Less is more: E-mail signatures should not be longer than 10 lines. Go wider rather than longer, and use pipes (|) to separate components. Use two spaces between content and pipes.
Images and logos: Do not use images or logos within the e-mail signature. Images can come across as attachments and appear chaotic. Many e-mail clients and mobile devices block the appearance of images. Images can also increase the size of e-mail in-boxes exponentially. For those with in-box size limits, this can be problematic.
Quotes: Refraining from the use of quotes or epigraphs is best practice for professional communications. It is important to avoid the potential confusion of external audiences assuming a particular statement represents UCA’s official slogan, ideology, or brand promise.
Fonts: Use a simple 12-point standard font (preferred) or your e-mail client’s default font. Non-standard typefaces and HTML may not translate well across e-mail clients.
Rich text formatting: Use plain text so that the signature is compatible with all e-mail clients and devices. Avoid colors, special fonts, bold, italics, and graphics.
vCards: While vCards can be a convenient way to share contact information for some (using a .VCF compatible e-mail client), they add bytes and appear as attachments. It might be valuable to use a vCard for an initial correspondence, but sending it every time is redundant.
Standard E-mail Signature Format Samples:
Option 1 – with address
John Q. User | Director of Web Development
University of Central Arkansas | University Marketing and Communications
Wingo Hall 113 | 201 Donaghey Avenue | Conway, AR 72035
501-450-5721 | 555-123-1234 mobile | email@uca.edu | uca.edu
AVID: UCA dedicates itself to Academic Vitality, Integrity, and Diversity.
Option 2 – without address
John Q. User | Director of Web Development
University of Central Arkansas |University Marketing and Communications
501-450-5721 | 555-123-1234 mobile | email@uca.edu | uca.edu
AVID: UCA dedicates itself to Academic Vitality, Integrity, and Diversity.
E-mail is our most often used form of communication and is a reflection of the institution. The format of one’s e-mail should be professional in terms of signature and other formatting. E-mail signatures should follow certain guidelines to fit with the overall branding initiative at UCA. As such, the style of address, tone, spelling, grammar and punctuation of all messages should reflect the standards of formal business communication.
The purpose of this standardization is to prevent quotations (no matter how innocent that they may seem) that are personal, political, religious, racist, jokes, or other viewpoints that might be considered offensive by other individuals. The current UCA Computer Usage Policy states that “Employee and student use of e-mail and the Internet must be able to withstand public scrutiny without embarrassment to the university or the State of Arkansas” and this includes e-mail signatures. Signatures should look professional and represent the university and the views of the university, not personal viewpoints. The creation of this policy will help protect the employee and the university from legal action by other groups that might interpret a quotation on a signature line as inappropriate.
Thank you for your assistance in helping UCA brand itself in a more unified way.