Why Your CSS Is Not Working

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In the ever-changing world of email marketing, understanding the ins and outs of Gmail is paramount.

We probably don’t have to tell you that a lot of people use Gmail… but we will. According to Sinch Mailjet’s new report, The path to email engagement 2024, 71% of consumers in its global survey said they have a Gmail account. That’s why mastering the art of crafting emails tailored specifically for Gmail is non-negotiable.

In this article, we’ll delve into the specific hurdles encountered when coding HTML emails for Gmail, shedding light on practical strategies for overcoming these Gmail obstacles.

Gmail CSS Support

Despite its popularity, Gmail presents unique challenges for email developers, particularly in its support – or lack thereof – of certain CSS properties. But before we get too far, it’s important to understand that there are different some types of Gmail users.

Understanding GANGA and Its Impact on Gmail Email Rendering

Whenever we’re discussing Gmail’s CSS support it’s important that we make the distinction between GANGA and non-GANGA.

GANGA (Gmail Android with Non Gmail Accounts) represents a subset of Gmail users who access their emails through non-Gmail email accounts on the Gmail app. This distinction is important because the Gmail apps render emails differently compared to the Gmail web interface, often leading to variations in email display and functionality.

Gmail’s CSS Support: Navigating the Limitations

It’s essential to consider Gmail’s CSS support and its implications on email rendering. Here’s a breakdown of a few key Gmail CSS support notes, and the challenges they present:

1. Embedded CSS – Gmail does support embedded CSS, allowing for styling within the
   

   
   

   
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   The solution is limited to white text only, but it should still be helpful if you need to come up with a workaround for the dark mode issues in iOS.

   Learn more about dark mode email development challenges and how to tackle them.

   What about Gmail and AMP for Email?

   AMP (short for Accelerated Mobile Pages) is an open-source framework launched by Google in 2015. It provides a straightforward way to create web pages that are fast, smooth-loading, and prioritize user-experience. AMP for Email was publicly released for Gmail Web in 2019, allowing users to include AMP components within emails.

   AMP for Email functions via a novel mark-up and infrastructure which allows interactive elements like carousels, forms, dynamic data, and APIs to be inserted in the email body.

   Email developers seeking to elevate their campaigns beyond traditional static content can harness the power of AMP for Email to deliver more engaging and personalized experiences to their subscribers. With AMP developers can create emails that dynamically adapt to user interactions, providing tailored content and functionalities based on recipient actions. This not only enhances user engagement but also enables email marketers to track and analyze recipient interactions in real-time, facilitating data-driven campaign optimization.

   If you’re interested in experimenting with AMP for email you can read our post about it here or check out the official AMP documentation.

   Gmail’s sender guidelines for 2024

   In early October 2023, Gmail and Yahoo announced new requirements for bulk senders looking to deliver mail to those using their services. While the strictest standards mainly impact those who send thousands of emails every day, even those with lower send volumes should consider updating their practices.

   The new bulk sender requirements mainly deal with the following areas:

   We took a deep dive into what you’ll need to do to get delivered to Gmail and Yahoo.

   If you’re looking for an email deliverability solution that can help you reach Gmail inboxes, check out Mailgun Optimize. It’s a complete deliverability suite that integrates with Google Postmaster Tools, helps you monitor authentication protocols, and much more.

   Conquer Gmail with Sinch Email on Acid Testing

   Between GANGA, image changes, link styling, doctypes and more we covered a lot of Gmail CSS support intricacies that can affect the way your email campaigns render in subscribers’ inboxes.

   That’s where Sinch Email on Acid testing comes into play, it’s crucial that you run extensive tests for everything we’ve discussed in this article. Our testing tools allow you to quickly and efficiently check these different versions of Gmail and ensure your emails are rendering as you intend.

   Our Email Previews include Gmail options on a wide range of Android operating systems and devices as well as dark mode previews. Looking good on Gmail matters and Email on Acid helps you deliver your best.

   

   Author: Alex Ilhan

   Alex Ilhan is a freelance email specialist and email developer based in the United Kingdom with experience working for both brands and agencies. He's also spoken on a variety of topics at email industry conferences. Find Alex on LinkedIn to connect.

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