How to Add Social Media Icons to Your Email Signature [+ Free Resources]

Did you know that a whopping 78% of consumers are willing to purchase from a company after having a positive experience with them on social media? But that can’t happen if they are unable to find your company’s social media channels in the first place.

Console Aug 12, 2023 0 96 Add to Reading List

How to Add Social Media Icons to Your Email Signature [+ Free Resources]

Did you know that a whopping 78% of consumers are willing to purchase from a company after having a positive experience with them on social media? But that can’t happen if they are unable to find your company’s social media channels in the first place.

Adding social media icons to your email signature is a simple yet effective way to make it easy for your recipients to find and connect with your brand on social media.

To help you do that, we’ll cover the easiest ways to add social media icons to your email signature, plus offer a few free resources to get it done. Throughout this blog post, we’ll cover the following topics:

Let’s dive into both methods one by one.

Method I: Use an Email Signature Generator

We recommend using a signature generator, like HubSpot’s free signature generator, for a few reasons. A generator will:

Automatically size the social media icons properly.
Make sure your icons match your theme.
Align the icons properly with the rest of the signature.
Ensure your links are active.

Otherwise, you’ll have to manually add the social media icons to your email signature as images and link these images with your social profiles. This method requires more effort and technical know-how.

Using HubSpot’s free signature generator, you can save a lot of time and effort.

Follow these steps to add social media icons to your email signature with HubSpot’s free signature generator:

1. Choose your preferred email signature template.

2. Simply paste your social links into the right fields, and the generator does the rest. (we’ll cover where to find your social links below.)

3. Adjust the look to suit your brand or style.

4. Add your headshot, company logo, and CTA (optional).

5. Copy the image or the source code and paste it into your email client.

Make your email signature for free.

Method II: Add an Image Within Your Email Client

Maybe you’re already happy with your existing signature, and you just need to add social media icons.

If that’s the case, most email clients (like Gmail, Outlook, etc.) will allow you to add them as an image to your signature and then link them with your social media channels.

But there’s a problem with this approach. Adding images as attachments to your outgoing emails can affect your delivery rates.

While Gmail allows you to add social media icons as images using the image address or URL, that’s impossible in the case of other email clients like Outlook, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail.

To add social media icons as images to your email signature, follow these steps:

Find icons of the right size, shape, and color. (We’ve got some options below).
Right-click the image of the icon and select “Copy image address” or “Copy image URL,” in case you’re looking to upload to Gmail. For other email clients, you’ll have to download the social media icons in the form of images and link them to your profiles.
In your email client’s signature editor, click on “Insert image.”
Paste the image URL into the field given (in Gmail) or upload social media icons as images (in the case of other email clients).
Adjust the placement and alignment of the icon if needed.
Copy the social link that matches the icon you’re adding.
Highlight the newly added icon image and click “Insert link.”
Paste the social link into the field.

That being said, let’s understand how to add social media icons to your email signatures across Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.

How to Add Social Media Icons to Gmail Signature

To add social media icons to your Gmail signature, follow these steps.

1. Click on the settings icon in the top-right corner.

2. Click on “See all settings.”

3. Scroll down until you see the email signature editor.

4. Click on “+ Create New” button.

5. You’ll be asked to name your new signature. In our case, we’ll name it “John Smith.” Once you type in the name, click on “Create.”

If you’re looking to add social media icons to your existing signature, just click on the edit icon for that particular signature.

6. Now, you can either paste the signature from HubSpot’s free signature generator or follow the instructions in Method II to add social media icons to your existing signature in the form of images.

7. Under “Signature defaults,” select your new signature. You can do it for both - new and reply/forwarded emails.

8. Scroll to the bottom and click “Save changes.”

See more detailed instructions on how to add a signature in Gmail.

How to Add Social Media Icons to My Outlook Signature

To add social media icons to your Outlook signature, follow these steps:

1. Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner.

2. Click on “View all Outlook settings.”

3. Select “Compose and reply.”

4. Under “Email Signature,” add your Signature name. In our case, we’ll name it “John Smith.” On the other hand, if you’re looking to edit your existing signature, choose the name of the signature you’re looking to edit from the drop-down menu.

5. Paste your email signature (the one that we created in HubSpot’s free signature generator) Or, if you’re just looking to add social media icons to your existing signature in the form of images, follow the instructions mentioned in the Method II section.

6. Under “Select default signature,” select your new signature. You can do it for both - new and reply/forwarded emails.

7. Click on “Save” to save the changes.

See more detailed instructions on how to add a signature in Outlook.

How to Add Social Media Icons to Apple Mail Signature

1. Click on “Mail” and then “Settings” in the top-left corner.

2. Click on the “Signatures” tab.

3. Click on the “+” button, as displayed in the screenshot below.

4. Name your email signature. In our case, we’ll name it “John Smith.”

5. Paste your email signature (the one that we created in HubSpot’s free signature generator). Or follow the instructions in the Method II section to add images.

6. Uncheck the box that says “Always match my default message font.”

7. Close the pop-up window.

Free Social Media Icons for Email Signatures

Feel free to use social media icons in your signature, or add some automatically with HubSpot’s free email signature generator.

Below, you’ll find links to each social media site’s brand kit. In each kit, you’ll find other sizes, shapes, colors, and file types.

Please note: By downloading the icons from a brand kit and uploading them to your email client, you’ll be adding them as an attachment to all your outgoing emails. Adding attachments could affect your delivery rate.

You can avoid this by adding them using the method described earlier in the blog. However, that’s only applicable in the case of Gmail and not other email clients. So, it’s a better option to use HubSpot’s email signature generator.

Apart from this, you may have several questions, which is why we’ve answered some of the most common questions related to adding social media icons in email signatures below.

So, let’s get started.

Should I put social media icons in my email signature?

Yes, you should put social media icons in your email signature. 20% of Millennial and Gen-Z consumers outright prefer to use social media for customer service, according to a study by ZenDesk.

But no matter what generation your customers are, giving them more options makes it easier for them to contact you.

What size should my social media icons be?

Your social media icons need to be large enough that your recipients can easily click or tap on them. But they must still be small enough to prevent distraction from the rest of your email signature.

If you’re adding them manually, start by looking for icons that are roughly 21px by 21px and adjust from there.

Otherwise, an email signature generator should automatically size them to fit your signature.

What social media sites should I include in my email signature?

Your email signature should include three to five links to the social media sites that are most relevant to your business.

For example, a freelance photographer would definitely want to include Instagram. On the other hand, a recruiting agency would want to be sure to include LinkedIn.

Whatever you decide, just be sure not to include any unused icons. Broken links of any kind can make your emails seem unprofessional.

Some popular social media sites to consider include:

TikTok
WhatsApp
Pinterest
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn

Should my social media icons link to my business or personal account?

In general, your social media icons should link to your business's social media accounts. This creates a uniform customer experience, and it’s also a great way to boost your number of followers.

The exception to this rule is an employee who needs to be contacted directly. For example, a recruiter or sales rep may find it useful to link to their professional LinkedIn account.

You’ll want to avoid linking to personal accounts, even if you’re the sole owner of the business. Your private social media may not always reflect the image you want to convey to your customers.

Where do I find my social media link?

To find your LinkedIn URL, follow these steps:

Click on the “Me” icon in the top right of the homepage.
You’ll see a drop-down menu. Click on “View Profile.”
Copy the URL from the URL bar of your browser.
Your link will look like this: www.linkedin.com/in/[username]

To find your Facebook URL, follow these steps:

Click on your Facebook account’s profile picture icon in the top-right corner.
Select your account’s name to land on your profile.
Copy the URL from the URL bar of your browser.
Your link will look like this: https://www.facebook.com/[username]

To find your Twitter URL, follow these steps:

Click on “Profile” in the left-hand navigation bar.
Copy the URL from the URL bar of your browser.
Your link will look like this: https://www.twitter.com/[username]

To find your Instagram URL, follow these steps:

Click on your username in the top-right corner.
Copy the URL from the URL bar of your browser.
Your link will look like this: https://www.instagram.com/[username]/

To find your TikTok URL, follow these steps:

Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Copy the URL from the URL bar of your browser.
Your link will look like this: https://www.tiktok.com/@[username]

To find your YouTube URL, follow these steps:

Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Select “Your channel.”
Click on “Customize channel.”
You’ll be redirected to YouTube Studio. Now, select “Basic info.”
Scroll down to find the Channel URL or Custom URL. You can use either of these links.
Your link will either look like: www.youtube.com/c/[username] or www.youtube.com/channel/[channel ID]

To find your Pinterest URL, follow these steps:

Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Copy the URL from the URL bar of your browser.
Your link will look like this: https://www.pinterest.com/[username]

Be More Social!

No matter which method you choose, adding social media icons to your email signature is beneficial for both you and your customers. You’ll boost engagement with your brand, and your customers get to use the platforms they’re already comfortable with.