How To Become An Email Developer In 2024: The Complete Guide - Mystrika

Are you fascinated by the intersection of marketing, design, and technology? Do you dream of seeing your HTML/CSS masterpieces connect brands with millions of subscribers? Then say hello to your future career as an email developer!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what email developers do, why businesses need them, how to gain the skills, and expert tips to launch your career crafting captivating campaigns.

Page Contents

What Is An Email Developer?

An email developer is a specialized marketing professional who brings email campaigns to life through expert coding and design. Their core responsibility is to translate marketing ideas and goals into beautifully crafted, responsive HTML emails that engage subscribers and drive results.
If you enjoy combining creativity and analytics, have an eye for design, and want to help businesses grow through email marketing, this could be the perfect career path for you!

Responsibilities and Day-to-Day Work

The typical workday of an email developer involves a mix of strategic planning, creative design, and hands-on development.

Here are some of their key responsibilities:

Collaborating with stakeholders to understand campaign goals, target audience, design preferences, and success metrics. Email developers need to grasp the “big picture” behind each email initiative.
Developing campaign schedules and timelines based on business objectives, deploying campaigns through email service providers, and tracking performance.
Designing effective and on-brand email layouts that showcase products or content in an appealing way. This may involve using Photoshop and design tools.
Writing clean, semantic, well-structured HTML and CSS code to build email templates from scratch or based on designer mockups.
Testing emails across different email clients, browsers, and devices to identify and fix rendering issues. Emails need to look flawless everywhere.
Implementing and troubleshooting integrations between email service providers, CRMs, e-commerce platforms, and other marketing tools.
Leveraging data and analytics to optimize campaigns. Good email developers keep a pulse on open rates, click rates, unsubscribes and other metrics.
Staying up-to-date with email design trends, deliverability best practices, and emerging technologies like AI. The field evolves quickly.

It’s a busy but rewarding role that allows you to flex both creative and analytical muscles daily!

Technical Skills Required

To deliver professional, high-performing email campaigns, developers rely on specialized technical know-how:

Expert HTML and CSS skills – Fluent HTML and CSS is a must for crafting emails. Developer will need mastery of HTML tables for layouts, inline CSS for styling, media queries for responsiveness, and HTML email best practices.
Email marketing platforms – Experience with leading tools like Mailchimp, HubSpot, GetResponse, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor, etc is expected. Developers will build and send campaigns through these platforms.
Graphic design skills – Comfort with Photoshop and creative software is helpful for mocks and assets. Design ability sets good developers apart.
Coding emails – Abilities like version control, reusable components, AMPscript, and coding from designer files are valued. Writing clean semantic HTML/CSS is crucial.
Deliverability and testing – In-depth knowledge of deliverability factors, spam testing, inbox rendering issues, and multi-client testing is a core skill.
Analytics and tracking – Implementing tracking pixels, links, goal funnels, and leveraging data for optimization is standard practice. Familiarity with Google Analytics is a plus.
Automation – Many developers have experience with workflow automations, life cycle campaigns, and integrating CRM data into dynamic emails.

Having this well-rounded technical skillset allows email developers to handle any campaign challenge thrown their way!

Soft Skills Needed

In addition to technical prowess, certain soft skills help email developers thrive:

Project management – Juggling multiple projects and campaigns requires stellar organizational skills and attention to detail. Meeting deadlines is critical.
Communication – Developers must collaborate with many teams and articulate technical issues in plain language. Clear communication is vital.
Creative thinking – Strong creative thinking helps developers innovate email designs and solve coding problems. Creativity is a valuable asset in their toolkit.
Analytics mindset – Having a data-driven mindset helps developers make optimization decisions based on subscriber behavior and engagement.
Problem-solving – Persistence and creativity in diagnosing and troubleshooting email issues helps achieve perfect end results. Developers must be adept problem solvers.
Teamwork – Developers work closely with designers, marketers, salespeople, and company executives. Being a team player is a must.
Time management – The ability to prioritize urgent tasks, meet deadlines, and balance multiple projects is crucial for email developers. Organization is key.

When technical expertise is blended with these soft skills, developers have all the ingredients needed to create email magic!

So in summary, email developers are technical wizards who bring marketing visions to life through carefully crafted emails. Their specialized skills, both hard and soft, enable them to deliver stellar campaigns that captivate subscribers and get results. It’s an exciting career path for techies with a creative streak and a passion for email.

Why Become An Email Developer?

In today’s digital landscape, email marketing remains one of the highest converting channels for businesses to connect with customers. With many companies investing heavily in email, talented developers are needed to bring engaging campaigns to life.
If you’re considering a career pivot, becoming an email developer is a smart choice for several compelling reasons:

Growing Demand for Email Marketing

Email is alive and thriving in marketing. Consider these statistics:

Worldwide, over 4 billion people use email today. Email isn’t going away anytime soon!
91% of consumers check their email daily. It remains one of the best ways to reach audiences.
Email generates an average return on investment of $36 for every $1 spent – one of the highest ROIs across marketing channels.
Companies are prioritizing email in their budgets. In 2022, over 80% of marketers allocated increased funds towards email initiatives.
The global email marketing industry is projected to grow by 20% annually over the next 5 years.

With practically every business investing in email, skilled developers are in high demand. New email marketing jobs are added daily, making now an ideal time to start a career in this field.

Well-Paid Profession

Not only are email developer roles plentiful, they are also lucrative. Consider the following salary insights:

The average salary for email developers in the US is $65,000 annually. Senior developers can earn up to $90,000 per year.
Experienced freelance email developers charge $60 – $150 per hour for their expertise. At the high end, that translates to $300,000 annually!
The highest paid email developers work in major metropolitan hubs. In San Francisco, average salaries exceed $100,000.
With remote work options growing, developers can earn US-level salaries from any location. Top professionals command premium rates.
Salaries grow quickly with experience. Within 2-3 years, developers can expect to see their earnings climb. Specializations also boost pay.

Few marketing roles match email development in earning potential right out of the gate. The income prospects are a major perk of the job.

Opportunity to Be Creative

Here’s an inside secret about email developers – they get to flex their creative muscles daily! Email development involves much more than just coding.

Other creative aspects developers enjoy include:

Designing aesthetically pleasing layouts – Developers create beautiful templates that showcase products in the best light.
Embedding interactive elements – From gifs and video to quizzes and calculators, developers add engaging touches to emails.
Writing great copy – Developers often craft compelling subject lines and preview text to get emails opened and read.
Trying new formats – Developers stay on top of design trends and get to create fresh takes on newsletters, promotions, etc.
Seeing campaigns come to life – There’s immense satisfaction in seeing an email you coded achieve the intended goal.
Adapting designs for different segments – Developers tailor messages and offers to different groups of subscribers.
A/B testing content – Developers get to experiment with different email content and mechanics to see which converts best.

Email development seamlessly blends art and science. The mix of analytical and creative skills keeps the job exciting and engaging for developers.

Other Benefits

Beyond demand, pay, and creativity, some additional perks of the job include:

Remote work potential – Many developer roles are fully remote, allowing work from anywhere with an internet connection.
Variety – Developers work on different campaign types for diverse clients, avoiding monotony.
Transferable skills – HTML, CSS, and other email development skills transfer seamlessly to web development.
Continuous learning – The fast-changing field requires learning new technologies and techniques regularly.
Travel opportunities – Senior email developers may travel to train teams or speak at marketing conferences.
Agency or in-house – Developers can choose to work at an agency servicing many clients, or in-house on a brand’s internal marketing.
Entrepreneurship potential – Seasoned developers may strike out on their own, starting an email agency to service niche clients.

With incredible demand, great income, creative stimulation, and unmatched flexibility, email development is an appealing career path for both aspiring and experienced technical marketers. The field will continue rapidly expanding, making now the perfect time to develop specialized skills in this domain. Get started learning how to code emails today!

Skills Needed To Become An Email Developer

If a career in email development appeals to you, you’re probably wondering what skills are required to thrive in this role. The field combines technical expertise with soft skills. Here are the core capabilities top developers possess and how you can build these skills.

Strong HTML and CSS Skills

The foundational skills every email developer needs are strong HTML and CSS abilities. You’ll use these languages daily to code email templates from the ground up.

HTML allows you to structure emails logically using elements like headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, images, links, etc. HTML provides the skeleton.

CSS brings styling like colors, fonts, spacing, animations, and more through selectors and declarations. CSS adds flair and personality.

Here are a few of the many ways you’ll leverage HTML/CSS when developing emails:

Use HTML tables for layout instead of newer CSS Grid and Flexbox options which lack email support. Tables keep emails consistent.
Inline CSS styles directly on elements. External CSS stylesheets often don’t render well, so inline CSS is best practice.
Employ CSS media queries to make templates responsive across mobile, tablet, desktop screens. Media queries adapt emails for different displays.
Leverage CSS pseudo-classes like :hover and :focus to create interactivity. These add “clickable” call-to-actions.
Implement max-width constraints, font scaling, and other tips for accessible HTML emails. Accessibility ensures all can read emails.
Troubleshoot CSS specificity and inheritance issues when styling HTML elements. Fixing cascade conflicts takes CSS mastery.

Having complete comfort with core HTML and CSS – especially as applied in email design – is essential before pursuing email development professionally. If your HTML/CSS skills need leveling up, some ways to improve include:

Complete courses specifically on HTML/CSS for email to learn best practices not used on the web. Litmus and Email on Acid offer great paid courses.
Study HTML and CSS books and documentation in-depth to strengthen foundations. Mozilla Developer Network (MDN) offers excellent free resources.
Code HTML emails for personal projects, friends’ side businesses, nonprofits etc. Nothing builds skills better than hands-on practice.
Use an online regex tool like regex101.com to craft CSS selectors that target elements precisely. Regex mastery makes selector creation easy.
Test skills by debugging broken CSS and HTML emails on sites like codepen. Test your layout, responsiveness and styling fixes.

With rigorous self-study resources plus dedicated practice, anyone can cultivate advanced HTML/CSS skills to succeed as an email developer.

Familiarity with Email Marketing Platforms

In addition to coding expertise, email developers must know how to navigate email marketing systems like:

Mailchimp
HubSpot
GetResponse
Constant Contact
Campaign Monitor
SendinBlue
ConvertKit
Drip
SendGrid
Klaviyo

These platforms allow you to build emails using pre-designed templates or custom HTML, design sign-up forms, collect contact information, segment your audience, schedule campaigns, and track performance.

As the developer, you’ll be uploading HTML email templates to these platforms and sending test and final campaigns through them. Understanding the platforms’ workflows simplifies deployment.

To gain experience with different email service providers:

Open free trial accounts to experiment with core features. Many offer free plans or trials.
Follow email marketing platform tutorials on YouTube. See the systems used in real campaigns.
Take free courses offered by the platforms like HubSpot Academy certifications. Direct training builds knowledge.
During interviews, ask about the preferred platform and get ramped up. Quickly adapt to any employer’s system.
When working with clients, suggest platforms you are skilled in using versus attempting to learn on the fly. Confidence breeds competence.

While each platform differs slightly, core functions like creating campaigns, uploading subscriber lists, drafting emails, sending tests, and analyzing reports are similar across providers. Familiarizing yourself with the most popular options makes picking up new systems much easier.

Graphic Design Skills

Many seasoned email developers possess strong graphic design skills in addition to technical know-how. Photoshop and design expertise lets you:

Mock up template ideas more easily and accurately. You can visualize finished designs.
Efficiently slice designer Photoshop (PSD) files into images and HTML. Design hand-off is simplified.
Craft aesthetically pleasing emails that effectively showcase products or content. Design elevates engagement.
Conceptualize better workflows for coders by sympathizing with constraints. Collaboration improves.
Speak designers’ visual language. wireframes, grids, typography terms etc. Communication gets better.
Understand principles like spacing, white space, contrast, and hierarchy intuitively. Design foundations matter in email.
Create production-ready assets as needed like custom illustrations. Designers aren’t bottlenecks.
Enhance personal brand and marketability. Design skills make developers more valuable and versatile.

Not all developers have artistic talents, but those who do find it a major asset. Some ways to improve graphic design skills include:

Learning Photoshop, GIMP, Illustrator, or other creative tools. Many free and paid tutorials exist online.
Studying classic design books like The Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams to grasp fundamentals.
Analyzing designer portfolios on Behance and Dribbble for inspiration. Emulating pros aids growth.
Creating brand stylescapes and mood boards for imaginary brands. Visual brainstorming exercises hone skills.
Practicing typography techniques like choosing emotive typefaces and styling headline/body copy hierarchies.
Redesigning posters, brochures, pages from books etc. Remixing existing work pushes creativity.

However you choose to develop them, having strong visual design abilities gives email developers a distinct edge. Use them to craft truly stunning emails.

Analytics and Tracking Proficiency

To optimize campaigns, email developers must implement analytics tracking and review performance data. Key skills in this area involve:

Setting Up Tracking

Adding unsubscribe links to comply with anti-spam laws. Tracking unsubscribes is crucial.
Attaching open tracking pixels to images to detect opens. Open rate is a critical email metric.
Linking clicks to redirect URLs using tracking parameters. Clicks help gauge engagement.
Tagging links and buttons to capture “goal” conversions like purchases. Conversions directly boost revenue.
Mapping email workflows in CRMs using tracking fields to follow subscriber activity. CRM data personalizes emails.
Implementing unique link tracking domains for white labeling. Custom domains build trust.

Consuming Data

Pulling reports on opens, clicks, unsubscribes etc. Metrics identify underperforming emails.
Comparing segmentation data to see which groups engage better. Use insights to target future emails.
Checking click heatmaps to learn which elements get most interactions. Optimize design and copy.
Viewing device and client breakdowns to diagnose rendering issues. Fix formatting inconsistencies.
Importing results into data visualization tools like Google Data Studio for additional analysis. Visualize trends.
Building email A/B tests to gauge the impact of subject lines, content etc experimentally. Only deploy what tests best.

By meticulously tracking every interaction and optimizing based on data, developers ensure each campaign improves on the last. Sharp analytics abilities are a must.

Strong Project Management Skills

Juggling multiple client projects demands stellar organizational skills. Proficient developers:

Break large campaigns into phases with firm deadlines for design approval, development, QA, revisions, delivery etc. Phases prevent last-minute surprises.
Estimate timelines and costs accurately based on experience. Underpromise and overdeliver to build trust.
Scope every project requirement upfront to avoid costly mid-project scope creep. Get changes in writing.
Present clients with statements of work summarizing timelines, responsibilities, terms etc. SOWs set clear expectations.
Schedule internal kickoffs synchronizing all teams and tools. Kickoffs unite stakeholders.
Manage communications through platforms like Slack, Asana, Jira etc. Tools facilitate collaboration.
Prioritize urgent or overdue tasks and delegate lower-priority items. Focus on critical path items first.
Review deliverables before client presentations to catch issues. Rushed work causes delays.
Provide timely completion updates to keep clients and team members looped in. Prompt communication prevents problems.
Deliver final assets using organized file and folder structures. Organized files show polish. following project management best practices guarantees email projects conclude smoothly, strengthening client relationships.

Meticulous Attention to Detail

Engaging, flawless emails require immense attention to detail. Developers should be:

Quality-Focused

Obsessive about fixing every CSS bug, broken image, rendering quirk etc. Good enough isn’t.
Tenacious in chasing platform flaws, outdated browser behaviors, etc. Never blame clients’ inboxes.
Dogged about honing HTML structure, inheritance chains etc. Semantically correct code ensures consistency.
Laser-focused on aligning pixels perfectly. Pixel perfection matters.

Quality-Obsessed

Almost fanatically attentive to quality assurance. Test ruthlessly on every device, client and use case.
Supremely responsive about quickly revising any element based on feedback. Client perception is reality.
Meticulous regarding documenting issues for reproduction. Note steps, screenshots etc.
Very particular about handoffs, training clients on using templates etc. Equip them for self-sufficiency.

Channeling this maniacal attention to detail into creating flawless campaigns helps developers earn trust and loyal clients.

Other Helpful Skills

Some other capabilities that benefit email developers include:

Timeboxing – Assigning fixed blocks of time to tasks prevents endless tweaking.
Scoping – Clearly defining project boundaries early prevents moving targets.
Client communication – Managing expectations and presenting ideas concisely speeds projects.
Platform expertise – Mastering email tools like Litmus, Email on Acid, Mailchimp etc enhances workflows.
Security awareness – Following protocols like SPF, DKIM etc improves deliverability and security.
Continuous learning – Voraciously upskilling across technical and soft skills makes you irreplaceable.

The blend of specialized technical, creative and interpersonal skills required makes email development challenging yet highly rewarding. With dedication and practice, anyone can gain expertise in these domains. Once honed, these skills enable you to deliver truly exceptional email campaigns that drive customer engagement and revenue!

Building Your Email Developer Portfolio

A stellar portfolio is crucial for aspiring email developers looking to land their first job or freelance gigs. Your portfolio showcases skills, highlights experience, and helps you stand out.
Follow these tips to build an eye-catching email developer portfolio that wows potential employers or clients.

Include 3-5 High Quality Campaign Samples

Resist the urge to showcase every minor project in your portfolio. Curate only your highest quality work – less is more.

Aim for 3-5 very strong email development samples that demonstrate skills across:

Design – eye-catching, on-brand creative
Coding – clean HTML/CSS, responsive, renders flawlessly
Concept – strategic campaign idea
Results – impressive engagement metrics

Ideally, each sample should include:

The original visual design – Show the PS/AI/Figma mockup or wireframe the email was built from. Display your ability to translate beautiful designs into flawless HTML.

Screenshots of final rendered email – Include clean screenshots depicting how the email appears across desktop, mobile, web clients, as rendered HTML.

Code snippets – Share snippets of well-written HTML, CSS, templating code etc. to highlight coding skills.

Performance metrics – Provide hard data on opens, clicks, unsubscribes, goal conversions etc. back up skills with strong results.

Tactical explanation – Describe the campaign strategy, target audience, goal, design thinking, notable development insights etc. Provide context.

Curating 3-5 robust samples demonstrating diverse skills and achievements is far better than 10 mediocre ones. Feature your finest work only.

Showcase Campaigns Across Different Industries

Another portfolio strategy is spotlighting work across diverse industries and clients.

For example, include campaign samples for:

A fashion retailer
A software startup
An automotive servicing brand
A nonprofit organization
A luxury travel company

This showcases adaptable skills in designing for different brand aesthetics and crafting unique messaging for each vertical.

If new to development, invent hypothetical clients across industries. Build speculative concept emails for your dream brands. Treat them as real clients and solve their business problems through skilled email design.

Showcasing vertical diversity indicates you can craft tailored solutions versus taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Include Commentary Explaining Goals, Challenges and Results

Don’t just present campaign samples and metrics in isolation. Include insightful commentary explaining:

Goals – What marketing goal prompted this email campaign? What challenge was it trying to solve for the brand?

Audience – Who was the target audience? How was the campaign personalized and tailored for the recipients?

Design Thinking – What inspired the visual direction and copy tone? How does it align to brand identity?

Development – What technical or creative hurdles did you face when developing the campaign? How’d you solve for inconsistencies?

Testing – How extensively did you test across clients and devices? How many revisions did it take to perfect the email?

Performance – What key engagement and conversion metrics did the campaign achieve? Did it meet/exceed objectives?

Learnings – What worked? What didn’t? What might you refine if doing this campaign again? How did results inform future work for this client?

This context tells a story and underscores strategic thinking – not just technical skills. Share the why behind campaigns, not just the what.

Link to Live Emails If Possible

The best way to showcase coding skills is providing clickable live links to rendered emails.

Rather than just screenshots, invite potential employers and clients to interact with emails you built first-hand:

Click buttons to test links
Verify responsive scaling
Check for rendering issues
Get a tangible feel for skill level

For client work, ask their permission first before linking live emails. For personal projects and speculative work, add live links to enable hands-on evaluation.

Make Sure Portfolios Are Visually Appealing

Even as a developer, your portfolio represents personal brand – make it aesthetically pleasing!

Use a visually engaging template versus basic designs. Appearances matter.
Strengthen visual polish with details like custom illustrations. Demonstrate design skills.
Make imagery and samples prominent. Let work shine more than words.
Use color, whitespace, typography for hierarchy and impact. Guide the viewer.
Optimize loading speed. Show you grasp web performance concepts.
Mobile optimize for convenient viewing. Check responsiveness across devices.
Include developer-relevant sections like skills matrix, testimonials, bio etc. Build credibility.

With a well-designed portfolio advertising abilities, you’ll attract more interest from prospective employers and clients.

Where To Host Your Portfolio?

Some top options for hosting developer portfolios include:

Personal website – Purchase a custom domain and hosting to brand yourself, like www.cameroncodes.com. More customizable.
YouTube – Upload videos of you coding emails and walking through process. Show skills in action.
LinkedIn – Feature work samples on your profile. LinkedIn’s massive reach broadens visibility.
GitHub – Share code samples and campaign READMEs documenting approach. Highlight coding skills.
Behance – Creative site popular with designers to showcase visual work and projects.
Google Sites – Simple way to make a portfolio site through Google using premade templates.

The right platform depends on your goals and audience. Optimize portfolios to impress your target employers and clients.

Update Portfolios Regularly

Don’t just set and forget your portfolio. Revisit it often to:

Add new high-impact campaign samples frequently. Refresh content.
Improve explanations and results with latest learnings. Portray skills accurately.
Remove or archive stale projects. Keep portfolios current and focused on latest abilities.
Retouch visuals and copy. Maintain quality and polish over time.
Check links and assets. Fix any broken elements promptly.
Monitor site performance. Optimize speed as your portfolio grows.

A portfolio is like your resume – a living document requiring regular upkeep as skills progress. Keep portfolios updated to boost first impressions.

Promote Your Portfolio

Once assembled, actively promote your portfolio:

Link to it prominently on your resume, email signature, and social media profiles. Make it visible and discoverable.
Share it directly with potential employers and clients during interviews and pitches. Drive them to view it.
Highlight exciting new additions on social media and email newsletters. Give viewers reasons to revisit it.
Reference specific projects on resumes tailored to each application. Tie portfolios to opportunities.
Ask colleagues for testimonials to add social proof. Peer validation builds authority.

An exceptional portfolio provides tangible proof of your abilities that resumes simply can’t match. Invest time to create one that persuasively sells your value and helps you win your next email development job or client!

How To Learn Email Development

Let’s explore proven ways to master email development for those looking to begin a career as a developer, make a skills transition, or gain knowledge in their marketing role.

Take Online Courses

Online courses offer convenient self-paced learning. Mix free and paid options:

HTML/CSS – Sharpen core skills with courses on HTML and CSS fundamentals:

Intro to HTML/CSS – Codecademy
HTML Essential Training – LinkedIn Learning
Build Responsive Real-World Websites with HTML and CSS – Udemy

Email-Specific – Take courses focused explicitly on HTML email:

HTML Email Development Course – Email on Acid
Mastering HTML Email – Litmus
The Complete Guide to HTML Email – Udemy

Mixing general and specialized courses builds well-rounded skills.

retainable info

General HTML/CSS courses provide core skills
Specialized email courses teach best practices
Blend free (Codecademy, LinkedIn Learning) and paid (Udemy, Litmus) options

Get Certified

Certifications validate skills for employers. Some programs to consider:

Litmus Certification – Become a Certified Email Developer by passing an exam testing HTML/CSS proficiency.

Email on Acid Certification – Apply for Certified Professional status by submitting past work samples to demonstrate expertise.

HubSpot Academy – Earn various free certifications including courses on Email Marketing, Content Writing, and Web Development.

Mailchimp Training – Complete Mailchimp 101 and 201 certifications focused on navigating the platform.

Retainable info

Official certifications validate skills to employers
Litmus and Email on Acid offer specialized email certs
HubSpot has free general inbound marketing certs
Mailchimp 101/201 teach email within their system

Volunteer for Nonprofits

Offering services pro bono builds real-world experience, examples for a portfolio, and networking contacts.

Some tips when volunteering:

Find opportunities on sites like Catchafire that connect professionals to causes.
Focus efforts on a specific nonprofit niche (environment, education, animals etc) about which you feel passionate.
Set a reasonable scope and timeline that won’t overwhelm you. Underpromise and overdeliver.
Handle even basic non-urgent requests professionally. Treat them as seriously as paid gigs.
Get permission to showcase the work prominently in your portfolio when complete.
Stay connected to the organization. Consider donating or attending fundraisers after the project wraps.

Volunteering provides fulfilling ways to gain valuable experience while making a difference.

Retainable info

Find nonprofit gigs on volunteer sites like Catchafire
Scope projects realistically to avoid overcommitting
Treat unpaid work professionally and showcase it in your portfolio

Do an Internship

Internships offer supervised hands-on learning within leading companies. Look for openings at:

Email agencies
In-house marketing teams
Web design firms
CRMs/ESPs like Mailchimp

When interning:

Confirm the skills you’ll develop align with goals. Avoid unrelated administrative tasks.
Seek mentorship from more experienced team members through job shadowing or pairing on projects.
Ask questions! Curiosity and initiative make memorable interns.
Network sincerely. Make genuine connections versus just requesting informational interviews.
Take initiative. Volunteer for extra projects and responsibilities when able.
Get a strong letter of recommendation detailing specific skills gained that you can list on your resume and LinkedIn profile.

For new developers, there’s no substitute for mentored real-world experience.

Retainable info

Look for openings at email agencies, marketing teams, web studios
Align internships with learning goals and seek mentorship
Make sincere networking connections that outlast the internship

Work on Side Projects

Side projects let developers strengthen skills on their own time for their own purposes.

Some meaningful project ideas:

Rebuild the HTML for a favorite brand’s newsletter with added animations and responsiveness.
Design a speculative marketing automation campaign for an industry or company you admire.
Create a wiki site documenting HTML email tactics, from styling guides to snippets.
Build your own portfolio site from scratch, coding all HTML/CSS instead of using platforms like Squarespace or Wix.
Volunteer for a political or social cause by developing marketing emails promoting their mission.
Invent a fictional product or service and craft a full visual brand identity plus sample emails.
Podcast or blog about email design and development topics that excite you. Teaching reinforces learning.

Tackling passion projects on the side accelerates skills through deliberate, self-directed practice.

Retainable info

Recreate/redesign existing newsletters with added flair
Automate fictional marketing scenarios for dream brands
Build a custom portfolio site instead of templates
Volunteer coding skills for social good
Invent a product and create associated email campaigns

Job experience is invaluable but honing skills never stops. Continuously expand abilities through side projects that energize you. The options above help convert passion into email proficiency on your schedule.

How To Start Your Email Developer Career

Once you’ve built skills through courses, projects and internships, it’s time to launch your email development career. Here are proven ways to land your first job or clients.

Apply for Junior Roles at Agencies

Joining a web design, digital marketing, or dedicated email agency as a junior developer helps gain experience collaborating on large projects and learning from senior developers.

Here’s how to uncover these roles:

Check job boards like LinkedIn Jobs, Monster, and FlexJobs for openings at local agencies. Look for titles like “Junior Email Developer”.
Follow agencies you admire on social media and sign up for their email newsletters to hear about openings.
Attend marketing meetups and network to connect directly with agency leaders there.
Start as an intern first to get your foot in the door, then express interest in full-time roles.
Consider freelancing for an agency first to prove skills before seeking employment.
Ensure your portfolio and resume are polished before applying. Show why you’re the perfect junior candidate.

At this experience level, passion and willingness to learn are valued as highly as existing skills. Apply widely until you secure a role. Agencies offer thriving environments to gain chops.

Build Your Network to Find Freelance Work

Freelancing allows setting your own hours and offers flexibility to work on diverse projects. Ways to discover these opportunities:

Attend local marketing association and chamber of commerce events to meet potential clients.
Talk to agency friends – they often have overflow work to refer.
Reach out to past colleagues and see if their companies need any email work done.
Share your availability and services across social channels. You never know who might need help.
Search freelance boards like Upwork, Freelancer.com, and FlexJobs for project postings.
Set up a profile on hourly freelance marketplaces like Wyzowl and YunoJuno.
Let former managers know you’re available for side projects or overflow assignments.

Network consistently and keep your radar on for freelance projects. Once you land your first gig, request referrals to quickly secure more.

Create a Portfolio Website to Attract Clients

A polished online portfolio showcasing skills and demonstrating proficiency in email development is an essential tool for attracting clients.

On your portfolio site, highlight:

About page summarizing background, skills, and services offered
Case studies detailing high-impact client projects
Bio and headshot to build personal familiarity
Services page with specific offerings and rates
Blog with original writing related to email marketing
Testimonials from satisfied customers
Contact page with phone number, email, and contact form
Recent email campaign samples demonstrating capabilities
Versions in multiple languages to broaden appeal

Promote the portfolio across your online network. The more visibility it gets, the more leads it will generate. A portfolio site is a 24/7 sales tool when crafted strategically.

Consider Remote Work Options

Many developer roles are fully remote, opening doors regardless of geography. Ways to access remote jobs:

Search Remote.co, We Work Remotely, and other remote job boards
Look for “remote optional” roles on LinkedIn and standard job boards
Join communities like Remotists to uncover opportunities
Attend virtual job fairs and career fairs focused on remote opportunities
Follow remote companies like Zapier](https://zapier.com/jobs/) and [GitLab who often hire developers
Consider freelancing remotely for international agencies through marketplaces like Toptal
Ask friends who work remotely to refer you for openings at their companies

You’re no longer limited by geography when it comes to email development roles. Time to land that dream remote job!

Switching Careers into Development?

For those looking to switch from unrelated fields into email development, here are some tips:

Make sure you enjoy coding before fully transitioning. Experiment with courses in your free time first.
Be realistic about the financial impact and adjust budgets accordingly. Starting salaries may be lower.
Sharpen transferable skills from your past experience like project management, client relations, writing etc.
Consider showcasing crossover work on your portfolio, like email newsletters you spearheaded in a marketing role.
Get up to speed on the latest industry knowledge through blogs, podcasts, conferences etc. Immerse yourself.
Join professional associations like The Email Design Conference to build your network in the industry. Attend events.
Frame your prior career narratively on your resume. Demonstrate how past skills apply.

It’s never too late to chart a new course. With determination and skill-building, you can successfully change direction.

Keep Leveling Up Over Time

Once you secure that first job or freelance client, the learning never stops.

Continue honing technical skills by studying trends like AR/VR, voice interfaces etc.
Shadow talented colleagues and learn their creative and strategic thinking processes.
Mentor junior developers to reinforce knowledge by teaching others.
Expand abilities into related areas like web development, design, copywriting etc.
Read industry books, blogs and podcasts daily to stay inspired and informed.
Attend marketing conferences when possible. Network and absorb insights.
Consider earning advanced certifications over time to denote expertise.

With constant nurturing, initial sparks of interest in email development can flourish into a thriving long-term career.

Key Takeaways

Email developers bring marketing campaigns to life through expert HTML/CSS coding and sharp design skills. Their technical and creative abilities produce emails that engage subscribers and drive results.
Strong HTML, CSS, and graphic design skills are required to create flawless, on-brand emails across devices. Familiarity with email service platforms and analytics tools is also essential.
Email development roles offer great income potential, with average salaries ranging from $45k for entry level to $115k+ for senior roles. Location and experience impact pay.
Building a portfolio with 3-5 high quality campaign samples helps demonstrate skills to land initial jobs or freelance gigs. Showcasing work across industries is ideal.
There are many paths to gain email development skills including online courses, certifications, non-profit volunteering, internships, and side projects. Continuously uplevel abilities.
Once proficient, developers can grow their careers by applying for junior roles at agencies, networking to find freelance work, creating portfolio sites, and considering remote work options.
Passion for email marketing and constant nurturing of HTML/CSS skills can allow developers to thrive in this field long-term as demand for email experts continues rising.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills are required to become an email developer?
The core technical skills needed are strong HTML and CSS knowledge, especially as applied for email. Graphic design ability is also very helpful. Beyond hard skills, communication, project management, attention to detail and analytics abilities are also important.

What does an email developer do day-to-day?

Common responsibilities include collaborating with stakeholders, coding email templates from scratch, testing emails across devices, troubleshooting issues, implementing analytics tracking, sending campaigns through ESPs, analyzing performance data, and optimizing future emails based on insights.

How long does it take to become an email developer?

It’s possible to gain enough skills to start basic freelance work within 6 months of consistent studying and practice. However, allow 1-2 years to gain expertise to handle more advanced campaign work for discerning clients. Skills develop over a lifetime.

What education or background do you need?

No specific degree is required. Many developers have backgrounds in areas like web design, computer science, marketing, graphic design or communications. Hands-on training is the fastest way to build email development skills.

How much do email developers make?

In the US, entry-level salaries average $45,000 – $65,000. Mid-level developers make $65,000 – $85,000. Senior developers earn $85,000 – $115,000 on average. Directors and executives make $115,000+ per year.

What are the best ways to learn email development?

Take specialized email HTML/CSS courses, earn certifications, volunteer designing for nonprofits, complete internships at agencies, and work on side projects to gain skills. Learn directly from experienced mentors whenever possible.

Should I focus on web or email development first?

Start by specializing in email development, as the techniques differ greatly from normal web development. Once you master email, expanding into web development is fairly straightforward.

How can I gain examples for my portfolio?

Good ways to build your portfolio include volunteering for nonprofits, completing concept passion projects, interning at an agency, freelancing for small businesses, or redesigning/rebuilding emails for brands you admire.

What is the job outlook for email developers?

Excellent. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 13% growth from 2020-2030 for web developer roles, which includes email developers. The rise of ecommerce and digital marketing continues to drive strong demand.