Rich text vs plain text
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you do this. So the best solution is to create both plain text and HTML versions of your emails. Some messages are fine in plain text, others are more effective with the enhanced capabilities of HTML. Best Solution to the Text vs HTML DilemmaĪs you might realize by now, there is no simple solution to deciding what kind of email is best. The best way to determine what kind of emails work best for your list is to do split testing. This really depends on your particular readers or list, however. Some readers prefer a low key approach and will trust a simple looking message more than a flashy one. Depending on the message and your audience, plain text is sometimes better. Since many marketing messages are created with HTML, spam filters tend to be suspicious of this type of email.įinally, not all messages are more effective in HTML. If people open you message and it looks distorted, in most cases they are going to delete it without trying to decipher it.Īnother possible drawback to HTML emails is that they are more likely to be categorized as spam and never reach the recipient’s inbox. Since many people are now reading their email from their smartphones, this is an important consideration. Many mobile devices, for example, cannot display HTML properly. Or they may be able to read portions of it but the message will look distorted with certain elements missing. The main downside to HTML mail is that not everyone will be able to read your messages. It looks much neater to have a link that reads “Click here” rather than an long URL such as or something like that. When you are sending out messages to a list, the fact that you can include anchor text in an HTML message is a big plus. This can be good for marketers who want their emails to stand out.īest of all, you don’t have to be an HTML expert to create these features, as most email programs such as Thunder Mailer provides you with editing tools that let you easily create the elements you want in your messages.
You can create emails in much the same way you can create a web page, using all kinds of features. The nice thing about HTML emails is that you have lots of freedom to make the message look the way you want. When you an email in your email box that have images, different colors and fonts, links using anchor text and multiple columns you are seeing an HTML email. HTML email uses rich text formatting to enable you to create a wide variety of effects in your message. You may also not like the fact that you can’t make your emails more enticing with different colors and fonts, multiple columns or images using plain text. This, however, is not the same thing as anchor text where you can link any words you want to your website. You can still write out the URL, and many email clients will turn them into hyperlinks that can be clicked on. This doesn’t mean you can’t send links at all, though. After all, one of the main reasons you send out emails to your list is to get people to click on your link. Nor can you include any links with anchor text in the email, which can be a real disadvantage for email marketers. You cannot include any formatting or images. The downside to sending text emails is that your options are limited. You just write the message and hit “send”! You don’t have to worry about any coding whatsoever. Īnother advantage to using text email is that it’s very simple to create the messages. This makes text email an efficient choice if you are sending out messages to a large list.
No matter what kind of browser they are using or what type of device they will be able to read your emails without a problem. The main advantage of sending text emails is that everyone can read them. If you receive an email that has nothing but words in it and there are no effects or formatting, it’s a plain text email. There are no options for any special features, embedding images or formatting in your email. This is the type of email that is for creating text and nothing else. Chances are, when you receive a personal email and reply to it you are using text.
Text or plain text email is the simplest way to send a message. In this article we’ll be exploring the pros and cons of these two types of email messages.
There are quite a few points to consider regarding the email format you should use, as there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Is it better to use text format or HTML format? If you have an email list or simply send lots of emails to business and personal contacts, you may have wondered about the best way to format your messages.