Do you send PLAIN or HTML emails to your list?

by Peter Helps

Posted: 16 years ago 36 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

As of right now, I am sending plain emails to my list. It seems to me that sending plain emails gets me better delivery, less spam complains and so on.

However, I cannot track open rates on my emails. I have been thinking about switching to HTML emails and wanted to see what your feedback is on that.

So, tell me, do you send out plain or html emails. Also, give your reason why you send out either one. Thanks,

Peter

#emails #html #list #plain #send

Ben Roy

16 years ago

I currently send plain emails, but I'm in the process of switching to dual. I'll keep the plain so everyone can read it, but I love the idea of HTML for better look/feel, better stats, and better advertising capability (ie, I can work the ad into the email layout and use images).

Oh yeah, and I should mention I'm a total list noob so you may not want to put too much weight on what I do.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Stop social bookmarking the old fashioned way - the future is here

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73125].message }}

Kim Standerline

16 years ago

Originally Posted by hummusx

Every time I send an html out, it ends up in my own spam box never mind anyone else's. so now I just send out plain

Kim

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

The Easiest Dimesale Script Ever!!

EasyMemberPro is back with Mama
How To Write And Profit From Hot Romance (Kindle Product)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73130].message }}

Peter Helps

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kim Standerline

Every time I send an html out, it ends up in my own spam box never mind anyone else's. so now I just send out plain

Kim

I use aweber for my list. From my experience, just by sending out an html email, you get some SPAM points assigned to your message. That is one of the reasons why I end up sending plain emails. I agree with you Kim on your experience as well.

Peter

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73168].message }}

oneplusone

16 years ago

I find it is best to do both.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

'If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.' Vincent Van Gogh.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73239].message }}

Fabian Tan 16 years ago

The BIG plus point with HTML emails is that you can turn your hyperlinks into anchor text.

So instead of a normal link like http://www.yourwebsite.com you can place something like "Click Here To Check Out <offer>". I've been hearing that this increases click through rates by a country mile

Definitely something to look into.

Fabian
- Thanks
Signature

High Quality Solo Ads: Get 100 To 1,000 Quality, Targeted Clicks In The Internet Marketing Niche!
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73311].message }}

Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

It's interesting that you brought this up.

In a book that I'll be coming out with soon (based on my 5 years of email
marketing [shameless plug there]) I cover this interesting topic.

I have been testing this out for a long time and ultimately, I have decided
that the slight increase in conversion with HTML email does NOT make up for,
not only the loss in deliverability but another problem that people don't take
into account.

Not everybody uses Outlook. Some people use the online email readers like
horde because they're easier to set up and you don't have to worry about
contracting viruses through them as easily. Well, a lot of these email reading
programs but default to NOT recognize HTML emails. When they arrive, you
only get the header info in your email. Nothing else displays. Yes, you can
change the default to allow for reading HTML emails but not everybody
does.

So now, not only do you have to worry about deliverability, but you also
have to worry about people being able to read your email even IF it gets
delivered.

I've done enough testing of this in 5 plus years that I have abandoned
HTML emails.

** DISCLAIMER ** These are my OWN results. Yours may vary, so test
this out before you make any decisions either way.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

My Soundcloud Music Channel

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73322].message }}

Ben Roy

16 years ago

Steve, were you sending out dual format? If a reader doesn't display HTML emails, it should pull the plain text that's attached and show that instead.

Also, I would think that Horde is pretty much irrelevant. The major players in the email reader space would be Hotmail, Yahoo, and Google. If your emails look fine there, then you're probably hitting the 90% mark or better.

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

Stop social bookmarking the old fashioned way - the future is here

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73336].message }}

Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by hummusx

That may be true, but I still want to make sure my emails are readable by
the majority so I send text only. So far it hasn't seemed to hurt my business
so I'm not going to mess with it. HTML and me are done for good.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

My Soundcloud Music Channel

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73384].message }}

Eric Johnson

16 years ago

It could be that I'm missing something, but how are you missing out of customers if you send it in both?

Is your email more likely to end up in the spam box if you send both text and html vs if you just sent text?

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73414].message }}

Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Eric Johnson

Okay, I don't want to bombard my subscribers with emails. It's bad enough
that I'm sending then one. I don't need to send two and have people write
to me and ask me why I'm sending them two emails. I'll end up with more
unsubscribes that way.

People are getting bombarded with spam and emails and they're sick of it. So
I send out as few emails as I can, which is why I don't email my list that
often either. I do an email every 3 or 4 days. That's it.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

My Soundcloud Music Channel

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73434].message }}

Kevin Riley

16 years ago

Ooops! Sorry. Eyes must be crossing. I clicked HTML Only, but meant to click TEXT Only. Sorry to skew your poll.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

Kevin Riley, long-time Warrior living in Osaka, Japan

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73441].message }}

jhongren 16 years ago

Hi, I send out PLAIN TEXT emails as it is easier to be read. =)

John
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

[Attention Offline Marketers] Make $500 With 1 Email?
EBAY Marketing Blueprint Shows You Exactly How
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73479].message }}
- Dave OSullivan 16 years ago
  
  We only send plain now. We started of with plain, then went to both to make use of the aweber templates but a subscriber left us as he said the html was too hard on his eyes.
  
  Dave.
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73512].message }}

Peter Helps

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

Ooops! Sorry. Eyes must be crossing. I clicked HTML Only, but meant to click TEXT Only. Sorry to skew your poll.

Way a go Kevin. Now I'll have to start over jk

No biggie. I see the trend happening here. Either way, this pool is for everyone here on WF.

Peter

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73518].message }}

drr

16 years ago

I actually dislike reading HTML emails! I'm sure some people prefer them, but I personally prefer plain text for my IM niche.

In some markets, I'm sure html would be more apt.
__________________
50 People Only, Try The List4U Package For Free. Here

Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73737].message }}

Michael Gentry 16 years ago

Thanks for the post. I have been using plain text for the same reasons. I will probably always continue to do so.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73748].message }}

Peter Helps

16 years ago

Originally Posted by drr

I see your point. If I am going to start using html emails, I would send them out looking the same way as a plain email, no images, formatting, etc.

Why?

Subscriber reason: My subscribers are used to seeing text/plain emails from me and that's all they need to read, no other distractions.

My reason for HTML: Tracking open rates, plain and simple.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73801].message }}

Bearded 16 years ago

For deliverability's sake, multi-part beats the heck out of HTML-only, IME.

I run a large newsletter for a client (800k+), and we send multi-part. Deliverability is 98%+, because we've established a good reputation with our mail server (on its own IP), and have been whitelisted/established a feedback loop with the major ISPs.

If you send good content, and get relatively few spam complaints (less than .2%), your deliverability will be good.

Joe
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73857].message }}

Bearded

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

That's not how a multi-part message works. If the client supports text-only, it displays that one, and if it supports html, it displays that one. It's still only one message. No one is seeing two emails from you.

This is the "best-practice" that all major ESPs (email service providers) preach. If your ESP's software is smart enough, they can also figure out what capability your list members have and save it for future mailings.

Joe

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73770].message }}

Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Bearded

Well, even if all my subscribers could read HTML emails, the delivery rate, in
comparison to text, sucks, so I still wouldn't use it.

Thanks

Signature

My Soundcloud Music Channel

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73779].message }}

Billy Deakin 16 years ago

Originally Posted by hummusx

Also, I would think that Horde is pretty much irrelevant. The major players in the email reader space would be Hotmail, Yahoo, and Google.

I wouldn't be quite so sure on that. When I used to sell hosting I was always surprised by the number of clients who would use Squirrel mail or Horde. Be interesting to see some stats on this, my guess is a lot of small businesses do use these since they come in their hosting CP by default.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[75266].message }}
- VinceNouvel 16 years ago
  
  I send html for tracking purposes + They look so much better. =)
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[75369].message }}

ctutt

16 years ago

Originally Posted by pk80356

AWeber recommends sending both and they give good reasons. Some recipients only accept plain while many if not most prefer HTML. Personally I prefer to receive HTML. However, when I actually begin using a list I will send both and/or give the recipient a choice of preference.

Charles Tutt

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[73138].message }}

Arindam Chakraborty

16 years ago

Plain text emails, because they convert best for me.

I just looked at the stats and feel that I am not the odd guy here, as most seem to vote for plain text.

Arindam

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

DO NOT Click here! It SUCKS!

The WORST Internet Marketing Newsletter, Ever!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74069].message }}

Kay King

16 years ago

There are several marketers who have sent emails that are unreadable to me. They send html but fail to enter a plain text version - or they copy/paste the html message into the plain text box.

The result are emails from marketers who should know better - that are full of html tags and trying to read between the tags isn't worth the trouble.

This has happened using Outlook even though I have html enabled for emails. You have to balance the "special features" you want to use with sending formats that will reach people and be readable! Otherwise, you are wasting your time and theirs.

Another problem are emails so poorly formatted that they display in a way that looks like a six year old wrote them. Clearly, some people don't test their emails by sending them to one of their addresses before blasting them to their lists.

kay

Thanks
3 replies

Signature

Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog

***

Live life like someone left the gate open

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74193].message }}

erday 16 years ago

Honestly I have sent both and have gotten better click rate from HTML. I use a template of my own design. Always with a date or Issue number in subject line.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74234].message }}

Shaun OReilly

16 years ago

Keep your eyes open and take a look at what some of the top Internet
Marketers are DOING:

Rich Schefren - HTML
Frank Kern - HTML
Stompernet - HTML

These guys test and track religiously and with big lists too. What are
their numbers telling them?

Of course, a whole lot more Internet Marketers are using plain text but
is this out of habit or the results of thorough testing?

Eben Pagan uses Plain Text as far as I can tell. So does Paul Myers
and Marlon Sanders.

I recall a similar HTML/Plain Text debate on the old board where Paul
Myers interstingly said that he'd switch over to HTML if he was starting
over again (assuming I recall correctly!).

Best wishes,

Shaun

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74246].message }}

BrianMcLeod

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Brian McElroy

I send out BOTH.

Text for people who only accept text...

And HTML for tracking OPEN RATES and the ability
to bold and use anchor text (though my emails
mostly LOOK like plain text.

Cheers,
Brian

Ditto.

I send plain text LOOKING html mails that are exactly the same as their text only counterparts.

Another Brian

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Brian McLeod

Direct Response Copywriting

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74366].message }}

pjs 16 years ago

Originally Posted by LoudMac

Ditto.

I send plain text LOOKING html mails that are exactly the same as their text only counterparts.

Another Brian

Exactly what I do as well.

Though I do send both text & html and let the readers email client decide which version to display based on the clients support.

I mainly use HTML for the occasional bold requirement and for anchor text. Other than that, it's a plain text looking email.

I use aweber and *always* keep my spam assassin score under 2, which gets through the majority of filters. My delivery rate is higher than 98%.
- Thanks
Signature
Mom and Pop Money WSO *** - How ONE Lead Capture Page Made $9K in 2 Weeks in the "Offline" niche!

PeterSanchez.com >>> FollowPeter.com (Twitter)
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[76940].message }}

Chris Lockwood

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kay King

It may be a software issue, not the sender's fault. I've tested sending HTML emails with aweber- I put just text in both boxes (no HTML code), yet when I receive the email, I see HTML code, even in an email reader that can handle HTML. This is without even trying to use any HTML features.

Because of this, I stick to plain text.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Comprehensive membership site training
My other blog

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74840].message }}

JaniG 16 years ago

html emails tend to increase the chance of you email going into spam.

When a email spam filer sees a html email, they somtimes see it as spam, so i stick to plain text emails for now

Jani G
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

>> Watch Me Make $100,000 LIVE - CLICK HERE <<

>> Visit My Blog JaniGmoney.com For More GREAT Tips <<

>> Watch My Student Make $1,088 On Our Recorded Skype Call! <<
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[74879].message }}
- Billy Deakin 16 years ago
  
  I have one list I send HTML using GetResponse (it's a clothing niche and needs pictures!), everything else I send plain text using Aweber. I have noticed some marketers sending html but looking like plain text so obviously done to track which is interesting and I have thought about going this route...
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[75257].message }}

Jarod Lam

16 years ago

Hi Peter,

I have a truly revolutionary suggestion for you:

Ask your subscribers!

Their opinion is the only one that counts. What you and I think are irrelevant.

Hope this helps...
Jarod

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[75649].message }}

Shaun OReilly

16 years ago

I just watched Andy Jenkins and Brad Fallon discuss their NetEffect
magazine, and they talked about their test results on the effect of
using HTML newsletters. rather than plain text..

They found that HTML newsletters increased both open rates and
click-through rates. They didn't mention the effect on sales - I guess
that the full details will be in the magazine.

I find that HTML newsletters are much easier to read compared to
plain text provided that the author doesn't go over the top on the
use of formatting and graphics.

Best wishes,

Shaun

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[76813].message }}

new guy 16 years ago

I would, and do just send out plain text ones. I used to operate a spam filtering service and yes, the html will trigger a higher spam score. The point of your email should be to get your readers to visit your website - where you make the offer to them. Keep the email short, sweet and to the point and drive people to your site.
- Thanks
Signature

Please read the sig file rules
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[76865].message }}

Jelasco

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly

They found that HTML newsletters increased both open rates and
click-through rates. They didn't mention the effect on sales - I guess
that the full details will be in the magazine.

Since you can't track open rates of plain text emails, how did they manage to determine this?

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[77192].message }}

trafficwave 16 years ago

I send in both.

When using HTML, I use minimal HTML only for the purpose of making the message easier to read, causing subheaders to stand out more, etc....

When I first started using HTML, I got really carried away with a lot of graphics, tables, etc... and my response rate was HORRIBLE. I sent the same message in plain ol' ugly text and my response rate shot back up.

Lesson learned.

When I compare results between plain text messages and minimal HTML, the response rates are pretty similar.

As for using HTML images to track open rates, there are some pro's and con's there, too.

I use Mac Mail and it always shows all of my emails in a preview pane. The result is a false open count because even if I didn't open the email, the image was loaded.

For me, I track click-through's more than anything else.

So again.....

When I used a lot of HTML and really tried to send a fancy web page, my response rate was AWFUL.

When I backed the HTML down and focused on only adding what would help the message be easier to read and understand, the response rate went WAY up.

The difference between plain text and minimal HTML (in my own experience) has been nominal.

(I used separate tracking URL's for the txt version and the html version.)
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature

-----------------------------
Brian Rooney, CEO
TrafficWave.net Email Marketing AutoResponders
Email Marketing Blog
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[77438].message }}
- eljay003 16 years ago
  
  I used to send HTML to my list and it was doing OK. Response rate is good. But after a while, not any of it is going through the inbox. It always landed in the junk. So I switched to plain text. Deliverability rate, plain text is getting through the inbox 100%. I never tried using HTML again.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[77546].message }}
  
  Sleaklight 16 years ago
  
  I started testing out html emails last week and the clickthrough rate is horrible! I am going back to text as I am having a 85% click through rate with plain text emails versus 3% using html format.
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[78863].message }}

Do you send PLAIN or HTML emails to your list?

Trending Topics

Newbie

How did you turn it all around?

A healthy fascination for Hollywood...

best high quality crypto traffic.

What's the Best IM-Related Skill to Learn Today That Can Help in the Future?