There are lots of best practices to keep in mind when creating digital content. If the goal is to generate a click, don’t forget the button, especially in email messages. Why? The von Restorff effect.

The von Restorff effect, also known as the “isolation effect,” says that an item that differs from the rest is more likely to be remembered. This is why it’s a good idea to make clickable links in an email a different color… or better yet to include a colorful, clickable button.

Of course, be tasteful and use good design. But, don’t be so subtle that everything looks the same for someone who’s just skimming your message. At the same time, don’t make your email so colorful and busy that nothing stands out from the rest!

Since we’re on the topic of buttons, we can’t help but mention Fitt’s Law. Fitt’s Law says that the distance and size of a target (like a clickable button) matters a lot. Make buttons big enough to click easily with a thumb, for example. And, don’t make people scroll too far to get there. Believe it not, if someone has to move their cursor from one side of the screen to another to get to a button, they’re less likely to do it. So, think about including more than one button.

As always, test and learn. In the end, use the design and functionality that has proven itself to work best for your audience.