Free email marketing templates are one of the most accessible tools available to SMEs. They reduce design costs, speed up production, and eliminate the need for an in-house design team. But how effective are they – really – and how often should you be changing yours?

Let's break it down.

Templates vs Custom Design Teams: Is There a Clear Winner?

A quarter of marketing companies report having dedicated email design teams. Unsurprisingly, these tend to be larger businesses with substantial mailing lists.  But it's important to note: their success isn't necessarily due to their design spend.

What many of them do – and what SMEs can (and should) replicate – is modify the templates they use. These modifications, tested thoroughly, are what drive improvements in engagement and ROI.

In other words: it's not about having bespoke design assets. It's about what you do with the templates you've got.

The Real Value of Free Email Templates

Free templates are ideal for – 

• Rapid campaign deployment
• Ensuring mobile responsiveness
• Keeping branding consistent
• A/B testing design elements quickly

But if you're using the same email template you started with five years ago, it's likely time for a review. Email marketing trends, user expectations, and design best practices all evolve. If your layout hasn't changed, your metrics may be telling you more than you think.

When to Modify or Replace Your Email Template

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but testing and segmentation should guide your decisions. Here are three common approaches – 

1. Change for Major Campaigns

Some businesses use new designs for flagship promotions. While this can help grab attention, it's not without risk – new layouts may perform unpredictably. If you go this route, plan early, A/B test heavily, and use it only when the campaign budget allows for robust testing and optimisation.

2. Quarterly or Seasonal Updates

Frequent design refreshes keep emails visually engaging and signal a brand that's active and evolving. The cost can add up, especially if you're using custom elements or outsourcing design, but with the right data and testing, the investment can pay off in improved engagement rates.

3. Annual Redesign

An annual overhaul offers the perfect balance for many SMEs. It allows time for meaningful design improvements, review of user data, and integration of updated branding messaging. Alerting your subscribers ahead of a design change also helps reduce confusion and keeps your audience engaged.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Template?

• Always test before you switch. Changing your layout without testing can tank your open and click-through rates.
• Segment your list to test design variations across different audience types.
• Track performance over time. Don't just look at a single campaign – monitor how design changes affect engagement across multiple sends.
• Repurpose successful elements from previous templates. Not everything needs to change.
• Don't guess. Let your data drive your design decisions.

Free email marketing templates are a powerful tool – if used smartly. They give SMEs a low-cost starting point, but it's your testing, refinement, and willingness to adapt that determines their real value.

Whether you refresh your design every few months or once a year, make sure every change is intentional, evidence-backed, and tailored to your audience. Because in email marketing, the best designs aren't always the prettiest – they're the ones that convert.