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The Great Debate: Text vs. HTML Email
Messages
© 2003 By
Angela Wu
Some newsletter publishers swear that HTML messages are
the only way to go. Others swear by the virtues of simple
text.
Although newsletters were "traditionally"
published as text only, HTML newsletters are on the rise --
and it helps, too, that most email software these days is
capable of displaying HTML messages.
Here's a quick summary of some of the main pros and cons of
each format:
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Plain Text Messages:
- Relatively quick and easy to format when compared to
HTML messages.
- Fast loading. Not everyone has a high-speed internet
connection!
- Compatible with all email software. In other words,
everyone can read it regardless of what email program
they're using.
- Potentially lower response rates: with plain text,
there are no graphics, no bold or italics, and links may
not be easily clickable. It's harder to draw the
reader's attention to certain tips, links, or articles.
Plus long URLs may "break" across two lines,
making it more difficult for readers to visit the link.
- You're limited in what you can do: for example, you
can't send audio messages or run surveys. Your readers
would have to click a link to go to a website if you
offer this type of material in your newsletter.
HTML Email:
- Formatting your newsletter can be time-consuming.
However, you can minimize the time involved by creating
and reusing an HTML template.
- Visually appealing. You can basically send an entire
web page to the recipient! You'll be able to better draw
your readers' attention to specific items in your
newsletter. On the other hand, there are plenty of HTML
messages that look terrible -- difficult to read,
clashing colors, etc.
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- Potentially better click-through rates. HTML messages
offer the interest and convenience of a web page:
easily-clickable links, graphics, color, sound, and
more. On the downside, readers may not appreciate
messages that spawn popups, load pages without their
permission, or are slow to load due to complex scripts,
large graphics, or many of the other things that can be
placed in an HTML message.
- From the point of view of the reader, HTML messages
can be a security risk: they can include viruses or
contain malicious code.
- You can include tracking scripts. For instance, these
scripts can show you how many people actually read the
newsletter as well as which articles are the most
popular. This is a good way to tailor your content to
better fit the interests of your readers. The reader, on
the other hand, may have privacy concerns over the use
of such scripts.
- Not everyone has email software that can read HTML,
while others choose not to allow HTML messages. In
addition, not every email software renders HTML the same
way -- so the recipient may see something entirely
different from what you intended.
- If you're unsure of which format to use, try it both
ways or run a survey asking for your readers'
preferences. You can also:
- Offer readers the choice of receiving either plain
text or HTML messages when they subscribe.
- Send a plain text 'teaser' email message to notify
subscribers that the newest issue is posted online. Or
send the entire newsletter in text but include a link
for those who prefer to view the newsletter on the web.
Everyone has an opinion on which format is
"best"... but the bottom line is, the only way for
you to know what's best for -your- audience is to test it.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical
guide to marketing a business on a beginner's budget. This
guide offers loads of instantly useable tips and links, in a
down-to-earth style that even marketing "newbies"
can understand! A helpful Online Business Dictionary is
included too... visit: http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html
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