HTML Newsletter, what is right?

[crifer]

Hello everybody!

Im sending a text newletter every month and going to change to a html newsletter. What is right when using html in newsletters, what is the limit in using css. I have looked at some html letters i receive and they use div tags and some style. I could copy that but wouldn't have a clue why :) so I would really appreciate if someone could explain a little around the subject.

[bigblock]

Excellent question crifer. I learned how to send HTML "the hard way" so hopefully, I can save you some trouble.

From my experience, the key is to really, really keep it as simple as you possibly can. If you can get away with just basic text formatting tags, and image tags, you will find that your newsletter will get read more often. Tables are also trouble. Everyone reads their email in a different setting, whether it's on their desktop in their email program, on the web at a site like Yahoo or Hotmail, or in the dreaded AOL email client, and everyone has a different version with different HTML compliance.

As for style sheets specifically, I would avoid them completely in an email. Style sheets are particularl advantageous because you can alter an entire site in one fell swoop. This is not such an advantage when dealing with emails.

Forget the numbers that people throw at you about who will be able to read what. A great deal of it is dependent on the computer-savvyness of your audience, and whether they will have the latest versions or not.

The trick to using these techniques is tracking their effect. Here's a few tactics I use to track whether or not any new HTML tricks I want to implement are effective or not.

1. Put a comment tag in your HTML. Have it say something like "If you're reading this, you probably want the text version of our newsletter. To permanently change to the text version, send an email to blah, blah, blah. Then, say, "To read this newsletter online, click below. Then, use a tracking link to see how many people click. Put it all in a comment tag at the top of your HTML template. Only those who are mistakenly receiving HTML as raw code will be able to see it.

2. Use a single-pixel tracking GIF in your email, towards the bottom. Use a differently-named pixel every time. I like to name them with the date, so it's called 4-23.gif, or something like that. Then, check your logs to see how many times this image has been called. This is not an accurate count, for many reasons, but it will allow you to see if your relative open rate drops if you add some new HTML, like a style sheet or something that might not be compatible. An example -- when I used tables, my GIF got called significantly less, so I stopped using them.

3. I like to put a line like this at the top of my HTML emails:

"If you cannot see the images below, or if the links don't work, you can read this issue online at www.mysite.com/issue"

VERY IMPORTANT -- Don't try to make the link above clickable. Write it in plain text. Don't even put http:// :). If people are having trouble reading HTML email, they may have trouble with a clickable link in an HTML email. They will copy and paste, or type it directly into their address bar from memory. I have tracked this technique, and it works best for me in plain text.

4. If you have the option to send a multi-part alternative format, try it out. In theory, it "sniffs" the users email client to see if they can accept HTML, and if they can, they get fed the HTML. If not, they get a text alternative. It doesn't always work, and everyone gets sent BOTH text and HTML (only one will be displayed), so it may cost you more.

The bottom line is test, test, test. Use safety measures to "catch" and track users for whom fancy HTML may not work, and then compare your tracking figures after you implement something new.

[maninderwalia]

Hi! Crifer
Although I might go off track but as a net surfer I prefer simple text mails perhaps with some images rather than HTML ones.
Lot of junk mail comes in HTML format(Fancy format) so there is a fear that your newsletter might be considered another junk.
I prefer you stick with text.

[ihelpyou]

I delete html emails before opening. If I wanted to see html or graphics, I would use my browser. My email is for something different. I want text in my email or it does not get opened.

Of course, this is just me. :)

[crifer]

Thanks bigblock! Great information! :thumb:

[crifer]

Doug and maninderwalia, I agree with you in a way there, but if you add a tiny bit of html you can make the newletter look so much more professional. I don't want to exaggerate it and make it look like a real homepage, just put the cherry at the top :)

[bigblock]

I prefer text emails too :). IMO, it all depends on your audience. If you are publishing to an audience of internet professionals, text is best.

But many people enjoy receiving a tasteful HTML newsletter. I send both. A text publication on the first of the month, and an HTML one weekly. People love it. It's all about your audience.