HTML vs Text newsletter

[scottiecl]

I'm pretty sure this can be done so maybe someone here can help...

I am sending out an HTML newsletter. I would like for there to be a text alternative for people who don't receive HTML mail.

Can this be automatically detected somehow or do I just place the text version in comments before the HTML version kicks in? That seems to be a messy and unnecessarily heavy file to send.
That is all I can think of, though.

Any help appreciated! Thanks:p

[Kal]

I've just moved my newsletter to HTML from a text-based format, but I use a 3rd party program to manage the creation and distribution. They have it set up so that can detect whether a recipient should receive it in text or HTML format. New subscribers are also given the choice. I'm afraid I don't know how it actually "works" but perhaps one of our programmer members could explain?

[potato]

Hi,

there is absolutely no way to detect in advance if the receipients eMail client (the program which displays the newsletter) is capable of rendering HTML or not. If you send HTML to a receipient with a non HTML-capable eMail programme he/she will just get garbage.

The most convenient way (depending on how you get the receipient addresses), is to maintain two seperated versions with the same content, one text only, one with HTML. New receipents should get the text-only version first and a remark how they can opt-in to the HTML-version if they like.

I am issueing a newsletter with about 1200 receipients, almost 85% still prefer the text-only version.

[scottiecl]

I wonder how these third party services do it? Very curious!

I think you are right about separate lists, it's just not a very elegant solution.

THANKS!

[plattypus]

Place a script on your site that serves up a 1x1 pixel gif and saves a field "email".

When your visitor signs up, send them a very basic welcome message and tag this line at the end:

<img src="http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/your1by1script.pl?email=their@email.com">

You end up with a saved list of emails, these should get the html version.

[Matt B]

Nice tech answer, but I would still give recipients the choice between text and HTML and not force it upon them.

There are some newsletters I like to get as text and some I like as HTML, it all depends on the content that I want to get out of them.

[potato]

I think you are right about separate lists, it's just not a very elegant solution
If you compose your mail in HTML and upon being definitely ready, open it in a browser, copy the text and paste it into a text editor, you need appx. 5 minutes for reformatting the text and you are done.
There are even Tools who would do that for you (removing the HTML portions of the newsletter) but its simpler and quicker with copy and paste.

Place a script on your site that serves up a 1x1 pixel gif and saves a field "email".
Though that is quite common and works well, keep in mind it might also alert people and keep them from a subscription. As a receiver of eMails I am always suspicious to hidden code if its not explained.

[Mertu]

Usually, the third parties have a database that stores the recipients and also stores whether to send it as HTML or plain text. (Or the recipient has to register with the third party and can specify in what format they want the e-mails.) So, functionally it is two lists, but the list owner and recipients only see one list.

Depending on what you use for e-mail and how involved the HTML is, you could create the e-mail in HTML and send it to the HTML people, copy the text of the HTML message, paste it into a plain-text message, and then send that to the plain-text people with little reformatting required.

I personally wouldn't use the image tracking trick (nor would I appreciate getting a message that uses it). Some of the larger spam-for-hire outfits use a similar tactic for automatically confirming message delivery and valid e-mail addresses. Feels like a violation of privacy--worse than return-receipts because you can at least turn those off. (Plus, just because I'm stuck using an e-mail program that thinks it's a web browser, doesn't mean I like it. =)


Sean

[scottiecl]

Good advice. It is interesting to learn how to do the verification Potato, but I don't think I'll do it. I am working on a family/children's site and I have to be very careful not to do anything that could be perceived as invasive.

Guess I will modify my signup process to include a text/HTML preference field.

Thanks!!