Are you wanting to create a custom email template but don't feel comfortable working with code?
Try our visual email template editor! You can create beautiful custom email templates without touching a line of code (unless you want to, that is—the editor lets you add custom CSS).
Here’s how it works!
Create a new email template
Head to the Email Templates page in your Kit account and click the + New email template button. You’ll be taken to this page:
To use our visual email template editor, select one of these template types:
Starting point
Classic template
A template from the template library (which will have been built as a starting point template)
NOTE: If you choose an email template that's editable via the visual email template editor, you will not be able to access your template's HTML. But you'll still be able to add custom CSS (here's how!).
If you prefer to have full access to your template's HTML, you'll need to create an HTML email template instead. You won't be able to edit your HTML email template using the visual email template editor.
Once you select your template, you’ll be taken to a page that looks something like this:
Rename your new template from the top corner so you can easily identify it:
You're now ready to customize your template!
Adding, reordering, and deleting sections
If you're using a starting point template, the template will consist of various sections. Move your cursor over the template to reveal them.
To add a new section, click the blue handles above or below a section. This will add another section containing the same visual styles—but without any content—above or below the existing section respectively.
To duplicate an existing section, hover your cursor over it and click the duplicate icon on the right. This will add another section containing the same visual styles and content below the original one.
If you want to delete a section, hover your cursor over it and click the trash can icon on the right.
NOTE: Did you delete a section by accident? Just hit Ctrl/Command+Z on your keyboard to undo the change. Phew!
And if you want to reorder your sections, hover your cursor over the section you want to move. Then, click the up or down icons on the right to move your section up or down respectively.
Styling the email content
Click the relevant part of your email template to customize its visual styles in the right sidebar. For example:
Click the placeholder body text in your email template to customize your body text's visual styles
Click the placeholder button in your email template to customize your buttons' visual styles
Click the Built with Kit badge at the bottom of the email template to show or hide the badge (paid plan needed).
From the right sidebar, you'll also be able to customize the visual styles of your overall template and sections.
(If you can't access those settings, click the placeholder body text in your email, followed by either the Section or Template tab in the right sidebar depending on the settings you want to adjust.)
NOTE: You'll get settings for customizing your template's sections only if you are using a starting point template.
Adding default content
If you're using one of our starting point templates, simply add your default content anywhere in the template. Your default content will appear when you load your template in the email editor.
For example, here's how to replace the placeholder heading in the "Escape" starting point template with a custom default heading:
As for classic templates, you can enter your default content between the tags that say "Start of default content" and "End of default content" in the template editor.
Adding additional content above or below the default content in classic templates
If you're using a classic template, you can add additional content above or below the default content. (You can add additional content anywhere in a starting point template.)
Hover your cursor near the top or bottom of the default content until a gray block appears.
Click this block, and then click the + sign to the left of the screen to load the content block menu. You can then select the content blocks to add to your template and edit them accordingly.
For example, if you want to add your logo at the top of your template, you can select the ‘Image’ content block and then upload your logo accordingly.
Adding additional content to the template footer
If you’re adding content to the footer of either a starting point or classic template, you can also click at the beginning or end of the footer, then press ‘Enter’ (or 'return') on your keyboard to add new content above or below.
(The footer is the section at the bottom with an Unsubscribe link.)
f you want to customize the unsubscribe text, here's how to do that.
NOTE: Including an Unsubscribe link and mailing address in your emails is necessary for compliance with anti-spam laws!
Finally, click the Save button at the top right-hand corner to save your changes to the template when you’re done!