Lead Gen & CRM
How can we help you?
Search our help articles, video tutorials, and quickstart guides

You've got this. You've got us. Search our Knowledge Base to quickly find answers to your questions.

Adding Buttons to Emails

Article: 000050421
Updated: March 22, 2024

An important element of a marketing email is the call-to-action or button, which is used to encourage your recipient to click through to your website.

 
Users:
Administrators 
Company Managers 
Marketing Managers 
Sales Managers  
Salespersons  
Jr. Salespersons  

Light Bulb IconTip: Are you looking for information about Constant Contact’s Email and Digital Marketing product? This article is for Constant Contact’s Lead Gen & CRM product. Head on over to the Email and Digital Marketing articles by clicking here. Not sure what the difference is? Read this article.

 

Adding Buttons to Layout Blocks

Layout blocks are the foundation of emails created in the Lead Gen & CRM platform. Layout blocks allow you to build sections into your email and elements (text, media, and buttons) can be added into those layout blocks.

You can put buttons into layout blocks, or you can put buttons above or below elements that are already in a layout block. 

To add buttons to your email, click Email in the left toolbar. Before you can add buttons to an email, you must create or edit an email.

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

 

  1. Click  grid.png  Content and Layout in the Email Designer toolbar.
  2. Click the  layout6.png  Elements tab.
  3. Drag and drop a Button element onto a purple line in the desired part of the email.
  4. Click Save.

    Drag button to email

     

Click  move.png  Move to reorder the element, if necessary.

Important: Buttons cannot be used with dynamic content, such as personalized text that displays unique first and last names. 


Organizing Buttons in Emails

To sit buttons side by side in your email, use a layout block with the number of columns that fit your needs. Start from the Email section in the left toolbar. 

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

  1. Select an email to Edit.



  2. Click Content & Layout
  3. Click the Simple tab. 
  4. Drag and drop any layout block with columns side by side into your email.



  5. Make adjustments to the columns, for example, deleting unnecessary elements or updating the text. 





    Note: If you used a layout block that did not already include a button element, click on the Element tab and drag and drop a button element into your layout block columns.

  6. Click on your button to open the Button Designer, and make edits to your button as needed.
  7. Click Done
  8. Click Save.



To sit buttons one on top of the other in your email, use a layout block with the number of rows that fit your needs. Start from the Email section in the left toolbar.  

  1. Select an email to Edit.



  2. Click Content & Layout
  3. Click the Elements tab. 
  4. Drag and drop a button element into your email.



  5. Click on your button to open the Button Designer, and make edits to your button as needed.
  6. Click Done.



  7. Drag and drop another button into your email, above or below your previously added button.



  8. Click on your button to open the Button Designer, and make edits to your button as needed.
  9. Click Done
  10. Click Save.





Customizing Button Labels and Links

You can edit and customize button labels and links, using the Button Designer. Click on your button element to open the Button Designer. 

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

  1. Click your Button element.
  2. Enter what the button will display in the Title field.
  3. Enter the URL that the button will redirect to in the Link field.
  4. Click Done.

    Edit button text link

     

    Remember to Save any changes you make to your email.


Customizing Button Color and Position

You can edit and customize button visual styles from the Button Designer. Click on your button element to open the Button Designer. 

  1. Click your Button element.
  2. Select the button's background color from the BG Color menu. To select a color, use the color picker, enter RGB values, or enter a HEX color code.


    Change background color on button

     

    Note: If you need to remove a button's color, click the eraser.png   Erase button, to the right of the BG Color section.
  3. Select Left, Center, or Right from the Align drop-down menu:
  4. Click Done.

    Align Buttons

     

Remember to Save any changes you make to your email.



Customizing Button Padding

You can edit and customize button padding. Padding is the space around the text inside of the button. It is not the space around the button element entirely (for that, customize your button's margins). 

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

  1. Click your Button element.
  2. Enter, in pixels, the desired padding between the top and bottom of the button's center in the Vertical field.
  3. Enter, in pixels, the desired padding between the left and right of the button's center in the Horizontal field.

    Add or remove button padding

    Scroll to the top or bottom of the Button Designer and click Done. Remember to Save any changes you make to your email.



Customizing Button Margins 

You can edit and customize button margins. Margin is the space around the button element. Editing margins will not affect the size of your button. 

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

  1. Click your Button element.
  2. Enter, in pixels, the desired space between the button and items above it in the Top field.
  3. Enter, in pixels, the desired space between the button and items below it in the Bottom field.
  4. Enter, in pixels, the desired space between the button and items to its left and right in the Horizontal field.

    Update margins for your button

     

Scroll to the top or bottom of the Button Designer and click Done. Remember to Save any changes you make to your email.



Customizing Button Fonts

You can edit and customize button fonts.

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

  1. Click your Button element.
  2. Select the text's color from the Text Color menu.
  3. Use the color selection widget to edit the color of your button's text.


    Button Text Color

     

  4. Select the desired font from the Font Family drop-down menu.
  5. Enter, in pixels, the font's size in the Font Size field. 
  6. Select the font's overall boldness from the Font Weight drop-down menu.
  7. Select Uppercase or Normal capitalization types from the Transform drop-down menu.

    Button Text

     

Scroll to the top or bottom of the Button Designer and click Done. Remember to Save any changes you make to your email.



Customizing Button Borders

You can edit and customize button borders.

This information applies to the Classic email editor. If you're using the new email editor, read Modifying Buttons in the New Email Editor instead. 

  1. Click your Button element.
  2. Select the border color from the Color menu.
  3. Enter, in pixels, the border thickness in the Width field.
  4. Enter, in pixels, the border's roundness in the Corners field.

    Manage button borders

     

Scroll to the top or bottom of the Button Designer and click Done. Remember to Save any changes you make to your email.



Some Notes About Email Appearances

While your buttons may look fine in Gmail, they may sometimes appear incorrect when displayed in Outlook. Lead Gen & CRM has a Litmus Test feature built into the email designer that allows you to see what your emails look like in email clients. Be sure to preview your emails to ensure your design is as you want it to appear.
 

Note: Refer to the Email Standards Project to see up-to-date information on inconsistencies with email rendering across platforms.
 


Did this article answer your question?


Constant Contact Logo

Copyright © 2025 · All Rights Reserved · Constant Contact · Privacy Center