Email templates audit
We review your email templates — campaign and transactional emails (confirmations, receipts, password resets): how they look in Gmail, Outlook, on a phone and in dark mode, whether they break with images off, whether the subject and CTA are clear, whether the links and unsubscribe are correct, whether there are obvious spam triggers. Honestly — this is a technical review of the templates themselves: we find what in the template itself breaks how the email displays and is understood, but the audit by itself does not guarantee inbox placement, open rate or sales.
Email templates audit — overview
An email templates audit is a one-time technical review of your emails (campaign and transactional: order confirmations, receipts, password resets, notifications) in terms of markup, rendering and clarity: how the template renders in the main email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) and on mobile for the most common rendering variants (rare and legacy clients by arrangement), whether it breaks in dark mode and with images off, whether it is responsive, whether it is too heavy, whether all links and UTM tags are correct, whether the subject and preheader are clear, whether the offer and call to action are clear, whether images have alt text and there is a readable plain-text version, whether the unsubscribe link and the elements required by advertising law (Russian 38-FZ) for campaigns are in place, and whether there are obvious spam triggers in the markup and content. Honestly about the main point: this is diagnosis, not coding, not fixing email markup and not setting up an email service; and it is not a guarantee of deliverability, open rate or conversion. Deliverability depends on much beyond the template — sender reputation, domain authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), list quality, complaint history; we check template-level factors and flag risks, but we do not promise inbox placement. It is a snapshot in time: email clients change their rendering rules. You get a report with prioritized problems and recommendations on what to fix; the actual markup fixes and ESP setup are done separately or by your developer. An important boundary: we review the templates themselves, not the email-marketing strategy — segmentation, automation flows and the content plan are a separate matter. Also honestly: without access to your email service and examples of real sends, part of the review relies on the submitted templates rather than live delivery. If you have a single plain-text email with no images or links, there is almost nothing to assess and you most likely do not need the audit. Picture this: instead of "emails are rarely opened" you learn that the markup falls apart in Outlook, the button is not tappable on a phone, the text disappears in dark mode, and the unsubscribe link is broken — meaning there is also a compliance risk. The base price starts from 8,000 ₽; it depends on the number of templates.
Problems we solve
- Emails look different in Gmail and Outlook and break on a phone.
- You are not sure the emails arrive and are readable in dark mode.
- You suspect emails go to spam or get cut off with images disabled.
- You are not sure there is a correct unsubscribe and the legally required elements.
What's included in the Email templates audit service
- Rendering in the main clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) and on mobile
- Display in dark mode and with images disabled
- Responsiveness, email weight and load speed
- Subject, preheader, clarity of the offer and the call to action
- Links and UTM tags, alt text, the plain-text version of the email
- The unsubscribe link and the elements required by 38-FZ for campaigns
- Obvious spam triggers in the markup and content
- A prioritized report with recommendations
What you get
- Clear understanding of what in the templates breaks display and readability
- Priorities: what to fix in the markup and content first
- A check of the unsubscribe and required elements (reducing compliance risk)
- Understanding where the problem is in the template and where in the sending setup or the list
How the work goes: steps
- We clarify the email types and the email service and collect templates and examples
- We check rendering, responsiveness, links, unsubscribe and spam factors
- We prepare a report with priorities and recommendations and review it with you
Why PDV Expert
- Fixed price and timeline — no surprises on the invoice.
- Report and recommendations in plain language — clear without a technical background.
- In touch at every step and answering questions about the result.
FAQ
After the audit will the emails definitely reach the inbox?
No, that cannot be guaranteed. Deliverability depends on sender reputation, domain authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), list quality and complaint history — all beyond the template. We check email-level factors and flag risks, but we do not promise inbox placement.
Will you fix the markup and set up the email service?
The audit is diagnosis and recommendations: what to fix and why. The actual email-code fixes and ESP setup are done separately or handled by your developer. These are different tasks.
Do you check compliance with the law on campaigns?
We check the technical elements: whether there is an unsubscribe link and the marks required by 38-FZ for advertising emails. This reduces risk, but we are not lawyers — the final legal correctness and consent-to-send questions are confirmed by a lawyer.
About the provider
The «Email templates audit» service is provided by PDV Expert — a team specialising in «Diagnostics & monitoring». We work under contract and deliver a written report with recommendations.