Building Layouts with Columns and Rows

Learn how to use columns and rows in Scribe’s editor to create professional, well structured email signature layouts without any design experience.

Every email signature is made of two simple building blocks: rows and columns. Once you understand how they work together, you can create polished, professional layouts in minutes. No design background required.

Think of It Like a Table

Imagine a simple table, like a spreadsheet. A row runs horizontally across the signature. A column divides that row into vertical sections, sitting side by side.

When you combine rows and columns, you create a grid. That grid is the skeleton of your signature. Everything you see in a well designed email signature (your photo next to your name, your social icons lined up in a row, a banner stretching across the bottom) is built on this grid.

How Rows Work

A row is a horizontal container that stretches across the full width of your signature. Each row stacks on top of the next, from top to bottom. Think of rows like floors in a building: the first floor sits at the bottom, and each new floor goes above it.

In Scribe’s editor, you can add a new row by clicking the Add Row button. Each row you add creates a new horizontal section in your signature.

Common uses for rows:

A typical signature has two or three rows. The first row usually holds your main information (photo, name, title). The second row might contain a divider or your contact details. A third row could display a campaign banner or a legal disclaimer.

How Columns Work

A column is a vertical division inside a row. When you add columns to a row, you split that row into side by side sections. This is what lets you place your headshot on the left and your name and title on the right, for example.

In the editor, select a row and click Add Column to split it. You can add up to four columns in a single row. Each column acts as its own container where you can drop in content blocks like text, images, icons, or Smart Fields.

Common uses for columns:

The most popular layout uses two columns in the first row: one narrow column for a profile photo and one wider column for your name, job title, company, and contact information. This is the classic “photo on the left, details on the right” signature that you see in most professional emails.

Building Your First Layout

Here is a step by step walkthrough to build a common two column signature layout.

1. Start with the first row

   Open the editor and look at the default row. This is where your main identity block will live: your photo, name, and title.

2. Split the row into two columns

   Select the row and add a column. You now have two sections sitting side by side. The left column will hold your photo. The right column will hold your text details.

3. Add your photo to the left column

   Click on the left column and insert an image block. Upload your headshot or company logo. Scribe will automatically resize it to fit the column.

4. Add your details to the right column

   Click on the right column and insert text blocks for your name, job title, company name, phone number, and email. You can also use Smart Fields here so each teammate’s information fills in automatically.

5. Add a second row for your banner or links

   Click Add Row below the first row. This new row stretches across the full width of your signature. Use it for a campaign banner, a row of social media icons, or a legal disclaimer.

Layout Patterns That Work

You do not need to reinvent the wheel. Here are three layout patterns that cover the majority of professional email signatures.

Pattern 1: Two Columns with a Full Width Banner

This is the most common layout. The first row has two columns (photo on the left, contact info on the right). The second row spans the full width and displays a campaign banner or a call to action.

This works well for teams that run signature campaigns because the banner gets maximum visibility beneath the contact block.

Pattern 2: Three Columns

The first row uses three columns: a profile photo on the left, contact details in the center, and a company logo on the right. This pattern suits companies that want strong brand presence alongside individual contact information.

Keep the center column the widest so your text has room to breathe.

Pattern 3: Stacked Rows, Single Column

Every row uses a single column, and content stacks vertically. Your name and title sit in the first row. Your contact info sits in the second. A banner sits in the third. This creates a clean, minimal look that works especially well on mobile devices where horizontal space is limited.

Tips for Better Layouts

Keep columns to two or three. Four columns can work, but the more columns you add, the more cramped things look on smaller screens. Two columns is the sweet spot for most signatures.

Use one row per “section” of your signature. If your signature has a contact block, a social links bar, and a promotional banner, each of those deserves its own row. This keeps things organized and makes future edits easier.

Let one column be wider than the other. When you use two columns, give the text column more space than the image column. A 30/70 or 25/75 split usually looks best. In the editor, you can drag the column divider to adjust the ratio.

Preview on mobile. Email clients on phones display signatures differently than desktop clients. Use Scribe’s preview feature to check that your columns and rows still look good on a smaller screen.

Start simple and iterate. Begin with two columns in one row. Once that looks right, add a second row for extra content. You can always add complexity later, but starting with too many rows and columns makes it harder to get things right.

What Goes Where

If you are unsure what content belongs in which part of the grid, here is a quick reference:

First row (two columns): Profile photo or company logo in the narrow column. Full name, job title, company, phone, email, and website in the wider column.

Second row (full width or two columns): Social media icons, a meeting booking link, or a secondary line of contact details.

Third row (full width): A campaign banner, a legal disclaimer, or a company tagline.

Next Steps

Once your layout is in place, you can fine tune every detail in the editor. Adjust fonts, colors, spacing, and icon styles to match your brand. If you manage signatures for a team, explore Teammates to roll out the same layout to everyone while keeping each person’s contact information unique through Smart Fields.