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What's YOUR opinion?

by Emmanuel Betinis
53 replies
Have you noticed many of the "big guys" just use 'straight text' in their eMail messages when sending out an eMail to their subscribers VS. using a pretty eMail template with images, borders, etc. ?



I wonder if it's because:


a.) Statistics have shown a better response rate using just straight text-only eMails

and/or

b.) Sending an eMail to your subscribers without 'bogging' it down with a bunch of logos & images decreases deliverability due to SPAM filters in the various POP services out there today.
#deliver #email #list #marketing #opinion #subscriber
  • Profile picture of the author psresearch
    I try to send my emails in the same way I would send them to a friend.

    I don't recall ever sending a friend an HTML email.

    However, I think that would also depend on the nature of the publication.
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  • Profile picture of the author DotComBum
    If it was a HTML email, it may not pass the spam filter.
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  • Profile picture of the author bloggerr
    perhaps because text emails are more reliable (no worries for broken format), and any kind of email software can open it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Teenage Genius
    I use plain text for a number of reasons.

    HTML messages can be blocked or not display properly and take longer to load.

    Straight text is more like a letter, which is what e-mail is based upon.

    Straight text is quicker, easier and cheaper - I.E if you make the graphics for an HTML e-mail yourself it takes time, if you outsource it costs money.

    Plus - I think there is just no need for HTML in my messages. Maybe if I opened a cataloge and recently had 10 new items added to it, then I would use HTML to show customers which items they are along with prices and what not. But for the average I.M I think plain text is the way to go.

    Just my 2 cents. (For free :O lol).

    T.Genius
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  • Profile picture of the author successminded08
    My email servers always block the images embedded in my emails. I have to click the "unblock" button and it's so annoying, even though it's to block potential viruses. Plus, when I see emails with images, it looks too much like an ad to me and it doesn't feel as personal.
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  • Profile picture of the author islander1
    Text emails seem more real and personal. An email with a bunch of graphics can be a turn-off cause it looks like a blatant ad.
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    • Profile picture of the author sahi
      If you want to send emails in html format then it would be much better if you used hand coded html emails, using html tags on a notepad.
      When I used to send html emails that I created by using Word or some other email formatting software, the delivery rate was low and one day I happened to test why html emails were not passing through the filters and I noticed one error and it was that my html emails created with Word and email software were having lots of object tags in them plus some more html tags junk. So i then started wrapping my text in simple html tags, and delivery rate increased considerably, and I'm now satisfied with the results that I'm getting from email campaigns.
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  • Profile picture of the author NewbiesDiary
    when i get an html email my finger automatically draws to the delete button - I just cant help myself.
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    • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
      Here's the deal...

      TRACKING is very important to me.

      If I can't track my eMail open rates & link clicks, then how can I improve my future eMail campaigns?

      I can only track this important information by enabling HTML in my campaigns.

      This is what sparked the question in my OP. This is also the issue I'm currently faced with.

      Are you guys tracking your open rates WITHOUT sending HTML-based campaigns? If so, HOW?!
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      • Profile picture of the author trafficwave
        Originally Posted by anapest View Post

        Here's the deal...

        TRACKING is very important to me.

        If I can't track my eMail open rates & link clicks, then how can I improve my future eMail campaigns?

        I can only track this important information by enabling HTML in my campaigns.

        This is what sparked the question in my OP. This is also the issue I'm currently faced with.

        Are you guys tracking your open rates WITHOUT sending HTML-based campaigns? If so, HOW?!
        I agree wholeheartedly.

        I track open rates and CTR (click-through rates). I'm more interested in CTR but the open rate is a general indicator of interest for me.

        I do use HTML. I use it sparingly but I use it to reinforce our brand and build some familiarity.

        I'm not worried about people hitting the delete button because they have requested and confirmed their interest in the information I'm sending. That doesn't mean that nobody ever unsubscribes. They do, of course. But my list grows daily and I continue emailing the interested prospects.

        So having said that, the HTML helps me track open rates.

        But for those email clients that don't process HTML, our messages also include a link that allows them to view the message online. They click the link and a web page opens up with the message. Voila!

        Or they can just read the txt version. That won't help me track open rates but it's not absolutely critical for me.

        HTML or Txt doesn't have any impact on tracking click-through's. That is tracked when the link in the message is clicked so the formatting is irrelevant.

        Using HTML does help that URL look better as clickable text, though.

        I don't think the solution is an "either/or" situation. I think we need to find a balance between the appropriate level of HTML vs txt and that will come through testing in your own scenarios.
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        • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
          Originally Posted by trafficwave View Post

          I do use HTML. I use it sparingly but I use it to reinforce our brand and build some familiarity.

          When you say sparingly, do you mean:

          a.) You use it in every eMail you send...just not that often within the eMail (ie. only one or two hyper links in the entire eMail)?

          OR

          b.) You use it in the fraction of all eMails you send out?
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          • Profile picture of the author trafficwave
            Originally Posted by anapest View Post

            When you say sparingly, do you mean:

            a.) You use it in every eMail you send...just not that often within the eMail (ie. only one or two hyper links in the entire eMail)?

            OR

            b.) You use it in the fraction of all eMails you send out?
            I use it in all of the emails I send.

            Each email has minimal HTML formatting such as including my company logo, perhaps an image IF it reinforces the message appropriately, maybe some font formatting such as bold text, colors, etc...

            Some of our clients use full-blown HTML formatting to make the message look just like their web page.

            Ultimately, your own testing will help you determine what is best for your particular situation.

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            • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
              Cool!

              CONCLUSION

              Although the deliverability in TEXT-ONLY eMails is higher VS. HTML eMails, this is only a generalized statement. Why?

              Because...

              When you first think of "HTML eMail" you think of one bombarded by image templates and fancy code all over. However, in our world...the Internet Marketing world...we may need an "HTML eMail" to be sent out for reasons other than to "look pretty with a bunch of images".

              Why?

              Because in the Internet Marketing world one important part of our business is TRACKING. And tracking your open rates & click-thru ratios (CTRs) is essential in improving upon future activities. This is how we grow and learn by testing.

              This is also where sending an HTML eMail comes into play from an Internet Marketing prospective.

              The only way to track your open rates and CTRs in an eMail is to send it via an HTML eMail.

              But wait...don't cringe...I didn't say send it via an eMail bogged down with images and crap. I just said the purpose is sending it in HTML format for 2 things and 2 things only: To TRACK your activities and results (open rates & CTRs).

              So...

              By sending an HTML-based eMail WITHOUT using images and ONLY for the purpose of tracking open rates and CTRs, we'll still have a wonderful deliver rate (just as we would if we would have sent it TEXT-ONLY without HTML which would deprive us of being able to receive valuable tracking information as briefly described above).

              So, with the help of others and my persistence, I've managed to answer my own question and I hope the answers I've given along with others in this thread have and will also help others that stumble across this thread some day.

              And if there's another thread out there like this, well...that just increases the chances the next Internet Marketer will find the information he/she is looking for when that day comes for them.

              Again, thank you for your participation everyone!

              To more helpful threads in the future!
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  • Profile picture of the author jaynet
    Absolutely right. You should never, never send html emails.
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    • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
      Okay...

      so if my question does not get answered within a few hours of THE DAY I POST THE QUESTION I do not "bump" it. However, it has been 3 days with no productive answer to my last post and this issue is important to me so I'll give this one another shot at this point.

      There's pros and cons to everything, right?

      And I quote from the infamous Email Marketer itself:

      When sending an HTML-based eMail: Your contacts must be using an HTML capable eMail client to be able to view HTML eMails. HTML eMails will produce the best results for open rates and link tracking.

      When sending a NON-HTML TEXT-ONLY eMail: Text-only eMails are viewable in all eMail clients and are less likely to be reported as spam due to the lack of HTML code. This type of eMail will not be able to obtain results for open rates.

      SO...

      Based on the answers so far in this thread, HTML eMails should be NOT used when sending out an eMail campaign. BUT tracking open-rates, link clicks, etc. is essential to improve future campaigns as an internet marketer, isn't it?

      Continuing on to what the answers have been so far as well, text-only eMails should be used instead...but they provide no tracking information!

      What are your thoughts on this? I welcome everyone to participate as I highly value many opinions here.

      KEEP IN MIND: By using the 'HTML-Based' version of the eMail, it does not necessarily mean I will be using flashy templates, bolding, highlighting, wild colors, images everywhere, etc. - As a matter of fact, using the HTML version of the eMail campaign I would not be using anything at all that would tip off the end-user that the message is "HTML" (no images or anything...LOOKS like a text-only eMail). I would only be only using the HTML version for purposes of tracking open rates and URL clicks-thrus.
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  • Profile picture of the author sunny56
    Hi-ya! thanks for sending me this way...this was an interesting thread....And I am VERY curious how to deal with this issue too.

    I'd assume that most people enable html in their emails, but just send it as if it were plain text.

    I would do that too, except, when i send an html email (even just for the 1x1 tracking pixel) it just gets junked into the spam folders, but the plain text ones get through fine.....

    The mystery continues....


    Thanks for the software recommendation btw anapest :-) I'll check it out.
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    • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
      Ramonica, okay...yes, good points. Very understandable...however...

      ...my question is more of a technological one at this point rather than a "talent of the writer" type in that apparently some HTML eMails simply never make it to the INBOX of the reader FLAT OUT PERIOD (no matter how good of a writer the sender may be) because it is sometimes marked as SPAM just because it is just that...an HTML eMail.

      Now, just WHAT part about the eMail that is 'triggering' the message to be marked as SPAM is what I'd like to get to the bottom of. Is it more what language/words that may be used (because Email Marketer will notify you of possible SPAM'ish keywords in the message, allowing you to change/delete them before you send it) OR is it more the images/graphics used in the message that would render it a higher chance of getting thrown into the SPAM box?

      Now, what I'm wondering about is if a TEXT-ONLY HTML message will have the same chances as getting through as a TEXT-ONLY TEXT message.

      Originally Posted by sunny56 View Post

      I would do that too, except, when i send an html email (even just for the 1x1 tracking pixel) it just gets junked into the spam folders, but the plain text ones get through fine.....

      Thanks for the software recommendation btw anapest :-) I'll check it out.

      ...and I understand your situation...as I mentioned before this can be easily fixed by using Email Marketer in that it does not use ANY graphics for it's open-rate tracking.
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      • Profile picture of the author zerofill
        One of the biggest reasons we use Text versus an HTML template is not so much because of spam filters etc...
        It is because of the messages email clients like thunderbird give out...

        To protect your privacy, thunderbird has blocked remote images in this message.
        You can load the images manually...but...people see that and are like oh shit...

        Because some mail clients will say things like they blocked the images to protect you from being tracked and all kinds of goofy stuff. Not just the email clients themselves but plugins and firewalls and virus scanners...that they may have installed will say all kinds of different things.

        So you don't want people to think you're some marketer trying to steal their identity or something...
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    • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
      Originally Posted by sunny56 View Post

      Hi-ya! thanks for sending me this way...this was an interesting thread....And I am VERY curious how to deal with this issue too.

      Thanks for the software recommendation btw anapest :-) I'll check it out.
      I must correct myself. Email Marketer is a wonderful program...yes...but it DOES use a small graphic in order to track open-rates. Apparently, this is the most efficient way of tracking open rates industry-wide.

      One tip the support team gave me from Interspire was to create 2 eMail addresses on the domain that will be sending the campaign(s) from: abuse@yourdomain.com and postmaster@yourdomain.com

      This will show to Hotmail and the others that you are accepting complaints correctly so that if the people do not wish to receive your emails they will be able to do something about it.

      While this will still not fix the "blocked images" button on your message when "track open-rates" is enabled, it will help increase deliverability when you DO have that tracking feature enabled nonetheless.
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  • Profile picture of the author ramonica
    A simple plain letter conveys better the original message written by its writer, but there are more factors involved in making a simple letter without graphics a good one.If the e-mail is professionally written, I mean it adresses to the ideal customer of the chosen target market , has a professional layout ... it seems more personal, and this is a reason for the writer of the letter to achive faster his goal , that is persuading the readers to buy his product or service.This factor of being personal has importance because adds more trust and bulids a relationship between the writer and its reader.
    So, my conclusion is that if a plain simple e-mail is well written it reaches its goal better than a well written e-mail that has graphics, because the graphics might distract the reader form the original message and purpose of the letter.

    Best regards,
    Ramonica
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  • Profile picture of the author jaijav29
    oh yeah, haven't noticed that one. lol
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  • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
    So the eMails IM'ers send out ARE INDEED HTML eMails...they just have no images in them and APPEAR to be text-only. Correct?

    I ask this simple question because if I send out a TEXT ONLY eMail I can not have a URL in the eMail that is a clickable hyperlink for the end-user.

    P.S. I also wonder how many people online today actually only are capable of receiving text-only eMails. It's GOT to be just a tiny fraction...then again, I have no proof to back up this assumption.



    EDIT:

    James,

    my question is not related to your answer from my perspective. Sorry. It doesn't matter how good the words/verbs are if the eMail does not first make it to the INBOX of the prospect to begin with. Nonetheless, I appreciate your willingness to help.
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  • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
    What I find interesting is some of the "gurus" that send me their eMail do not use hyperlinked text at all...just a straight URL (in the form of http://blahblahwheatever.com) which then turns into blue hypertext. So apparently this is still classified as an HTML eMail?

    Also, these type of eMails I'm talking about apparently are not using link tracking either, right? Because if they were, the link would be in the form of http://tracking.trackingurlname/34#$asdf/trackingurl?=445, wouldn't it? I don't like doing it that way, either....

    So apparently they only way of getting around this is to use anchor text (when tracking links)...but then we're getting back to an HTML-based eMail, correct (which I'm now concluding is not a big deal when using HTML eMails this way since there is no bogged down images in it which could then possibly trigger either: the user to delete it because they get the "click here to show images" button or the ISP would filter it out)?
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  • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
    What I find interesting is some of the "gurus" that send me their eMail do not use hyperlinked ANCHOR text at all...just a straight URL (in the form of http://blahblahwheatever.com) which then turns into blue hypertext. So apparently this is still classified as an HTML eMail, yeah?

    Also, these type of eMails I'm talking about apparently are not using link tracking either, right? Because if they were, the link would be in the form of http://tracking.trackingurlname/34#$asdf/trackingurl?=445, wouldn't it? I don't like doing it that way, either....and this is also weird because don't you think "the gurus" would be tracking their CTRs?!

    So apparently the only way of getting around this is to use anchor text (when tracking links)...but then we're getting back to an HTML-based eMail, correct (which I'm now concluding is not a big deal when using HTML eMails this way since there is no bogged down images in it which could then possibly trigger either: the user to delete it because they get the "click here to show images" button or the ISP would filter it out)?
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  • Profile picture of the author Hugh
    Read somewhere that for tracking purposes, you can use just 1 "dot"
    and the balance in text. Best of both worlds?
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  • Profile picture of the author Steveb2u
    Anapest....great topic...I will be following the comments
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  • Profile picture of the author trafficwave
    "look like crap" is fairly subjective but if you're using plain text, anyway... I think "look like crap" is going to apply to much of the email message.

    ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
    Sorry...


    What?


    Maybe I wasn't clear with my message. I meant if you use NO HTML to send your eMails and you enable link tracking, then won't your URLs you put into the eMails actually have a different destination URL than what the displayed URL in the eMail is?
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    • Profile picture of the author trafficwave
      Originally Posted by anapest View Post

      ... if you use NO HTML to send your eMails and you enable link tracking, then won't your URLs you put into the eMails actually have a different destination URL than what the displayed URL in the eMail is?
      Yes. Using a tracking URL in a txt formatted message would cause the tracking URL to appear which is different from the destination URL.
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  • Profile picture of the author RichOnlineCEO
    I only use plain text for emails the reason I have though is not because of spam but because of conversions!
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  • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
    Rich,

    how do you track your CTR and open rates?
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    • Profile picture of the author RichOnlineCEO
      Originally Posted by anapest View Post

      Rich,

      how do you track your CTR and open rates?
      Get Response has this built in
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      • Profile picture of the author Ian Traynor
        Originally Posted by RichOnlineCEO View Post

        Get Response has this built in
        You can actually do this with any HTML email.

        I use AutoResponse Plus and what I do is to insert a single pixel transparent .gif image in the email. Instead of "displaying" this image directly (of course it doesn't show, because it's transparent!), I link to the image via a tracking link.

        I use GoTryThis to track this - and all the links in my emails.

        This enables me to see the open rate for emails sent in HTML format (75% of my subscribers opt for this format) and all the CTR rates. Here's a couple of examples of my tracking links:

        AutoResponse Plus: Follow Up Autoresponder and Mailing List Software - AutoResponse Plus
        GoTryThis: http://www.IanSays.com/IEndorse/GoTryThis

        I hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author Coolneter
    oh geeez.
    i have an autoresponder and i set up 3 messages with the
    nice looking html templates. So im gonna have to change to plain
    text?
    That seems like a downgrade, but ill do it if its necessary.
    I dont care about if they are clicking it. They have to
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  • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
    Does anyone else find it difficult to sneak by the 'Junk' folder on Hotmail accounts?
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
    Sometimes no matter what you do your emails get eaten.

    Personally I, and most marketers I see, stick with HTML emails. I see very little formatting or images; just tracking, clickable links and so forth.

    However bigger corporations use images, so I can't really comment on whether they help or not. I guess the only way to find out for your specific publication would be to do a split test when you have a sizable list.

    -Dan
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  • Profile picture of the author RedMatrix
    anapest, I believe when a plain text email has a URL in it,
    the email client recognizes it and hyper links it. That is why
    sometimes you see confirmation emails that have:
    http://aweber.whatever.xx/?=ASDA%GVAS%S
    For AOL Users, <a href="http://aweber.whatever.xx/?=ASDA%GVAS%S">click here</a>
    ...Because AOL does NOT hyperlink plain-text URLs. It needs anchor text.
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  • Profile picture of the author Li Weng
    plain txt for deliverability.
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  • Profile picture of the author BestWarry
    I think it is for both reasons...I myself won't read so much of those highly tech emails...
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  • Profile picture of the author RedMatrix
    Well, there is always the *possibility* of AOL users not seeing text URLs in blue. I'm glad it worked for you. AOL may have done some changes this past year. I still don't allow @aol.com emails to register at my vb forum because they don't get the email confirmation.

    If you have a LONG url, chances are high it will get broken into 2 lines, and then you're s.o.l. Could you see if they fixed that issue?
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    • Profile picture of the author Ian Traynor
      Hi Warriors

      I've been publishing my weekly newsletter since 1999. I try not to miss too many weeks - although vacations and personal family business sometimes means that I miss an edition.

      On my sign-up page, I give people the choice between HTML or plain text, The default (if they don't change the radio button) is HTML.

      75% of my subscribers opt, either by choice, or by default, for HTML.

      HTML enables me to track the open rate. Nearly all my links go through a tracker system - with a short, punch URL: "IanSays.com/...". I use the GoTryThis system to track my links, so I can track everything, in either the HTML or text versions - except the open rate.

      I have a very loyal and responsive subscriber list. It's not huge - 5-figures, but only just.

      IMHO, it's the content, not the format, which determines whether or not you retain your subscribers.

      Try to sell to them all the time, and they will desert you rapidly. You have to give them useful information -and you have to be sincere. If you're a Member of the Warrior's "War Room", you'll see my thread outlining my personal philosophy about retaining the trust of subscribers.

      Images? Yes, I include images in my HTML version of "Marketing Update". But there's no info in the images which conveys important info. They are there for aesthetic purposes - "eye candy", if you like!

      I write the HTML version first, then copy and paste the text into a text editor. I always ensure that links are made "AOL friendly" by adding the <a href "link..">AOL Users</a> link after the plain text link. Yes, this does include HTML in a text-only version of the newsletter, but I've not found much differnce in the conversion rates if I leave out this AOL alternative. I might decide to drop it soon.

      One other twist.. I've noticed that Derek Gehl of the Internet Marketing Center sends out trackable HTML emails - but they look like text emails. Frankly, I can't see the point of that. If you're going to use HTML, then take advantage of the HTML technology advantages - such as CSS. I can use coloured text (in moderation) using CSS, without being blocked by the spam filters.

      Finally, I do use an online spam checker, which checks against both Spam Assassin and some generic filter blocked words for every email I send out. It's a pain in the butt (like having to write "free" as "f'ree") but I feel more comfortable doing this.

      Other comments from fellow Warriors on this post would be very much appreciated.
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    • Profile picture of the author Emmanuel Betinis
      Originally Posted by RedMatrix View Post

      I still don't allow @aol.com emails to register at my vb forum because they don't get the email confirmation. Could you see if they fixed that issue?

      No problem!

      I just tested an AOL web-based eMail account and the confirmation link went through just fine. It took about 30 minutes, but it went through.

      You now may be able to increase your opt-in rate by a percent or two by allowing AOL'ers.
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  • Profile picture of the author BradCarroll
    "Everyone loves to buy, but nobody likes to be sold [to]."

    HTML emails always make me feel like I'm being sold.

    Plain text seems more "normal", not as invasive or "threatening", etc.

    There's more to it than this, I think. But this is what sticks out in my mind.
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