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Why are most email marketers using plain text messages instead of html messages?

by gothilda
16 replies
Hi my fellow warriors,
For a few months now i'm trying to build my email list for marketing.
me i'm using youtube for getting subscribers and for now it works well.
But i still have some questions and i need some advise and i hope you guys can help me.
For mail delivery i use Getresponse.And when i design my follow up messages i have the option to send my list a plain text messages (wich i noticed that most emailmarketers do) or an nice template wich i can edit to my likings.
So my question is: is there a reason why most emailmarketers use the option plain text above email with a nice header etc...
Because when i look at the differense i must say that personaly would choose to make my messages with a template with a nice header. cause it looks so great!
plus it triggers peoples sences! lol and i thought that that is important too within internet marketing. You know just like everything you do to convert more certain action of your subscribers..or is there a reason wich i don't know why people only use plain text messages?

Ooh i still got another quik question!
What is the best time delay between your follow up messages! and do you guys have an affiliate offer in all messages? or is it like 2 providing good content or gift! and then 1 message with an offer?
i hope you guys can give me some advise! cause i want to build a good list! and want them to stay and not unsubscribe!!!

Greetings
Gothilda
#email #html #marketers #messages #plain #text
  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    The line of thinking for text messages over HTML is they are more likely to be received than HTML. Whether or not this is still the case is subject to testing.
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    Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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  • Profile picture of the author Ttrain
    One reason I can think of is that sometimes html messages get flagged and sent to the junk folder. But the biggest reason, is probably that they've tested an html message vs. a plain text message, and the regular one either performed better or had the same result. It's the same reason people use squeeze pages with just one major headline, an optin box, and nothing else. It just converts better for certain markets.
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  • Profile picture of the author gothilda
    Wow thnx for the quik responses and advise!

    How many offer messages is reasonable for a good list? don't wanna overdue it!
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    Please do not use affiliate templates in signatures

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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Most top e-mail marketers don't use just plain text
      messages.

      Take a closer look at their e-mail messages.

      You'll find that many send Plain Text and HTML versions
      (with minimal formatting).

      I like HTML with minimal formatting because I can track
      open rates and also use some text formatting to improve
      the readability of the message.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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      .

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      • Profile picture of the author gothilda
        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        Most top e-mail marketers don't use just plain text
        messages.

        Take a closer look at their e-mail messages.

        You'll find that many send Plain Text and HTML versions
        (with minimal formatting).

        I like HTML with minimal formatting because I can track
        open rates and also use some text formatting to improve
        the readability of the message.

        Dedicated to mutual success,

        Shaun
        I'm sorry i don't understand what you mean! (srry for being newbie)
        What you mean with HTML with minimal formatting
        Can ya tell me a little more about this!
        Do you mean that some marketers are sending messages with sometimes plain text and then sometimes html?
        Srry for this m8! i'm new with email marketing hope you don't mind asking!

        greetings
        gothilda
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        • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
          It's considered good practice to send both Plain Text
          and HTML versions of your e-mail so that the subscriber
          can view your e-mail in the format suited to the device
          they're using to view your message, e.g. computer,
          mobile, tablet, etc.

          By HTML with minimal formatting, I'm talking about
          sending messages that display with HTML code but
          do not have excessive use of HTML functionality like
          embedded images, bolding, underlining, italics, color,
          etc.

          When I send an e-mail, I want it to resemble a personal
          one-on-one message like I receive from friends.

          Do your friends send you corporate-looking HTML template
          e-mails? No.

          Dedicated to mutual success,

          Shaun
          Signature

          .

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          • Profile picture of the author gothilda
            Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

            It's considered good practice to send both Plain Text
            and HTML versions of your e-mail so that the subscriber
            can view your e-mail in the format suited to the device
            they're using to view your message, e.g. computer,
            mobile, tablet, etc.

            By HTML with minimal formatting, I'm talking about
            sending messages that display with HTML code but
            do not have excessive use of HTML functionality like
            embedded images, bolding, underlining, italics, color,
            etc.

            When I send an e-mail, I want it to resemble a personal
            one-on-one message like I receive from friends.

            Do your friends send you corporate-looking HTML template
            e-mails? No.

            Dedicated to mutual success,

            Shaun
            Wow thnx for your great quik response!
            And yes i checked my mailbox and your right about the email messages some marketers send! i know now what you mean!! i can see the messages with only a few html adjustments like bolding and underlined etc...but not more then that.
            Many thanks for your advise and clearing this up to me.
            Can ya answer me one more question?
            maybe it is stupid but what is open rate?
            and do you have some advise about how many times to mail a offer! so i don't overdue it?
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            • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
              Originally Posted by gothilda View Post

              what is open rate?
              Open rate is an estimated figure of the percentage of
              subscribers who open your e-mail compared to the
              total number of e-mails you sent.

              Open Rate = Total E-mails Opened / Total E-mails Sent

              If you send an HTML message, it will include a small
              image that will be used to track opens. If the user
              allows the image to be loaded, it will be recorded as
              an open in your autoresponder.

              However, many people do not allow images to be
              displayed in their e-mails (for security reasons) and
              therefore, open rate figures don't get triggered for
              them and are very inaccurate.

              Plain text e-mails do not track open rates unless
              they include trackable links within them.

              Dedicated to mutual success,

              Shaun
              Signature

              .

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          • Profile picture of the author ShaneGorry
            Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

            It's considered good practice to send both Plain Text
            and HTML versions of your e-mail so that the subscriber
            can view your e-mail in the format suited to the device
            they're using to view your message, e.g. computer,
            mobile, tablet, etc.

            By HTML with minimal formatting, I'm talking about
            sending messages that display with HTML code but
            do not have excessive use of HTML functionality like
            embedded images, bolding, underlining, italics, color,
            etc.

            When I send an e-mail, I want it to resemble a personal
            one-on-one message like I receive from friends.

            Do your friends send you corporate-looking HTML template
            e-mails? No.

            Dedicated to mutual success,

            Shaun
            Nice tips. Thanks Shaun.
            Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author s121
    My view is that if you wanted to do anything fancy with the email the conversion rate will be low and they will close the message and do something else. This is because you have to get their mind in to the buying mode "purchase mode". Use persuasive subject lines and in the body area get straight to the point. Otherwise they will be staring at your graphics and you lose a customer which could lead to a big loss in the long run.

    You should stick to the plain text, then your profits will increase.
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Test messages are the lowest common denominator (LCM)
    for email marketing. People who receive HTML can also
    read text but people with text only email clients cannot
    read HTML. So if you want to include everyone then
    text is the mode of choice.

    You can also ask your optin prospect to choose their
    email format preference at the time of sign-up so that
    your list would be automatically segmented into HTML
    and text.

    -Ray Edwards
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    The most powerful and concentrated copywriting training online today bar none! Autoresponder Writing Email SECRETS
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      You can also ask your optin prospect to choose their
      email format preference at the time of sign-up so that
      your list would be automatically segmented into HTML
      and text.
      Having additional fields on your opt-in form will
      decrease your visitor-to-subscriber opt-in rate.

      Instead, I send both HTML and Plain Text versions so
      that the subscriber can view the e-mail in a format
      suited to the device they're using at the time they
      read the message.

      Test to get the definitive answer for your lists though.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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      .

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  • Profile picture of the author gothilda
    I keep saying Thnx for the quik responses haha! realy amazing!
    Thank you for the advises from fellow marketers! i realy appreciate all your help!

    i think i'm gonna test my messages more! and i will mind you guys advises!!
    thnx for clearing up things for me!

    greetings Gothilda
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Alot of the big companies whose list i'm on use HTML emails. I even know a few direct response marketers who still use HTML over text. But me personally... i use text, because it's quick, prompt, clear, and gets straight the point with no clutter.
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  • Profile picture of the author JimDucharme
    Shaun is dead on (Shaun of the dead on?) about sending both formats -- choice is always good. Give your subscribers as much choice as you can! Testing such as A/B split testing can help you understand what choices your subscribers are making.

    Regards,
    jim
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