors and fonts make the footer feel like part of the email rather than a pasted legal notice. Consistent branding also helps readers trust that the message is genuinely from you. Keep the logo small; it is a sign-off, not a header.
8. A secondary call to action
The footer can carry one quiet, secondary call to action: "Visit the store", "Download our app", "Read the blog". Keep it visually below the main CTA of the email so the two don't compete. Need wording ideas? See our 120 CTA examples.
9. Referral, loyalty or app links
Ecommerce and subscription brands often use the footer for a standing reminder: "Refer a friend, get 10%", "You have 240 points", "Get the app". It works because it is always there without interrupting the message.
10. Legal disclaimers and company registration
Some industries and countries need more: company registration number, VAT number, financial or medical disclaimers, copyright notice. Put these in a short final line at the smallest readable size, and link to the full text instead of pasting paragraphs.
For a quick checklist version of these elements, see what to include in your email footer.
Building your footer from blocks? Mailpro's newsletter builder gives you text, social, separator and row blocks to lay it out with no code, and the unsubscribe link is added for you.
Email footer design best practices
A well-designed footer is separated from the body, readable on a small screen and ordered by importance. These are the specifics that make the difference.
| Design choice | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Same as the email body, usually 600-640 px | Renders cleanly in Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail and stacks on mobile. |
| Font size | 12-14 px for footer text, never below 11 px | iOS Mail enlarges text below 13 px, which can break a tight layout; tiny text also looks like you're hiding something. |
| Contrast | At least 4.5:1 between text and background | The WCAG level for normal text. Light grey on white usually fails it. |
| Tap targets | About 44 x 44 px per link or icon, with space between | Prevents mis-taps on the unsubscribe and social links. |
| Separation | A different background color or a divider line | Tells the reader the message has ended and the reference block begins. |
| Format | Live HTML text, not an image | Images are often blocked; a footer as an image hides your legal information and looks suspicious to filters. |
| Dark mode | Test on a dark background; use transparent PNG logos | Some clients invert colors, which can make dark logos or grey text disappear. |
- Order by importance. Readers who scroll to the footer usually want one of three things: unsubscribe, contact you, or check who you are. Put those first.
- Group into rows. One row for social icons, one for links, one for legal text. Use a two-column layout on desktop only if it stacks cleanly on mobile.
- Use whitespace. Generous padding makes a footer look deliberate rather than crammed.
- Add alt text to the logo and every icon (alt text such as "Instagram"), so screen readers and image-blocked inboxes still make sense of it.
- Keep it consistent. Use the same footer across campaigns so readers learn where to look.
- Check rendering before sending: footers are where layouts often break first. See why your newsletter looks different in every inbox and our dark mode email definition.
Types of email footers
Most footers fall into one of five types. Choose by the kind of email, not by what looks busiest.
- Minimal legal footer: unsubscribe, address, privacy link. Best for plain-text style and B2B newsletters.
- Branded footer: logo, colors, tagline, social icons. Best for brand newsletters.
- Navigational footer: links to shop categories, blog or help center. Best for ecommerce and media.
- Promotional footer: app download, referral or loyalty reminder. Best for retail and subscriptions.
- Transactional footer: support contact, order help, account links; no marketing unsubscribe needed for purely transactional messages, but keep contact details clear.
Email footer templates you can copy
Adapt these three footer templates to your brand. Replace the bracketed parts with your own details.
Newsletter footer template
You're receiving this email because you subscribed to [Brand] news at [website].
[Brand Ltd] · [Street address] · [City, Postcode] · [Country]
Unsubscribe · Manage preferences · Privacy policy · View online
Ecommerce footer template
[Instagram] [Facebook] [TikTok]
Shop · Track your order · Returns · Help center
Refer a friend and you both get [10%] off.
[Brand Ltd], [Street address], [City, Postcode], [Country] · Unsubscribe · Privacy policy
B2B footer template
[Company] · [Street address], [City], [Country] · Company no. [number]
Questions? Reply to this email or write to [[email protected]].
You're receiving this as a [Company] customer. Unsubscribe from marketing emails · Privacy policy
Common email footer mistakes
- Hiding the unsubscribe link in tiny, low-contrast text. It increases spam complaints.
- A footer made of one image. When images are blocked, your address and opt-out disappear.
- Too many links. Twenty footer links dilute every one of them; check your email heatmap to see which ones get clicked.
- Outdated details: an old address, a dead social account or last year's copyright date.
- Pasting full legal text instead of a short line and a link.
- Forgetting mobile: icons and links packed so closely that readers tap the wrong one.
How do you create an email footer in Mailpro?
In Mailpro, the footer is built in the same drag-and-drop editor as the rest of your newsletter.
- Start from one of the Mailpro templates or a blank layout (see email builder layout recipes).
- At the bottom, add a Row and give it its own background color to separate the footer.
- Drop in a Text block for your company name, address, permission reminder and privacy link.
- Add the Social block and choose an icon set that matches your colors.
- Use a Separator above the legal line if you need extra structure.
- Click the automatic links block to rename "Unsubscribe" or "View online" and adjust their style.
- Send a test to yourself and check the footer on a phone and in dark mode.
New to the editor? The newsletter creation tutorial walks through it step by step.
Frequently asked questions about email footers
What should be in an email footer?
An unsubscribe link, your company name and postal address, a privacy policy link and a way to contact you. Optional extras are social icons, a permission reminder, a secondary CTA, referral or app links, and legal disclaimers.
Is an unsubscribe link legally required?
Yes, for marketing email. CAN-SPAM, GDPR and CASL all require a simple way to opt out, and Gmail and Yahoo require one-click unsubscribe from bulk senders. Transactional emails, such as receipts, are generally exempt from the unsubscribe requirement.
Can I use a P.O. box in my email footer?
Under CAN-SPAM, yes, if it is a P.O. box registered with the US Postal Service or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency. Other countries may require a full business address.
What size should email footer text be?
Between 12 and 14 px is a good range. Smaller text is hard to read on phones and iOS Mail enlarges text under 13 px automatically, which can disturb your layout.
What is the difference between an email footer and an email signature?
An email footer is part of a marketing or bulk email template and carries legal and brand information. An email signature is added to one-to-one emails sent from a mail client and usually carries a person's name, role and contact details.
Should the footer be the same in every email?
Mostly, yes. A consistent footer builds recognition and keeps compliance details reliable. Change the secondary CTA or promotional line per campaign if you like, but keep the legal part stable.
Mailpro and email footer design
A compliant footer in every email, without the busywork
Mailpro adds the unsubscribe and view-online links to every newsletter, removes opt-outs automatically and lets you design the rest of the footer block by block. Swiss-hosted, GDPR-native and priced by sends, not contacts.
