Commentary

Seeing Is Believing: Eye-Tracking Test Shows What Works In Email Signatures

Let’s say you’re a busy B2B executive. Your inbox is flooded with messages. Which ones do you notice? 

Most likely, you will spot not only those with signatures, but with photos of the correspondent and company banners, judging by a study from WiseStamp.  

This isn’t a survey: WiseStamp gathered roughly 100 participants, including CMOs from its customers and partners, and tech experts from firms like Microsoft, Google, Monday, Elementor, Lightico, Airwallex, Foretellix, Rapaport, Cellebrite, Axonius, and D-ID. 

Participants were shown one of two random versions per experiment—without any prompts. 

To get to the main point, 58% more viewing time is spent on emails with signatures. In addition, 47% faster attention is paid to emails that have them, and 68% to contact details with a signature. 

However, 95% of viewers will look for contact details even without a signature. 

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The experiment also found that 15% more viewing time is paid on signatures with a head shot versus a logo. But there is a 26% hike in brand recall when there is a logo. 

Should there be a banner with the signature? Yes—they are 20% more likely to anchor the viewer’s attention, and they drive 15% faster first fixation on the signature. 

And, WiseStamp reports that banners prompted 40% more webinar registrations in one instance. 

As for color, 15% more attention is paid to emails with brand colors vs. black-and-white signatures. And, they are 14% more likely to be noticed. 

Meanwhile, the study reports that pupil dilation “remained consistent across designs, suggesting no single ‘perfect’ look. What mattered most was structure and consistency.”

We’d like to see an eye-tracking study of emails in general, particularly B2C.

The final takeaway?

“Email remains one of the most consistent communication channels for any organization,” says Daniel Zweig, chief marketing officer, WiseStamp. “From proposals to customer follow-ups, these messages are opened with intent and scanned quickly. At the same time, recipients subconsciously look for signals that help them decide if an email is legitimate and worth their time. Our report validates that email signatures not only build trust, but also, are one of the most impactful brand interactions an organization has.”

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