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Mail Designer 365 allows you to format link styles to make your links stand out in your email design.

Adding link styles

To get started, highlight the text which you want to link and add the link address under "Add link" in the "Style" menu.

You will now see a standard, blue link. To format this link, scroll to "Link style" in the "Style" menu. Here you can format the color and the style (e.g. bold, italic, all caps) of your link.

To just change the style of one particular link, highlight the link and go to "Emphasis" in the "Style" menu, where you can then change the stye and color.

A consistent link format helps readers recognize clickable text and makes an email easier to scan. In Mail Designer 365, you can set the shared appearance for text links and then apply emphasis to an individual link when it needs a different treatment. This guide explains both options and includes practical checks for readable, dependable links.

How to Add a Text Link

Start by highlighting the words you want readers to click. In the Style menu, use “Add Link” and enter the destination address. Choose meaningful linked words that describe the destination, such as “View the spring collection” or “Read the setup guide.” Avoid relying on vague text such as “click here” when a more descriptive phrase is available.

After adding the address, review it carefully. A complete web address should point to the intended page, while an email link should use the correct recipient address. Descriptive link text also gives readers useful context before they interact with the message.

Choose a Consistent Link Format

A newly added link uses the standard link appearance. To change the shared link format, open “Link Style” in the Style menu. You can adjust the color and choose treatments including bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and all caps.

Choose a treatment that is clearly distinguishable from ordinary body text. Color can support that distinction, but it should not be the only visual cue. Underlining is familiar to many readers and can make inline links easier to identify. Bold can add emphasis, while extensive use of all caps or strikethrough may make longer phrases harder to read.

Keep the same link style throughout a message unless there is a clear reason to create an exception. Consistency reduces visual noise and helps subscribers understand which text is interactive. It also prevents one ordinary text link from competing with the main call-to-action button.

Format One Specific Text Link

Sometimes one link needs to differ from the shared style. Select that link and use “Emphasis” in the Style menu to configure it separately. This is useful when the surrounding background, hierarchy, or context requires a more visible treatment.

Use exceptions sparingly. If every link receives a different color or treatment, readers lose the predictable pattern that makes links easy to recognize. First establish the shared style, then use individual emphasis only where it improves comprehension.

Link Format Checks Before Sending

Preview the email and scan it as a recipient would. Each linked phrase should be readable against its background and visually recognizable without requiring the reader to guess. Check that the linked wording still makes sense on its own and that nearby links are not crowded together.

Send a test message and open every link. Confirm that each destination loads, uses the expected secure address, and does not lead to an outdated or unintended page. If a destination includes campaign tracking, verify the parameters without changing the actual page address.

Also review the message at a narrow width. Text can wrap differently on smaller screens, so a long linked phrase may occupy several lines. Make sure the line breaks remain readable and that links are not placed so closely together that selecting the intended one becomes difficult.

Common Text Link Formatting Tips

Use one dependable link format for ordinary inline links, reserve buttons for the primary action, and keep linked wording concise but descriptive. Maintain sufficient visual contrast and avoid styling ordinary text so that it looks clickable when it is not. Finally, test the actual message rather than relying only on the editor view. These checks create a clearer hierarchy and a more predictable experience for subscribers.

Email buttons with different links

Email buttons with different links let recipients choose the action that matches their intent—for example, opening separate product pages, social profiles, event registrations, or support resources. In Mail Designer 365, the important rule is that one image area can have one destination link. To create several independently clickable graphic buttons, place each button in its own image area.

This guide shows how to choose the correct layout block, assign a unique URL to every button, and test the finished email so each call to action opens the expected page.

Remember, one image area only allows you to add one link. Even though you can have different graphic elements within one image area, the entire image area will only link to a single destination. When you send your email templates, an image area with different elements will be rendered as a single image. This is why  you can only add one link within one image area.

Multiple image areas

In order to add different buttons with different links, you need to use a layout blocks with multiple image areas. Within Mail Designer 365, you have multiple choices of different layout blocks with multiple image areas.

You can choose which layout you want. Within each image area, you can add a single link. Therefore, you have the freedom to add a button with a unique link within each image area. The different image areas will be rendered as their own individual images.

Adding buttons with different links

In this example, we are using a layout block with 4 image areas:

Then, we are adding a unique icon as buttons within each image area:

Afterwards, we are adding a different link within each image area. For the Facebook icon, we will add a link to the Facebook page:

On the second image area, we will add a Pinterest icon. Then, we will add a link to the Pinterest page:

For the third image area, we will place a Twitter icon. Then, we will add a link to the Twitter page:

On the fourth image area, we will add the Instagram icon. Afterwards, we will add a link to the Instagram, page:

When the email template is rendered, the four different image areas will become four different images with their individual links.

Correct vs. Incorrect:

Correct because: 4 different icons in 4 different image areas. You can add 1 link per 1 image area. Therefore, you can add 4 different links total.

Incorrect because: 4 different icons in 1 image area. You can only add 1 link per 1 image area. Therefore, 4 icons will only lead to 1 landing page.

Plan and test multiple button destinations

Before building the row, list each button label and its final destination URL. Clear labels help recipients understand the result of a click, while distinct destinations make campaign reporting easier to interpret. Use a layout block with enough separate image areas for the number of graphic buttons you need. If the row contains four social icons, for example, choose a block with four individual areas rather than placing every icon inside one large image area.

After adding the graphics, select the first image area and assign its URL. Repeat the process for every remaining area. Check that secure HTTPS links are complete and that no destination was copied to the wrong button. When appropriate, use descriptive link titles and keep the visual treatment consistent across the set.

Accessibility and mobile checks

Add meaningful alt text to each button image so its purpose remains understandable if images are blocked. Avoid relying on the icon alone when the action may be ambiguous. In the mobile version, confirm that every button remains large enough to tap and that spacing prevents accidental clicks on the neighboring destination.

• Preview the desktop and mobile layouts.
• Click every button in preview or in a test email.
• Confirm that each destination loads without an error or redirect surprise.
• Check that button order matches the surrounding copy.
• Send the test to at least one real inbox before the campaign launch.

If you need one graphic to contain several clickable regions, separate it into individual image areas instead. You can also review the guide to multiple links on an image background for related layout choices. This structure ensures that email buttons with different links remain independently clickable after the design is rendered for sending.

How image area links work in email newsletters

Image area links in email newsletters let you make an email image clickable and send readers to a landing page. In Mail Designer 365, you can add a background image or texture and combine multiple graphic elements within one image area. You can combine multiple shapes and texts and scatter them around within an image area.

However, you can only add one link per image area. You can add a link by double-clicking a graphic element or the background of the image area. Then, go to the style section and click "Edit Link & Background." You can add the link to your landing page.

Why is my link being applied to the entire image area instead of my button or shape?

When your email templates are rendered, an entire image area will become one image. This means that when you send your email designs, all of the graphic elements that you add within one image area will be combined and turned into one image. As a result, the link that you add will apply to the entire image area instead of a single element.

If you want to add multiple links or multiple buttons that lead to different landing pages, then use layout blocks with multiple image areas. This way, you can add a different link to each image area.

HTML Email Button Design in Mail Designer 365

A clear call-to-action helps readers understand what to do next. This guide explains HTML email button design with the ready-made graphical buttons in Mail Designer 365: how to add a button to an image area, customize its label and appearance, connect it to the correct landing page, and check it before sending.

This workflow is intended for the prebuilt buttons available in the Contents panel. If you want to create a flexible CTA from an editable text object instead, use the separate text button guide. Keeping those two methods separate prevents styling instructions from becoming confusing.

Add a Call-to-Action Button

Open the Contents section on the right side of Mail Designer 365 and choose the triangle control to expand the available content elements. Scroll to the buttons section. Select a button whose shape suits the visual hierarchy of your email; the wording and styling can be adjusted after placement.

Drag the chosen button into an image area in the email design. Place it close to the message it supports so readers can connect the offer or instruction with the action. Avoid adding several competing buttons to the same short section. A single clear primary action is usually easier to scan.

Customize the Button Label and Style

Double-click the button text and replace it with a concise action label such as “View plans,” “Reserve a seat,” or “Read the guide.” The label should describe what happens after the click. Generic wording can work, but a specific action often gives the recipient more confidence about the destination.

With the button selected, use the Style section on the right to adjust the font, font size, font style, and text color. Keep the label readable against the button background and make sure the button remains visually distinct from surrounding content. Review both desktop and mobile layouts after changing the size because longer labels may wrap or need more space.

Add the Button Link

Select the button and click Edit Link & Background. This opens the controls used to assign the destination. Choose Add Link, then enter the full landing-page URL, including https://. Link directly to the page promised by the label rather than to a general homepage when a more relevant destination exists.

Click Add Link to create the destination for the selected button.

Enter the desired landing-page address and confirm the change. Repeat the process for any other graphical buttons in the email, checking that each one has the correct destination.

Check Your HTML Email Button Design

Before sending the campaign, preview the email at desktop and mobile widths. Confirm that the button is easy to identify, the label is not clipped, and the surrounding spacing makes it comfortable to select. Then send a test email and click the button from the received message. Verify that the destination loads successfully, uses HTTPS, and matches the action described by the button label.

Also review the email without relying only on color. The wording should still make the purpose of the CTA clear. If the campaign contains more than one button, keep their visual priority consistent: one primary action can be prominent, while secondary actions should not compete with it.

Common Button Problems

• The button opens the wrong page: select it again and replace the saved URL.
• The label wraps: shorten the wording or allow more room around the button.
• The button is hard to see: increase the contrast between the button, its label, and the surrounding section.
• The mobile layout feels crowded: review spacing and placement in the mobile version before sending another test.

A good HTML email button design combines a specific label, a readable style, an accurate destination, and a successful test from the delivered email.