Signature Block

What Does Signature Block Mean?

A signature block is a block of text appended to an email message. In some ways, the signature block represents some of the interesting continuations as email and the internet both evolved over time.

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Techopedia Explains Signature Block

As an ASCII text block, a signature block in email is a fairly primitive digital asset. It is often made with plain text, although some signature blocks can include rich media and other additions. For example, some plain text signature blocks may feature someone's name surrounded by rows of asterisks or lines as a decorative border. This harkens back to the days of plain text and bulletin boards, in the pre-mobile interface which was largely ASCII character-based.

Now with the emergence emojis and other technologies, digital messaging is much different. A signature block can be seen as a kind of carryover from those older days, especially when it has a classical retro look. However, the signature block is very versatile. Users can add closing salutations, quotes or sayings from famous people, decorative additions and much more to personalize and customize their email.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…