All the Email Content Blocks in the New Builder

Use content blocks to customize your email in the new builder. Add and edit content such as text, images, products, promo codes, and much more.

In this article, you'll learn about the different types of content blocks you can use to design your email and how to edit them.

Before you start

Here are some things to know before you begin this process.

• The new email builder is a beta feature available for regular email and single abandoned cart emails. To learn more, check out our article on how to Design an Email with the New Builder.
• To design a regular email with our classic builder instead, you can set it as the default builder in your account details.

Content block types

Here are all the content blocks you can use in the new email builder.

Next, we'll go over each of these blocks and how you can customize them for your email campaigns.

Heading

Use the Heading block to add heading text to your email. After you add or click a Heading block, you can enter your text directly in the email.

To use a Heading content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Heading content block or add one to your email.
2. Add or edit your text, and use the editing toolbar to format it as needed.
   In the toolbar, select the font, heading levels, size, attributes, and alignment. You can also insert a link, or add merge tags.
3. In the Text menu, choose Colors for the block text, links, and background. Then, adjust the block Padding.
   
4. If you want to apply these styles to all Heading blocks in your content, click Apply style to all headings.
   

Paragraph

Use the Paragraph block to add paragraph text to your email. After you add or click a Paragraph block, you can enter your text directly in the email.

To use a Paragraph content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Paragraph content block or add one to your email.
2. Add or edit your text, and use the editing toolbar to format as needed.
   In the toolbar, select the font, heading levels, size, attributes, and alignment. You can also insert a link, or add merge tags.
3. In the Text menu, choose Colors for the block text, links, and background. Then, adjust the block Padding.
   
4. If you want to apply these styles to all Paragraph blocks in your content, click Apply style to all paragraphs.
   

Image

Use the Image block to add an image from the content studio to your email.

To use an Image content block, follow these steps.

1. Click an Image content block or add one to your layout.
2. Click the Add drop-down in the Image menu. Then, choose to Upload Image or to Select Image from the content studio.
   
3. Click and drag the borders or corners of the image to crop or resize it as needed.
   
4. In the Image menu, set the image Alignment as left, center, right, or full.
   
5. If you want the image to link to a page or profile on the web, add a URL to the Link to field.
   
6. In the Alt Text field, add descriptive text to make your email more accessible.
   
7. Choose your Block Background Color and adjust the block Padding.
   

Logo

If you’ve set a default logo in the content studio, the Logo block automatically pulls it into your layout. You can also add or replace your default logo from this block.

To use a Logo content block, follow these steps.

1. Click the Logo block or add one to your email.
2. In the Logo menu, click Set Logo.
   
   If you’re updating your logo, you’ll first need to click Replace Logo.
   
3. In the content studio, click the image you want to use as your logo.
   
4. To choose a logo for this email only, click Insert.
   
   To set a new default logo, you’ll first need to click the drop-down next to View Details and choose Set My Logo.
5. Click and drag the borders or corners of the image to crop or resize it as needed.
6. In the Logo menu, set the image Alignment as left, center, right, full.
   
7. If you want the logo to link to a page or profile on the web, add a URL to the Link to field.
   
8. In the Alt Text field, add descriptive text to make your email more accessible.
   
9. Choose your Block Background Color and adjust the block Padding.
   

Button

Use the Button block to add a button to your email. Buttons are a great way to include a prominent call to action, like a “Buy now” button that links to a product in your store.

To use a Button content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Button block or add one to your email.
2. Add or edit your button text, and use the editing toolbar to format it as needed.
   
   In the toolbar, select the font, size, and attributes.
3. In the Button menu, insert your button's Link to URL and set your Alignment, Shape, Style, Colors, and Padding preferences.
   
4. If you want to apply these styles to all Button blocks in your content, click Apply style to all buttons.
   

Divider

Use the Divider block to add a dividing line to your email. Dividers help you separate your content into distinct sections.

To use a Divider content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Divider block or add one to your email.
   
2. In the Divider menu, choose your divider’s Thickness, Style, Padding, and Colors.
   
3. If you want to apply these styles to all Divider blocks in your content, click Apply style to all dividers.
   

Spacer

Use the Spacer block to add padding between blocks in your layout.

To use a Spacer content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Spacer content block or add one to your email.
2. In the Spacer menu, choose your pixel Height and Block Background color.
   

Video

Use the Video block to add a video link to your email. We’ll automatically pull in a thumbnail, or preview image, when you add the link to the video's URL.

To use a Video content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Video block or add one to your email.
2. Click the Change drop-down in the Video menu. Then, choose to Upload Image or to Select Image from the content studio.
   
3. Add a URL to the Source field.
   
4. In the Alt Text field, add descriptive text to make your email more accessible.
5. Choose your Block Background Color and adjust the block Padding.
   

Social

Use the Social block to add social icons that link to your social media accounts, so recipients can quickly find and follow you on different platforms.

To use a Social content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Social content block or add one to your email. We automatically include Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
2. Use the drop-downs in the Social menu to choose which social networks to include.
   
3. Click the trash icon to remove a social network.
   
4. Click the drag icon to change the order of your social networks.
   
5. Click Add another social link to add another social network.
   
6. Edit your icons’ Style, Size, Alignment, Spacing, Color, and Padding.
   

Layout

Use the Layout block to add a section that includes multiple text or image blocks. For example, you can add an image with a caption and button, or you can add a row of images.

To use a Layout content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Layout block or add one to your email.
2. In the Add Layout menu, click the Text, Text & Image, or Image Gallery drop-downs to choose your desired layout.
   
3. Click an option to add it to your email.
4. Click the individual text, button, or image blocks in the Layout to access their editing options. Each section of a Layout block matches the editing options for the Heading, Paragraph, Button, and Image blocks.

Product

Use Product blocks to add items from your connected online store. Each block is designed to contain a product name, custom description, price, and call-to-action button. And if you turn on e-commerce tracking in your email settings, your report will show purchase revenue.

To use a Product content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Product block or add one to your email. If you’re working with an existing block, skip to step 4.
2. In the Select a store modal, choose the store you want to add products from. If you haven’t yet connected a store, you’ll be prompted to do so.
3. Click the product you want to add.
4. In the Products menu, edit the Title, Price, Button, and Color URL as needed. You can also click the edit icon to choose a different product, or click the settings icon to check your store connection.

Apps

Use the Apps block to add information from connected services, websites, or applications outside of your Mailchimp account.

To use an Apps content block, follow these steps.

1. Click an Apps content block or add one to your email.
2. In the Select App menu, select the app you want to use.
   

We’ll walk you through the connection process and show you exactly what’s being added to your email design. With some apps, you’ll be able to choose what information to add.

Cart

If you’re working with an abandoned cart email, you’ll use a Cart block to pull in dynamic information about the items your customer left behind. After you click a Cart content block or add one to your email, you can edit the content and styles that will be used to display your products.

To use a Cart content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Cart content block or add one to your email.
2. On the Content tab of the Abandoned Cart menu, use the Maximum number of products in email drop-down to choose how many abandoned items the cart can include. You can also toggle the Details slider to include or exclude a product price, or click the Color selector to change the block background color.
   
3. On the Style tab, use the Font drop-down menus for Product Title and Product Price to change the font type.
   
   You can Format, Align, and Color as needed

Survey

Use the Survey block to add a button that links to one of your Mailchimp surveys. This is a great way to learn about your contacts.

To use a Survey content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Survey block or add one to your email.
2. Add or edit your survey button text, and use the editing toolbar to format it as needed.
   
3. Click the Link to survey drop-down in the Survey menu. Then, choose the survey you want to link to.
   
   If you haven’t made one already, click Create Survey to create a survey.
4. In the Survey menu, set your Font, Alignment, Shape, Style, Colors, and Padding preferences.
   

Code

Use the Code block to add HTML code directly into your email. This block is useful if you want more control of your design than what our other content blocks provide.

To use a Code content block, follow these steps.

1. Click the Code block or add one to your email.
2. In the Code menu, type or paste in your code.
   

Code block tips

Here are some tips for how to use the Code block.

• Don't use JavaScript.
  Because most email clients block JavaScript to protect against viruses, we automatically remove all detectable JavaScript from your code.
• Don't use a word-processing program to create HTML content.
  Programs like Microsoft Word or Publisher can add extra styling code that distorts your campaign. We recommend that you write the HTML code in a simple text editor and then paste the code into the Code block.
• Use embedded or inline CSS.
  In most cases, external CSS files will not work in HTML email. You can add embedded or inline CSS to a Code block, preferably above the body section of your layout. For the best results, we recommend you use inline CSS.
• Use media queries to ensure responsive design.
  If you want your code to be mobile responsive, you’ll need to include media queries. A media query is a CSS component that allows your content to adapt to different devices. To learn more, check out the W3C article on Recommendation for Media Queries and the Litmus guide on How to Code a Responsive Email from Scratch.
• Use the content studio or absolute paths for images and files.
  Use our content studio to host files and images for your campaign. Grab the file URL from the Content Studio and paste it into your code in the Code block. If you host your images on your own server, use absolute paths.

Product Recommendation

Use the Product Recommendation block to pull in personalized product suggestions for each of your contacts. To learn more about this feature, check out our article About Personalized Product Recommendations.

To use a Product Recommendation content block, follow these steps.

1. Click a Product Recs block or add one to your email.
2. In the Product Recommendation menu, choose Personalized Recs, Best Sellers, or New Arrivals.
   
3. Click Next.
   
4. On the Content tab, use the Number of recommendations drop-down to choose how many products to include.
   
5. Click the Range to display drop-down to choose which products to show in the content block.
   
6. Choose the Layout of your product images. You can also toggle the Details slider to include or exclude a product Title, Price, and Button. Click the Color selector to change the block background color.
   
7. On the Style tab, Use the Font drop-down menus for Product Title and Product Price to change the font types.
   
   You can Format, Align, and Color as needed.

Footer

Every Mailchimp email template comes with a Footer content block at the bottom. The Footer block uses merge tags to pull in important information saved in your audience settings. This includes the required address and unsubscribe link, along with other informative content for your recipients like the referral badge. To learn more about email footer content, check out About Email Campaign Footers.

The Footer cannot be moved or removed, but you can make some changes to its content and appearance.

In this section, we'll learn how to edit the footer layout and footer text.

Footer layout

To edit the footer layout, follow these steps.

1. Click the Footer layout block at the bottom of your email.
2. In the Footer menu, click Change layout to choose from different designs.
   
3. Click the layout option you want to use.
   
4. Click the back arrow icon to return to the Footer menu.
   
5. Use the Logo toggle to add or remove the image from the footer.
   
6. If you have a paid Marketing plan, click Referral Badge to style, add, or remove the badge from the footer.
   
   To learn more about Mailchimp plans, check out our pricing page. To change your plan type, visit the plans page in your account.
7. Choose your Badge Style, then use the Show Badge toggle to add or remove the referral badge from the footer.
   
8. Click the back arrow icon to return to the Footer menu.
   
9. Choose your Layout Background color and adjust the block Padding.
   

Footer text

To edit the footer text, follow these steps.

1. Click the text content block inside your footer.
   
   You can edit the text here like you would in any other block, but some information like the unsubscribe link and the address are required to send your email.
2. In the Footer Text menu, click on the Edit Contact Info button to update the details associated with your audience.
   
   This information is used to populate the merge tags in your footer.
3. In the Edit Audience Contact Information pop-up, make any changes to your audience details and click Save.
   
4. Add or edit your text, and use the editing toolbar to format it as needed.
   In the toolbar, select the font, heading levels, size, attributes, and alignment. You can also insert a link, or add merge tags.
5. In the Footer Text menu, choose Colors for the block text and links. Then, adjust the text's Padding.