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October 27, 2024 - Articles

Can Figma Replace Your Email Builder? Pros, Cons, and Solutions

Over the past few years, Figma has emerged as a go-to tool for digital design, and it’s now finding its way into email design workflows. This shift makes sense: Figma’s collaborative features and cross-platform capabilities allow teams to work seamlessly on everything from web and social media graphics to email. According to a recent Litmus survey, 23% of email designers now use Figma for email design, making it one of the top choices, just behind Adobe Photoshop at 37%.

Read the full article here.

When I first switched to Figma, I loved how easily I could pull in different design elements and share them with colleagues in real-time—no more exporting files or waiting for feedback. However, moving email design to Figma hasn’t always been straightforward. Most teams still have to design in Figma, then rebuild emails in HTML or a drag-and-drop builder. This can feel redundant, especially when you’ve spent time perfecting the Figma design. That’s where the Email Love Figma Plugin comes in, letting designers stay within Figma and export HTML directly, making the process smoother.


Typical Workflow: Designing and Building Emails in Figma

A typical email workflow in Figma involves creating the visual layout first. I remember working on a project where we designed an email newsletter in Figma, and while it looked perfect visually, we then had to rebuild the entire thing in Mailchimp to get it ready for sending. This is common—teams often design in Figma for consistency, then use a different tool to make the email functional.

Figma plugins like the Email Love Plugin allow designers to skip the manual rebuilding step, potentially saving hours in production time. For teams who already live in Figma, this can reduce back-and-forth and allow everyone to focus on making the design pop.


Downsides of Using Only a Drag-and-Drop Tool for Email Design

Drag-and-drop email builders like Beefree and Mailchimp are valuable for non-designers or teams with limited time. I remember using a drag-and-drop editor for a project that needed to go out quickly. While we got the email done, it was challenging to make it feel unique within the constraints of a template. For custom typography or brand-specific design, you often still need to create images or layouts in Figma, Photoshop, or Canva.

The downside? Moving back and forth between tools can make it harder to keep designs consistent. Figma lets teams work on everything from web to social in one place, but when you have to juggle multiple tools, consistency can slip. This is where using Figma with a plugin like Email Love can streamline the process, helping teams maintain a cohesive look without leaving the platform.


What Redditors Are Saying: Figma for Email Design

Browsing through Reddit discussions on Figma for email design, it’s clear that many users are skeptical. Some feel Figma can’t export HTML optimized for email or that it’s simply a design tool without real functionality for email production. Several comments advocate for dedicated email builders, assuming they’re the only tools capable of generating reliable email-ready code.

What’s often missing from these conversations is an awareness of email-building plugins, which bridge the gap by allowing Figma users to export HTML directly and create email-ready designs without switching platforms. Many designers on Reddit seem unaware that Figma can streamline the entire email workflow when paired with the right plugin, making it not just a design tool but a powerful asset for email production as well.


Benefits of Using the Email Love Figma Plugin for Email Design

For teams already using Figma, the Email Love Figma Plugin can be a game-changer. I worked with a team that used Figma not only for web and product design but also for creating social and email assets. Switching between Figma and other tools for emails often slowed things down and created design inconsistencies. With the Email Love Plugin, we could keep everything in one place, building a cohesive design system for web, product, and email in Figma.

The plugin’s HTML export functionality also saves marketing teams from having to re-create designs elsewhere, which is a huge time-saver. This unified approach reduces errors and keeps our branding consistent, a win for everyone on the team.


Downsides of Using a Figma Plugin to Code Your Emails

As useful as the Email Love Plugin is, it’s not for everyone. Designers need a good grasp of Figma to create email-ready designs. I’ve worked with team members who are new to Figma, and it can take time to learn the tool’s nuances, especially features like Auto Layout. If you’re not comfortable with Figma, using a plugin might lead to broken layouts or inconsistent designs.

Additionally, certain complex layouts and highly interactive elements don’t translate well to HTML via plugins. This can limit design flexibility, which might be frustrating for teams with specific design requirements. When using Figma for email, understanding how the plugin exports code is essential to avoid errors that could impact the email’s final appearance.


Who the Email Love Figma Plugin May Not Be a Good Fit For

While the Email Love Plugin works well for many, it may not be ideal for everyone. For instance, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with basic email needs might find that drag-and-drop builders meet their requirements without needing Figma. I remember working with a small business team that prioritized speed and simplicity for email, and a straightforward builder suited them perfectly.

Teams without Figma expertise may also struggle to use the plugin effectively. For designers new to Figma, using a drag-and-drop tool might be a better fit to avoid the learning curve of working with advanced Figma features.


Who Should Use the Email Love Figma Plugin?

For teams already well-versed in Figma, the Email Love Plugin offers a seamless extension to handle email design. I worked with a large team that relied on Figma daily for web and product designs. By integrating email design into Figma, they could manage all their brand assets in one place, saving time and ensuring consistency across channels.

The plugin is ideal for teams handling large email volumes, where recreating designs in another tool would be time-consuming. For design-forward brands focused on maintaining a cohesive look, the plugin streamlines workflows and allows them to get the most out of Figma.


Embracing Figma as a Comprehensive Tool for Email Design

With tools like the Email Love Plugin, Figma can become a central platform for managing and designing emails, especially for teams ready to integrate it into their existing workflow. While it’s best suited to those familiar with Figma’s design features, it offers a powerful way to maintain brand consistency across digital assets, reduce time spent switching tools, and ensure a collaborative design environment.

For teams ready to learn Figma or already using it across other design functions, this plugin could be the missing piece for a more streamlined, cohesive email design workflow.

Much love,
Andy

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @emaillove

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