Big email file size, big problems

Welcome to the world of emails, where when the email file size is big, the deliverability is a game of chance! In this article, we're going to explore the frustrating consequences of sending emails with large file sizes and offer advice on how you can avoid being disappointed and stay on top of things.

Whether you're a seasoned email pro or a newbie, we've all been there: you hit "send," and suddenly your email seems to be lost in cyberspace. But fear not, fellow emailers, because the answer to your problems might just be a matter of size. So sit back, grab a cup of coffee and get ready to learn as we delve into the wild world of email file size and deliverability.

Let’s break it down first…

In simple terms, email file size refers to the total size of your email message and any attachments that you include. If you want to get technical about it, though, let’s put it this way: all your email files come with a size, which is otherwise referred to as a "weight." This email file size or weight actually has the power to tamper with your email deliverability. Every email element contributes to your email’s file size, which includes the HTML present in the email, as well as any photos, videos or audio files the email contains.

What is email deliverability, then?

Before we delve into the effects of email file size on deliverability, it's important to understand what email deliverability is. Email deliverability is the ability of an email to reach its intended recipients' inboxes without being blocked, filtered or marked as spam.

Several factors can affect email deliverability, such as your email’s content, sender reputation, authentication and email file size (of course). If you want to learn more about email deliverability or you’re just looking for a simple refresher on the topic, head over to our 101 on email deliverability.

Anyway, back to the main business of the day.

How does email file size affect deliverability?

Well, for starters, your email might take a while to render. By "a while," we mean, like, enough time to go make a sandwich and come back to your computer. That's because heavy emails need more time to render, which can cause delays.

Also, larger emails take longer to load, which can be frustrating for the recipient. This is particularly true if you decide to embed your images. Something to remember is that the loading time of emails with large file sizes gets even worse on mobile devices. With 81% of subscribers opting to read their emails on their mobile phones on average, you want to make sure that you’re creating the best possible reading experience for your subscribers.

Let's not forget about those pesky spam filters. Yes, larger emails can trigger spam filters, especially if they contain many images, videos or attachments.

So, what can you do to optimise your emails for maximum deliverability?

Here are a few tips:

Keep your email file size as small as possible: Try to limit the size of your emails and any attachments. According to Pipedrive, ensuring that the body of your email is no more than 100 KB and the entire email is no more than 20 MB is the way to go. This will ensure that your email is more likely to be delivered without any issues.

The email attachment size limit varies among different email clients and email service providers. Here are the attachment size limits for some of the most popular email clients:

• Apple Mail: 20 MB
• Microsoft Outlook: 20 MB
• Yahoo!: 25 MB
• AOL: 25 MB
• Gmail: 25 MB
• Hotmail: 25 MB

Store your files in our file manager: You can upload your desired attachment to our file manager. We have a 2MB limit, allowing you to upload and store as many of your attachments as you’d possibly like.

Now, instead of attaching weighty files to your emails, you can have a hyperlinked button that prompts your subscriber to view your attachment within our file manager.

Here’s how:

• When you’re in our builder, head over to the CONTENT tab where you’ll see the page elements. Click on the BUTTON content element and drag the button widget into the preview window.
• Click on it to bring up the editing panel.
• Change the button text so that it is relevant, e.g. Download Brochure.
• Click the CHOOSE FILE button to upload your file to our file manager. Our file manager has a 2MB limit.
• When your file is in the file manager, hover your cursor over it until you see the INSERT button. Click on Insert and you’ll see the file’s link next to the CHOOSE FILE button.

Now your subscribers can view your attachment with just one click!

Compress your attachments: If you do need to include attachments in your email, try compressing them before sending them. This can help reduce the file size and make your email more likely to be delivered. We don’t recommend using attachments in your emails, but would rather recommend that you hyperlink to your files via a link or via a button. In this way, your attachment won’t affect your email size at all. You should also opt to use a PNG file (portable network graphics) for your images instead of a JPEG. Why? The PNG format is able to make images lighter without compromising their quality.

Key takeaways

The size of your email files can have a significant impact on email deliverability. By keeping your emails as small as possible, compressing attachments, avoiding too many images and using a reliable email service provider, you can help ensure that your emails are delivered to your intended recipients. So, go forth and send awesome emails with confidence!