When you create a campaign or automation email, you can use any one of the templates we provide as a starting point. Using a template for your emails ensures brand consistency and messaging and also saves you time. They even provide guidance and best practices if you're new to email marketing. Templates make email creation easier—once you select a template all you need to do is focus on the content.
With ActiveCampaign, you can choose from a variety of over 125 templates based on your business goal, a layout, or one that is predesigned. These templates include things like newsletters, feedback requests, abandoned cart notifications, and others.
You even have the option to build them using AI or you can startfrom scratch using HTML. Email templates are organized by business goals, layout, inspiration (predesigned templates), and past campaigns.
In this article, you'll learn about the types of email templates ActiveCampaign offers so you can make the right decision for your email marketing needs.
Inspiration templates
- Templates based on past campaigns
- Start from scratch templates
- Additional information on email templates
Take note
- Templates are available to all ActiveCampaign plans
- Account admins have access to all templates. All other account users must be granted permission to access templates
- Templates can be accessed from this email marketing templates page, the Campaign Builder, and the Automation Email Builder in your ActiveCampaign account
- Once you select a template to modify, a copy of that template is created for you. Any edits you make to the copy will not affect the original
- Templates are only compatible with the designer it was created on. For example, Email Designer templates will only work with campaigns created with the Email Designer. Classic Designer or HTML templates will not work when using the Email Designer and vice versa
AI templates
With ActiveCampaign AI Brand kit, you can import colors, fonts, and logos directly from your website to generate email templates, content, and images that are perfectly on-brand.
To create AI templates, you must create your AI Brand kit. Once your brand kit is created, you can access your AI-generated templates here:
- Click Campaigns > Campaign Templates on the left menu.
- Click the "Use AI templates" button in the “Made for you, in your brand” modal.
- When designing a campaign, your AI Brand kit campaign templates can be found in the “Made for you, in your brand” modal of the "All Basic Templates" section.
- For Multiple Brand kits, use the dropdown to choose which brand you want to view.
Templates based on business goals
Templates based on business goals are designed to help you market and promote new products, share updates, invite customers to events, or ask customers to refer your services to their network. Each of these templates use the drag-and-drop editor, making them mobile responsive and easy to customize. They also provide helpful placeholder content that you can use as a guide as you create your own copy. All you need to do is select the template that best suits your needs and drop in your content.
To access templates based on business goals:
- Click "Campaigns" in the left menu.
- Click the "Campaign Templates" option.
- Click the "Create a Template" button.
- Choose a Template Type.
Template options in this section include:
-
All Templates
All templates that you have created or modified plus all templates available under the following categories: Give an Update, Make an Announcement, Request Action, Sell a Product, Holidays and seasons. -
Custom
All templates that you have created or modified. Any pre-made template you select to change will be saved under this category. -
Give an update
Notify customers when a product they love is back in stock, tell them what you've been up to, or share your latest blog post. -
Make an Announcement
Share information about new products, share your expertise, and connect with customers. -
Request Action
Invite customers to an event and ask them for reviews. -
Sell a Product
Promote your products, extend limited time offers, and incentivize your customers. -
Holidays and seasons
Send your customers a birthday card with a special offer to incentivize a sale.
Templates based on layouts
Templates based on layouts use the drag-and-drop editor, making them mobile responsive and easy to customize. These templates are blank, allowing you to add your own content.
To access these templates:
- Click "Campaigns" in the left menu.
- Click the "Campaign Templates" option.
- Click the "Create a Template" button.
- Choose a Template Type.
- Click the "Layouts" tab.
Templates in this section include:
- Single column
- Two columns
- Three columns
- Two columns with a header
- Three columns with a header
- Two columns with images
- Three columns with images
Designed templates
We’ve created a variety of beautiful, pre-designed templates you can use to create visually stunning campaigns and automation emails. Templates in this section use the drag-and-drop designer, making them mobile friendly and easy to customize. Every aspect of these templates can be modified to create the exact look and feel you want. All you need to do is add your own content.
To access these templates:
- Click "Campaigns" in the left menu.
- Click the "Campaign Templates" option.
- Click the "Create a Template" button.
- Choose a Template Type.
- Click the "Designed Templates" tab.
Designed templates are divided into two categories: Announcements and Newsletters. However, there are several pre-designed templates you can choose from, including welcome emails, newsletters, real estate updates, ticket sales, and more.
Templates based on past campaigns
In ActiveCampaign, every campaign you send is saved as a template. These templates can be used for any future email you need to send. Using past campaigns as templates helps ensure consistency with your design and brand.
To access these templates:
- Click "Campaigns" in the left menu.
- Click the "Campaign Templates" option.
- Click the "Create a Template" button.
- Choose a Template Type.
- Click the "Past Campaigns" tab.
Start from scratch templates
If you want to create a template from scratch using the drag-and-drop designer or wish to create a template using custom HTML, then the "Start from Scratch" template options may be for you.
To access these template options:
- Click "Campaigns" in the left menu.
- Click the "Campaign Templates" option.
- Click the "Create a Template" button.
- Choose a Template Type.
- Click the "Start from Scratch" button.
Template Types
Email Designer
The Email Designer is ActiveCampaign’s new and improved drag-and-drop email designer launched in 2022. This designer makes it easier than ever to create branded, high-performing emails within the platform with an emphasis on reliability and easy-to-navigate UI. This email designer will give you the best possible experience to create optimal campaigns and engage your customers.
Like other templates that use the drag-and-drop designer, you can customize this template by adding, removing, or rearranging different types of content block.
Classic Designer
The Classic Designer is ActiveCampaign’s earlier drag-and-drop designer This simple template has a single column for copy with an image block at the top, making it mobile friendly and easy to customize.
You can also customize this template by adding, removing, or rearranging different types of content blocks.
Custom HTML
The HTML option gives you complete control over the design of your template. However, you must be familiar with HTML and CSS to create this kind of template. If you aren’t familiar with HTML and CSS code, but still want an appealing visual design for your email, you might want to use one of the templates described above.
Emails that use an HTML template should be previewed before sending so that you can be sure your campaign displays correctly in the most popular email clients and on mobile devices. To avoid display issues, you may want to use our templates above which have been carefully optimized to display correctly across popular devices and email clients.
Additional information on email templates
Below is a list of resources that you can use to learn more about email templates: