Top 7 email design pitfalls that affect campaign results — Expert opinions from Stripo Choice Awards
Summarize
The final webinar of Stripo Choice Awards 2025 brought together leading email experts to evaluate outstanding campaigns in design, interactivity, and performance.
For the 2025 award, we received over 100 emails from our users, who were brave enough to share their work for public discussion. We are truly grateful to everyone who submitted their campaigns. It is never easy to submit your work for review by the community and experts.
While the finalists demonstrated impressive creativity, the judges, Jenna Tiffany, Jasper Van Laethem, Chad S. White, and Dmytro Kudrenko, also highlighted recurring design issues that can limit campaign results. Every email they reviewed had strong ideas and thoughtful execution. The feedback shared during the webinar focused only on areas for refinement, not on failure. Even strong campaigns can underperform when small usability, clarity, or accessibility issues are overlooked.
We’ve compiled all the key points highlighted in our participants’ emails, as well as those that could still be refined and improved. We’d like to share them so that you can incorporate them into your email campaigns and make them more effective.
You can watch the whole video here:
Below are the most important pitfalls the judges identified, along with practical ways to avoid them.
Key takeaways
- Clarity and focus drive results. The strongest emails make their objective obvious from the first screen. Do not bury the main message, overload the layout, or present multiple competing actions.
- Design for usability first, creativity second. Great design is also about readability, accessibility, and mobile experience. Left-aligned body text, responsive layouts, proper spacing, descriptive alt text, and clear brand presence all contribute to a smoother experience.
- Interactivity must add real value. Interactive elements and gamification should enhance the message. Avoid sensory overload, unclear logic, or features that feel decorative.
1. Neglecting responsiveness in different email clients and mobile devices
One of the most fundamental requirements of modern email design is full responsiveness across email clients, including light and dark modes. However, even highly creative emails sometimes miss this essential layer.
While reviewing the Cosmic TV campaign, the judges immediately noticed that the email did not adapt well to mobile. Images appeared too small, buttons were difficult to tap, and overall readability suffered. The design may have looked polished on a desktop, but the mobile experience created friction.
(Source: Email by Kinesso Greece)
Mobile optimization is no longer optional. It directly affects clicks, engagement, and conversions.
How to fix it
Design emails for mobile first. Make sure text is readable without zooming and that buttons are large enough to tap comfortably. Use generous spacing and avoid tiny interactive elements.
With Stripo, you can instantly switch between desktop and mobile views, adjust padding and font sizes specifically for mobile, and preview how elements stack on smaller screens. You can also send test emails and run rendering tests before launch to ensure your design performs across devices and email clients.
To ensure proper rendering across different email clients, including dark mode, be sure to test all emails before sending. For example, you can use Stripo integration with Email on Acid, which allows you to test emails in over 80 email clients in both light and dark modes with one click.
2. Overusing centered text
Centered text can look elegant in a short headline. But when applied to longer paragraphs, it reduces readability and accessibility.
During the review of the holito and Castelli emails, judges pointed out the use of centered body copy. Although centered text appears visually symmetrical, long centered paragraphs are harder to scan and process, especially on mobile.
(Source: Email by Kinesso Greece)
Chad S. White added that left-aligned text creates a consistent visual starting point for every line, making scanning easier and faster. Readability directly influences whether recipients continue reading or drop off.
How to fix it
Reserve centered alignment for short headlines or short emphasis lines. Keep body copy left aligned. Break long text into shorter paragraphs, and use subheadings to structure content.
In Stripo, you can quickly adjust alignment settings for each text block and build structured layouts using modular content sections. Clear typography and hierarchy make your email easier to read and navigate.
3. Burying the lead and missing CTAs
An email may contain a strong message, but if the core value is not immediately clear to the reader, engagement will suffer.
While reviewing the holito campaign, Chad S. White observed that the main benefit was present but not emphasized enough. The value proposition appeared later in the email rather than being clearly emphasized at the top.
(Source: Email by holito)
At the same time, the judges noticed the absence of a strong, visible call to action. Without a clear next step, even interested readers may not take action. An email should guide the recipient. When the direction is unclear, campaign results suffer.
How to fix it
Make your main value proposition visible on the first screen. Highlight the key benefits early and clearly. Add a primary CTA above the fold, and repeat it if the email is longer.
With Stripo, you can create or use pre-built CTA button blocks, adjust their sizes and color for better visibility, and strategically duplicate them throughout your layout. A clear hierarchy and strong visual emphasis ensure that the action is obvious.
4. Relying on wordy copy and passive buttons
Even a strong design cannot fully compensate for weak copy. During the Cleverbridge review, the judges pointed out overly long sentences that diluted the message.
(Source: Email by Cleverbridge)
White also highlighted passive CTA wording. A button labeled “Five more tips” describes content, but “Get five more tips” encourages action. Precise, action-oriented copy directly affects click-through rates.
How to fix it
Edit ruthlessly. Remove unnecessary words. Focus on benefits rather than explanations. Use action verbs in your buttons.
In Stripo, you can refine copy directly within the editor and quickly adjust CTA wording to test stronger variations. A clear structure and concise content blocks help keep your messaging sharp and focused.
5. Ignoring technical details (alt text and headers)
Even beautifully designed emails can lose credibility due to small technical oversights.
In the Nespresso campaign, Chad noticed that all images shared identical alt text. This not only reduced accessibility but also wasted an opportunity to reinforce messaging.
(Source: Email by Kinesso Greece)
In another example, the Fine Hygienic Holding calendar email lacked a clear brand header. Without immediate visual branding, some judges felt disoriented. Brand clarity and technical precision influence trust.
How to fix it
Write unique, descriptive alt text for every image. Always include a recognizable brand header at the top of your email. Check your preheader text and preview emails with images turned off.
Stripo lets you add and edit alt text directly in image settings, generate alt text with AI, preview emails without images, and save branded headers as reusable modules to maintain consistency across campaigns.
6. Overcomplicating interactivity and logic
Interactivity can elevate an email but only when it supports clarity. During the review of the Castelli campaign, the judges noted an overload of interactive elements, including countdown timers, hover effects, animations, and scroll-triggered features, all in one email.
Similarly, in the EndNote campaign, having a double CTA button created confusion rather than empowerment. If subscribers cannot instantly understand the difference between choices, they are likely to hesitate and disengage.
(Source: Email by Cleverbridge)
However, according to a case study by Claudio Mascarella, digital marketing services coordinator at Cleverbridge, this approach delivered strong results.
Complexity increases cognitive load, which in turn reduces conversions.
How to fix it
Limit interactivity to one or two purposeful elements. Make sure the main action is unmistakable. If you present options, clearly explain the difference.
With Stripo, you can selectively add interactive elements and preview fallback versions. Use spacing, hierarchy, and modular layouts to maintain clarity, even when adding dynamic components.
7. Creating interactivity that lacks value
Gamification works when it is meaningful and intuitive. Jenna praised the Comfy Halloween game because recipients immediately understood how to participate. The entry point was clear, and the action felt natural.
(Source: Email by Promodo)
However, reviewing the Pokupon mystery ball game, Jasper Van noted that it might be overly simple, lacking any skill or challenge, which could reduce engagement.
How to fix it
Ensure that interactive elements are easy to understand and tied to a clear reward or benefit. Add anticipation, urgency, or skill where appropriate.
Stripo supports interactive elements and gamification that can be implemented thoughtfully. To make gamification as easy as possible, use the Stripo pre-built interactive modules. Combine them with strong visual cues and clear instructions so that subscribers know exactly what to do.
Wrapping up
The common theme across all judges’ feedback was focus. Every design choice should support the email’s core objective. Effective email design is not about adding more elements. It is about removing friction, clarifying value, and guiding recipients toward action.
Even small adjustments to responsiveness, copy, hierarchy, or interactivity can significantly improve campaign performance.