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HTML vs. Plain Text Email??

by GayleT
9 replies
Hi all,

I'd appreciate info on whether to send a Plain Text email in addition to the HTML version in broadcasting to my list.

AWeber recommends also sending the plain text -- is there any down side to also
sending plain text?

Thank you!

Gayle
#email #html #plain #text
  • Profile picture of the author pjs
    Originally Posted by GayleT View Post

    Hi all,

    I'd appreciate info on whether to send a Plain Text email in addition to the HTML version in broadcasting to my list.

    AWeber recommends also sending the plain text -- is there any down side to also
    sending plain text?

    Thank you!

    Gayle
    Hi Gayle,

    This has been discussed to death on this Forum. Do a search and you will find many threads about this.

    The general consensus is, use both.

    Peter
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    • Profile picture of the author Eric Engel
      Originally Posted by pjs View Post

      This has been discussed to death on this Forum. Do a search and you will find many threads about this.
      I know it's been discussed, because it has on every marketer's forum. But forums are difficult to search, and the search here didn't turn up much. (perhaps because old threads are archived?)

      Anyway--to the topic.

      This morning I attended a webinar. It was supposed to be about email marketing, but it was more newbie focused than half the PLR books you can find on the subject.

      But halfway through it, the girl said something that made me laugh at first, but made me ponder later.

      She said that HTML and text options on opt-in forms are pretty much a thing of the past (she was getting around to talking about mobil options for people).

      "Sure," I thought. "What world are you living in?"

      Then I started to go through my inbox. I looked at all the marketing newsletters I get. I'm the kind of guy who always clicks on the 'text' version, but I've got scores of HTML newsletters. Why? Because scores of publishers never offered me the chance to choose text over HTML.

      But these emails are from some of the top direct-response marketing companies in the trade...yet they're all breaking the rules that the guru's will give you.

      Now everything from the entrepreneurs, on the other hand, is in text.

      Funny. Not necessarily revealing, but odd.

      I've always offered the option in my own campaigns. I probably always will. But why doesn't everyone...especially these big companies...marketing companies who should 'know better'.

      Maybe it's some kind of battle with their creative designers...I know both designers and copywriters get a little egotistical and think that their contribution to a campaign is a vital part with each and every email.

      Or maybe they know something.

      Anyone work for these larger companies?
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  • Profile picture of the author Danny Turner
    I view some of my email adds on site - html emails come thru as gibberish - links no work etc - I am not alone - I like text emails better - easy to read - I'm most impressed with tactic - text email with link to html version on blog at top - if the email is interesting I'll go to blog and yadda yadda- if html email was sent - I'd be less likely to visit blog
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    Sending an HTML email thorugh Getresponse or Aweber is great but it can also mean that your email is SPAM.

    If you are trying to send an email with HTML in it, find out if it would be considered as SPAM.

    I am not sure about Aweber but what I do know is that Getresponse allows the sender to check if the email is 100% spam or not.

    If Aweber does not allow you to check it out, then send a text email.

    Tal
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  • Profile picture of the author mbealmear
    I would recommend sending plain text emails through aweber.
    I have aweber as my autoresponder and I had a couple of complaints from my list when I tried to send an HTML message.
    My list either didnt get it because it was suspected SPAM or it was jibberish.
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    • Profile picture of the author Eric Engel
      Originally Posted by mbealmear View Post

      My list either didnt get it because it was suspected SPAM or it was jibberish.
      MailChimp was doing that to me also. Half the email clients would show me a clean design, the other half would show me all my code. What gives?

      I'm getting ready to launch a campaign that I'll be mailing from my own server...I'm almost scared to even send an HTML version out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bryan
    Hi Everyone,

    Things change, so I think that it is good to discuss this again
    although it has been covered before. It's not like we heard it
    all before like we think we may have.

    I noticed awhile back that a couple internet marketers, especially
    one that I have in mind, who was sending out simple html
    formatted emails, where as the only main difference to the eye
    was that the links were anchored.

    To many people this may be perceived as a plain text email, but
    as you may know the email would have to be in html, in order for
    the links to be anchored like this - Warrior Forum.

    I think when we think of html emails, we think of the emails
    that are all done up like a full out webpage, including tables,
    colored background, graphics, and formatted text.

    Have you ever thought of simplifying the process so that you
    take advantage of the tracking advantages, without showing
    the super long, gobly gook links (xxldkdikdkddiegegegiiesndn)?

    Recently, I set up an html follow up message in my Aweber
    account and anchored the call to action text, which linked to
    a site I recommended my subscribers to check out.

    That was the extent of the html. This way, when the track
    clicks function is enabled, the gobly gook tracking will be
    not be visible.

    Let's get to the email...

    When checking the follow up percentages, here's what I
    got:

    Sent: 100%
    Opened: 14%
    Clicks: 9%

    I plan on using the html format as I described from now
    and I will be able to gather more information.

    I did notice that spam assassin gives the html format
    of emails a higher rating (0-5, 0 being best score) when
    because of the html elements. It appears that when it
    is used in moderation the score would be lower.

    My score for the email in question was 2.1. That's a
    decent score - for I would be safe from being filtered for
    the most part and it is evident that it is possible to get
    high clickthroughs with an anchored link, which is a call
    to action.

    Here is the spam assisin break down for those who would
    be interested in seeing how it broke down:

    0.4 Subject contains "Your Own"
    0.8 BODY: Message is 30% to 40% HTML
    0.2 BODY: HTML included in message
    0.7 BODY: Message only has text/html MIME parts

    As I mentioned I'm going to continue using the html format
    as I incorporated it above, for it's cleaner when using tracking,
    I'm not penalized to the point of concern when using html
    elements sparingly and the anchored links appear convert
    well.

    You may want to stay away from doing full out html emails
    but don't be scared of using it the way I mentioned it above.

    I hope this helps,

    Bryan
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