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Emails. Plain Text vs Rich Body

by ofesak
13 replies
I always see different nice pages with images, sized fonts as an examples of email letters.

But, is not it better to use simple plain text to make it look like sender has been manually written email personally to you?

Also, when I'm getting any Rich text with images, I am always deleting it immediately even never read it. But I know that I have different reaction to such kind of emails than most of other people when get them, so my opinion here is just opinion, not more.

What can you say from your experience? Which letters deliver better and convert better?
#body #emails #plain #rich #text
  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Most email clients, from Outlook to Gmail, offer the ability to send rich text and have for over a decade. You can get one-off, personal emails in both rich text or plain.

    What I try to avoid is looking spammy - over the top formatting, overly provocative subject lines, poor use of personalization, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matthew Trujillo
    I prefer using HTML emails over plain text emails but it is good to have both, as some spam filters filter out HTML emails. Most free email providers have become less strict when using text emails. Both work good, it's all just personal preference. Some say plain texts emails have a higher deliverability rate, which is debatable.
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  • Profile picture of the author BudiT
    Hi Ofesak,

    I personally prefer using plain text emails, rather than emails riddled with images.

    But I've seen some emails that really caught my attention using Authority logo at the header of the email, and the rest is plain text. It really catches attention and build authority.

    Also nowadays I don't use HTML emails anymore, and I use blank template instead. I do this so my email can fit in MOBILE phones, as more than 50% of emails nowadays are read on mobile devices. I don't know much HTML so I can't control how my looks like on mobile devices...

    After I finished typing in the email into the template, I simply copy paste the entire text into the plain text section. DONE!

    Hope that helps!!

    ~ Budi T
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    Turn your traffic and subscribers into White Hot Cash!

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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
      I have lists where I use one or the other consistently. You can make an html template with a single small header image to brand your email. If you do that, make sure it is an image that is consistent with the looks of your websites(s).

      So that when people click on a link in your email they don't get confused.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamescanz
    Originally Posted by ofesak View Post

    What can you say from your experience? Which letters deliver better and convert better?
    Tough to say about deliverability as there are many variables that can alter that...

    Yet in terms of converting...

    I've always preferred the 'plain dull 'n boring' look.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      The default setting of some autoresponders (e.g. Aweber) is to send both. The recipients' email client software simply opens whichever is its own default (they don't see two copies).

      Open-rates can be monitored only with HTML-formatted ones (because of the "pixel system" used to record the opens), not with plain-text email.

      .
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  • Profile picture of the author Jacob Caris
    Plain text has always worked best for me.
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    • Profile picture of the author debharrison
      I personally dump plain text emails because its just too much text (and no one sits and reads them word for word). At least images, links, carry identity and breaks the text down making it easier to read.

      Although in an ideal world, you should have both options available. Because just reading this thread, you can see its 50/50. Which is why I use MailChimp as it gives both of these options, then if someone does have a preference, its catered for.
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  • Profile picture of the author osensnolf
    Most programs will send your email in HTML and Plain Text format. The question is, should you dress up your HTML version and include images, colors, etc.

    Depends on who is sending the email. If it is coming from an individual, keeping the images out gets the best results for me. An image in the signature is OK as it is expected or an inline image may be OK.

    For me, the "prettier" the email, the worse it does. Like you, I think people see images and assume it is a mass email (as it is) and delete it.

    However, your reputation is at stake. There is a group I market to that does not respond well to text only emails whereas other groups do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zaretti
    There's advantages to using HTML, such as the ability to track opens via embedded pixel images. There's also drawbacks. One area though to consider is the growing mobile market and the opportunity HTML provides to make it easier for your prospects to respond to your message. What I mean is that by using specific hyperlinks you can actually make it so that your audience is 1 click away from calling a number, making a skype call and of course emailing back. This is only possible in HTML. If we make it easy for the prospect to respond, they're more likely to. If you send only text versions of the email then they have to copy and paste contact details and that's a real pain on mobile devices.
    I go into this in more detail in the blog on my site.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Zaretti View Post

      There's advantages to using HTML, such as the ability to track opens via embedded pixel images. There's also drawbacks. One area though to consider is the growing mobile market and the opportunity HTML provides to make it easier for your prospects to respond to your message. What I mean is that by using specific hyperlinks you can actually make it so that your audience is 1 click away from calling a number, making a skype call and of course emailing back. This is only possible in HTML. If we make it easy for the prospect to respond, they're more likely to. If you send only text versions of the email then they have to copy and paste contact details and that's a real pain on mobile devices.
      I go into this in more detail in this blog article: ZARETTI: Mark's Business Consulting, Support & Services Blog
      Mark, you may want to read the rules and consider removing the link in your otherwise good post. If you want to link to your blog, the place to do it is in your sig.

      Oh, and I'm going to guess that your reaction is going to be "I wasn't trying to promote, just offer info." Maybe so, but the mods here don't have time to figure out who's here to contribute and who's here to promote.

      Otherwise, excellent post. You mentioned things I had not considered, especially regarding mobile. Welcome to the Warrior Forum...
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      • Profile picture of the author Zaretti
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        Mark, you may want to read the rules and consider removing the link in your otherwise good post. If you want to link to your blog, the place to do it is in your sig.

        Oh, and I'm going to guess that your reaction is going to be "I wasn't trying to promote, just offer info." Maybe so, but the mods here don't have time to figure out who's here to contribute and who's here to promote.

        Otherwise, excellent post. You mentioned things I had not considered, especially regarding mobile. Welcome to the Warrior Forum...
        Thanks John. My attitude is that some things are worth explaining and I'm happy to share insights. That's how I stumbled across this forum, I was looking for information, so I'm happy to contribute with advice. It's a win-win situation.
        MUST THINK "MOBILE" WHEN WRITING EMAILS
        Google are actually downranking sites that don't support mobile devices, when searches are run from a mobile device. Why this matters for emails? A lot of the time emails will get archived online, so you never know, your marketing emails may well end up on the web. Either way modern email clients are all essentially, web browsers and as mobile support increases then it's worth considering leveraging it. Interestingly "read delay" times for text messages average 90 seconds, and read rates for text messages are about 92% almost 5 times that for emails. The reason is partly psychological, since we use sms differently, but it's also convenience. The mobile device is in our hands and on our person about 14h a day on average. If we design well formed emails for mobile viewing then we'll probably get better results.
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  • Profile picture of the author summersalt
    I dont think I should be worried if the email is plain text or html. I think what matter is the value you provide. If your subscribers value your content and are always on the look out for your emails. they won't mind if its plain text or html. They would always read your content. As for having your content end up in spam, that has to do with the content and words of your email. Choose your words wisely and do a spam check before sending out emails. Good luck
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