How to Add Social Media into an Email Signature

You’re already sending a lot of emails that you put a lot of love into. But why stop just before the finish line? Here is how to add your social media to your email signature for that final touch. 

More than 347 billion emails are sent every day. People barely have time to open one, let alone remember who sent it. But do you know what often gets noticed without anyone saying a word?

The tiny line at the bottom.

Most people see your name, then drift straight down to the signature. It’s where they pause, skim and click. According to research (see here and here), signatures grab attention almost as often as subject lines in business emails. That’s your quiet chance to leave a lasting mark. Consider:

• Readers scan email from top to bottom
• Signatures can capture visual attention when designed well
• Branding and social links do draw clicks if placed prominently

But here’s the problem. Most signatures only show:

• A name
• A job title
• Maybe a phone number

That’s like handing out a blank business card. Adding social media in an email signature gives people a small window into who you are. It shows you’re real. It makes you easier to remember.

Here’s what happens when someone sees social media links in your email:

• They feel more connected, like they “know” you
• They trust your message more, especially if you’re new to them
• They’re more likely to reply or click

And that matters more than ever. According to SuperOffice, personalised emails get 29% more opens and 41% more click-throughs. Your signature can help with both. So ask yourself:

• Do you want to sound human or robotic?
• Do you want people to feel something or forget your name?

If your email signature says nothing beyond your title, it’s time for a rethink. A small change like adding social media in an email signature makes you easier to talk to, trust and click on.

Why People Actually Click Social Links in Email Footers

People click when they feel curious, not when they feel sold to. Most clicks in emails don’t come from big buttons or bold claims. They come from tiny, quiet details that build trust over time. One of those details is social media in email signature.

A study by Toister Performance Solutions found that over 96% of people judge professionalism from the tone and structure of an email. That includes the way you close it. A link to your LinkedIn or Instagram at the bottom can shape how people feel about you in a split second.

Why do they click?

People tend to click social links when:

• They are unsure who you are but don’t want to ask
• They want to see if you’re “real” before replying
• They feel mildly curious about your face, tone, or previous posts

And that’s good. It means your email has triggered something human. Something quiet. Something powerful.

What kind of clicks are we talking about?

Let’s look at three common types of clicks on social media in email signature:

1. LinkedIn clicks. These often happen when you cold email someone. They want to check your job title, your photo, or who you’ve worked with.
2. Instagram or TikTok clicks. These come later in a relationship. People want to see what you’re like outside work or check if you’re creative.
3. YouTube or portfolio clicks. These clicks are more serious. People are exploring what you do, how you think, or how you explain things.

One link builds trust better than five icons

Here’s a little trick: if you place five social icons in your email, most people won’t know which to click. But if you give them one smart link that leads to a clean profile with all your socials, the odds of a click go up.

This is what Profyle does with digital business cards. It gently guides people to what they’re most curious about. No clutter. No confusion. No broken links. Let your email signature do the quiet talking. Create your Profyle Card here and add all your socials in one link: 

Step-by-Step: How to Add Social Media to Your Email Signature

You don’t need to be a designer to make a signature people want to click. Most people never bother updating their email signature. It feels fiddly. And most guides make it sound harder than it is.

But here’s something simple: you only need one smart link to do it right. Whether you use Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail, the steps for adding social media in email signature are short and sweet.

Gmail (web version)

1. Open Gmail
2. Click the gear icon in the top right
3. Select “See all settings”
4. Scroll down to “Signature”
5. Choose your current signature or create a new one
6. Add your social link (text, icon or Profyle Card link)
7. Scroll to the bottom and click “Save Changes”

Bonus tip: Gmail does not support SVG icons. Use PNG or a clean text link instead. If you use Profyle, one text link works best.

Outlook (desktop)

1. Open Outlook
2. Click File > Options > Mail > Signatures
3. Pick a signature or create a new one
4. Type your text and highlight where you want the link
5. Click the link icon and paste in your Profyle or social media URL
6. Click OK, then save

Bonus tip: Outlook sometimes messes up image sizes. Keep your layout clean with one link rather than 3 to 5 icons.

Apple Mail (macOS)

1. Open Mail
2. Go to Mail > Preferences > Signatures
3. Choose your email account
4. Click + to add a new signature
5. Write your message, then add your Profyle link
6. Drag it to “Choose Signature” for default use

Bonus tip: Apple Mail supports simple formatting. Stick to plain links or small icons no larger than 24px.

iPhone Mail app

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Mail > Signature
3. Paste your Profyle or social media link
4. Test by sending an email to yourself
5. If it looks odd, switch to plain text only

Bonus tip: Long signatures get cut off on mobile. Use a single short link like Profyle to make it work better.

Should you use icons or plain links?

Skip the mess and make your email signature click-worthy Use Profyle Card to show all your socials through one smart link: https://enterprise.profylecard.com/register

What Social Media Should You Add (and What to Leave Out)

Every link in your email signature tells a story. Best not to tell five different ones at once.

Adding social media in email signature only works when you pick the right ones. If you link to everything, people get confused. If you link to nothing, people lose interest.

Let’s be honest. Not every social platform fits every email. What works for a product designer might not work for a tax advisor. What makes sense in a cold sales message may feel odd in a personal reply.

It all depends on the kind of impression you want to leave.

What to include (based on your role and goal)

Here is a simple way to choose what to show:

You don’t need to add them all. One or two strong links are better than five weak ones.

When to leave a social link out

It’s best not to add:

• A private Instagram full of pets and night outs
• A Twitter account with no recent posts
• A LinkedIn profile without a photo or clear title
• Any platform that doesn’t reflect how you want to be seen

People click social media in email signature because they want a quick peek at who you are. Don’t give them something confusing.

Use a link that grows with you

The tricky part is, your socials change over time. What if you later update your job title? Or post something new you’d like people to see first?

This is why a Profyle Card helps. You create one link and update what’s behind it anytime. It means your signature stays tidy and up to date, even if your platforms change next week. Skip messy edits and broken links. Set up one Profyle Card that lets you choose what to show, and update it anytime: https://enterprise.profylecard.com/register

Best Size for Social Media Icons in Email Signatures

Tiny logos can carry a lot of weight. But if they’re too big, they get ignored. You might think bigger icons grab more attention. But email signatures are like handshakes. A light touch works better than a loud one.

When you add social media in email signature, size matters more than most people realise. Too small and people miss it. Too large and it feels like you’re showing off.

So what size is just right?

The magic number is 24 pixels. After reviewing guidelines from Google, Microsoft, Apple, and design testing by Campaign Monitor, the sweet spot for icon size in email signatures is 16px to 24px.

• 16px is tidy and works well in plain-text style emails
• 20px works on most devices and keeps proportions balanced
• 24px is ideal for icon visibility without taking over the footer

Anything larger than 24px starts to feel distracting. Especially on mobile, where big icons push the rest of the signature out of view.

Why icon size affects clicks

You might assume people will click no matter what, but click-through rates drop if icons feel out of place. Here’s why:

• Large icons break the visual rhythm of the email
• Some mobile apps scale down or hide them completely
• Overly flashy icons make people hesitate, especially in professional emails

This is why the best approach for social media in email signature is to use one balanced size for all platforms. Uniformity feels cleaner. It builds subtle trust.

What formats work best?

If you decide to use icons instead of one smart link, make sure to:

• Use PNG files (not SVG or JPEG)
• Stick with a transparent background
• Avoid coloured icons unless your brand uses them
• Make sure the icons match in style and shape
• Test on dark mode and mobile apps before sending

That said, there’s a better option than icons altogether.

With Profyle, you don’t need to add and align five little boxes. One short link handles all your socials behind the scenes, so your signature stays clean.

Don’t overcomplicate your footer. Keep it elegant.
Use Profyle Card to link to all your social media in email signature with one clean link:
https://enterprise.profylecard.com/register

Free Ways to Get Social Icons (and Which to Avoid)

Not all free icons are free of trouble. Some come with extra baggage. You might be tempted to search “free social media icons” and paste the first ones that look decent. But that shortcut can leave your email looking sloppy or worse, breaking your signature completely.

Adding social media in email signatures sounds simple. But if the icons are blurry, misaligned or pulled from dodgy sources, you’ll lose trust before anyone even opens your LinkedIn. Let’s look at what works and what quietly backfires.

Trusted places to get free icons

Here are a few well-known sites that offer free social icons without dodgy tracking scripts:

• Simple Icons  Clean, consistent icons for almost every platform, including niche ones like Dribbble or Behance
• FontAwesome Offers solid icon sets, though using them requires a bit of formatting knowledge
• Heroicons Open source, SVG-based icons. Very clean, great for simple email signatures
• Iconmonstr Simple black-and-white PNG or SVG icons, minimal and distraction-free

If you decide to add social media in email signature manually, stick with PNG files at 24px and host the images yourself. Never rely on the generator’s hosting. If they go offline, your icons will break.

Tools and shortcuts to avoid

Many online email signature generators offer free templates with social icons. But read the fine print. Here’s what often goes wrong:

• Some add tracking scripts behind the icons
• Others inject ads or watermarks into the email footer
• Icons may not be updated with the latest brand colours or logos
• Signatures built with drag-and-drop tools often break on mobile apps

Even popular tools like Wisestamp and HubSpot’s generator offer basic social links, but they are limited unless you pay or know how to fix their HTML output. If you’re not careful, what looks like a clean signature on a desktop ends up as a block of broken links when viewed on an iPhone.

How to Embed Instagram or LinkedIn Without It Looking Awkward

There’s a thin line between looking confident and looking like you’re trying too hard. Instagram and LinkedIn are the two most common links added in email footers. But most people get it slightly wrong. They either paste a long, ugly link or try to embed an icon that looks out of place on mobile.

There’s a simple truth about social media in email signature. If it looks awkward or forced, people won’t click. They’ll feel something’s off, even if they can’t say what. So here’s how to get it right.

Never embed feeds or posts directly

Instagram and LinkedIn both discourage embedding post previews inside emails. They don’t render properly. They slow things down. And they often break across devices.

Why it fails:

• Most email clients block JavaScript and iframe embeds
• Embedded feeds don’t load in Outlook or Apple Mail
• Some images show as broken if the recipient blocks external content
• It adds noise, not value

Instead of embedding a post or photo grid, link directly to your profile. Keep it light. People don’t expect to scroll a feed inside your footer. They just want a next step if they’re curious.

Clean linking works better

When adding social media in an email signature, think of it like a business card. You wouldn’t print your last Instagram post on a business card. You’d print your name and a way to reach you.

Here’s what a clean signature might look like:

Best regards,
Sarah Lin
Creative Director
www.profyle.link/sarahlin

That link opens a profile showing:

• Her LinkedIn
• Her Instagram
• Her latest featured work
• And only what she chooses to share

One link. Nothing awkward. Nothing messy.

Style and tone matter

Don’t try to be clever with your link text. Stick with clear phrases like:

• “Connect on LinkedIn”
• “View my profile”
• “Follow my work here”

Avoid vague calls like “Check this out” or “Click me”. They reduce trust.

If you want to use icons, follow the rules we discussed earlier. Keep them uniform. Keep them small. But most importantly, don’t crowd your signature with too many logos.

One smart link looks more thoughtful than five mismatched icons.

Let your profile do the talking. Not your signature. Use Profyle to add Instagram, LinkedIn and more into one tidy link for your email footer: https://enterprise.profylecard.com/register

FAQ: Social Media in Email Signature

Simple answers to small questions that make a big difference

Why should I add social media in email signature?

Because it helps people remember you. It gives them a way to see more about you without asking. A clean link to your LinkedIn or Instagram can make cold emails feel more human and warm replies feel more personal.

Which social media should I include?

Start with what makes sense for your role:

• LinkedIn for work
• Instagram if you’re visual
• Twitter for opinions
• TikTok or YouTube if you do video

You don’t need to show everything. Just give them what you’d be happy for them to click.

How do I add social media in email signature?

It depends on what email you use:

• In Gmail, go to Settings, scroll to Signature, and paste your link
• In Outlook, go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures
• In Apple Mail, it’s under Preferences > Signatures
• On iPhone, go to Settings > Mail > Signature

You can add a text link, a small icon, or better yet, a Profyle Card link.

Should I use social icons or plain text links?

Text links are safe and clean. Icons look nice but can break or slow things down. If you want both neatness and clicks, use one Profyle Card link instead. It looks sharp, works everywhere, and you can change what’s behind it anytime.

What size should social icons be?

Keep them 16px to 24px. Anything bigger will crowd your footer. Anything smaller will be too faint to see.

Where can I get good social media icons?

You can try:

• Simple Icons
• Heroicons
• FontAwesome
• Iconmonstr

Just avoid random generators that host the icons for you. If they go offline, so does your signature.

Should I embed my Instagram or LinkedIn feed?

No. Feeds and post previews often break or show up wrong, especially in Outlook or on mobile. Just link to your profile. It’s faster and makes more sense.

Can I track who clicks my social links?

Yes. If you use a Profyle Card, you can see which platforms people tap from your signature. It helps you know what people are actually interested in.

Do I have to update my email signature every time I add a new social?

Not if you use Profyle. One link covers everything. You can change what’s behind the link anytime without touching your signature again.

Why is this worth doing at all?

Because small touches matter. People click when they feel curious. If your signature gives them something clear to click, you’ll stand out without having to shout.

Give your name something to stand on. Set up your Profyle Card now and add smart social media in email signature without the mess https://enterprise.profylecard.com/register