I recently had a friend message me. She had set up a welcome letter automation for her new newsletter subscribers. One of her new subscribers had messaged her that the text in her welcome letter wasn’t showing up when they opened the email! Oh no! What happened?

Dark mode. In today’s digital world, users are becoming more conscious of their screen time and eye comfort, leading to the increasing popularity of dark mode across various devices and applications. Dark mode, with its dark background and light text, reduces eye strain, conserves battery life on mobile devices, and provides an overall pleasant reading experience. As a savvy email marketer using MailChimp, it’s essential to ensure your newsletters are optimized for dark mode. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to make your MailChimp emails look great in both light and dark modes.

“In November 2019, Polar revealed that 95% of people prefer Dark Mode. A few months later, in March 2020, Android Authority reported that 91.8% of people use Dark Mode whenever it is available. Talking about Apple Mail on macOS, 7.5% of people use Dark Mode. That number rises to 36% if we consider iOS users.”

Source: Mail Munch, Dark Mode in Email: Are your emails ready for the biggest trend?

Why Optimize for Dark Mode?

Before we dive into the specifics, let’s understand why optimizing for dark mode is crucial. Dark mode is not only easier on the eyes, but it has also become a preferred choice for many users. Failing to optimize your emails for dark mode may result in poorly formatted content, rendering issues, and potentially lower engagement rates.

1. Use Dark Mode Compatible Colors:

When designing your emails, choose colors that work well in both light and dark modes. The #1 thing I can you and what ended up solving my friend’s text disappearing problem is to never use 100% black for the copy. Text that is 100% black will transition to white in dark mode! Use something around #6e6e6e for the best results on both normal and dark modes, and your text won’t disappear!

2. Responsive Design:

Ensure your email templates are responsive and adapt well to different screen sizes and modes. Use MailChimp’s responsive design features to create emails that automatically adjust to the user’s preferences, whether they’re in light or dark mode.

3. Test Your Emails:

Before sending out your newsletter, thoroughly test it in both light and dark modes. MailChimp provides a preview feature that allows you to see how your email will appear to recipients in various email clients and modes. Make sure all elements, including text, images, and backgrounds, are legible and aesthetically pleasing.

4. Alt Text for Images:

Include descriptive alt text for images in your emails. This not only helps visually impaired subscribers but also ensures that your content remains informative even if images don’t display correctly in dark mode.

5. Consistent Branding:

Maintain a consistent brand identity in your emails, regardless of the mode. Your logo, fonts, and color schemes should remain recognizable and visually appealing in both light and dark backgrounds.

6. Text Readability:

Choose fonts that are easy to read in both modes. Serif and sans-serif fonts with adequate line spacing typically work well. Test font sizes to ensure readability in both modes, as users may adjust text size preferences based on their viewing conditions.

Conclusion:

Incorporating dark mode optimization into your MailChimp newsletter strategy ensures that your emails reach a wider audience and provide a better reading experience. With more users adopting dark mode across devices and email clients, staying ahead of the curve will set you apart as a considerate and responsive email marketer.

Remember to keep testing and refining your email templates to ensure they look great in both light and dark modes. By following these tips, you’ll not only cater to the preferences of your subscribers but also enhance the overall effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. Happy emailing!