19 replies
Hi, what should I be using for my aweber followups? I been using html but some subscribers tell me the format looks like the words are too spaced from each other. For plain text can i add hyper links like click here?Thanks
#aweber #follow up emails #html #list building #listbuilding #plain #text
  • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
    Plain text will show the actual URL, not 'click here'. That's an html feature.

    I create any emails in html with embedded CSS styles at the top for italic, bold or underlined text etc. I enter it into Aweber, then create a plain text version of it as well on their site for those subscribers whose clients won't display html. The majority of your subscribers will view it in html anyway, so that gives you the chance to grab their attention with call to actions, bold text etc.

    As for the spacing problem. That could be caused by the <p> tag used for paragraphs, or too many <br/> tags as a break. Check your syntax first to see if there are any extra tags that aren't needed. If it's ok, then you could just set the line height in your CSS.

    http://www.w3schools.com/cssref/pr_d....asp#gsc.tab=0

    Example:
    http://www.w3schools.com/cssref/tryi...e-height_pixel
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  • Profile picture of the author yakim1
    You can use your link in Aweber in plain text and Aweber will automatically change the link to a long redirect thru Aweber.

    I have had a better conversion (open rate) using plain text. Many ISPs will block more html emails. If you want to use html format, send emails to your self and see what you need to do to format you messages properly.

    Best regards,
    Steve yakim
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by yakim1 View Post

      I have had a better conversion (open rate) using plain text.
      How do you know this, Steve

      I ask because open-rates can be tracked only for HTML-formatted emails, not for plain text.
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      • Profile picture of the author Coby
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        I ask because open-rates can be tracked only for HTML-formatted emails, not for plain text.
        Aweber makes the assumption that if someone "clicks" a link that they also 'opened' the email...

        So, even though plain text emails can't track opens, since Aweber tracks the links you can get a better estimate on open rates than you could otherwise.

        For example, Imnica does not track or cloak the links in plain text. So with Imnica you can't track open rates at all with plain text emails.

        Also, plain text will often inbox higher than html simply because of formatting reasons. So, in theory he could actually be getting better results using plain text only...

        However, I personally like to send both formats as I like the look of the HTML, but require plain text for the email clients that don't accept html.

        Cheers,
        Coby
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Coby View Post

          Aweber makes the assumption that if someone "clicks" a link that they also 'opened' the email...
          Sure ... some others, too. (I use Aweber, myself).

          To be honest, I was partly "heckling" someone announcing casually that he gets a better open-rate with plain text than with HTML. (He will, probably, but he can't measure it, per se).

          Call me churlish, but it pisses me off, in a forum full of people making their livings by doing this stuff every day of the week, when people try to "bluff" like that - and that seems to be an increasing tendency, at the moment. It's exactly the same as the people saying they get traffic every week by submitting their articles to "Buzzle", while "strangely" not knowing that for nearly two years no backlinks have been allowed there, not even in a resource-box.

          Call me outspoken, but it's all just "bluffing" from people who have things to sell/promote here and expect to fool people, and it's a complete waste of time, energy and effort.
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          • Profile picture of the author Coby
            Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

            To be honest, I was partly "heckling" someone announcing casually that he gets a better open-rate with plain text than with HTML. (He will, probably, but he can't measure it, per se).
            That's what I was angling at also with my "in theory" bit. lol.

            As usual, I totally agree with you.

            Cheers,
            Coby
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      • Profile picture of the author yakim1
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        How do you know this, Steve

        I ask because open-rates can be tracked only for HTML-formatted emails, not for plain text.
        Hi Alexa,

        You are absolutely right!

        Maybe I should not have said open rates but should have said action rates. I almost never send out an email that does not have some kind of call to action. Even if it is only a download link to something free.

        So I track the action and not the open. I guess I don't care to much for open rates because I send emails out that try to get people to take some kind of action.

        I've always tracked everything even as early as 2002 when my first autoresponder only sent html email messages.

        When the autoresponder was upgraded to also send text emails, I tried it because it was much easier and quicker than writing an html email message in notepad and then pasting into the autoresponder.

        When I change over to text email messages, my conversion rate, (action rate) was almost triple. With all the spam filters and ISPs blocking emails, the goal is to get your message through all of this. It is harder to get html messages through.

        That is one of the major things that can affect html messages more to cause your open rate to be lower.

        The real open rate is really based on your subject line and has nothing to do with whether an email message in text or html. So if you count your open rate as to how good your subject line is then the open rate is relevent.

        the whole purpose of the your subject line is to get your message opened.

        There are many other reasons your message will not be opened. One is timing. Maybe the person receiving your email is to busy to open your message and it gets caught in a mass of emails that have to be sorted through.

        That leads to mass deletion and can include your email message among those deleted. that is why I almost always send out 3 email messages at different times or even days with the same message and a different subject line.

        I usually get better conversion rates on the 2nd and 3rd mailings than the first. So I don't really care that much about open rates because it is not a clear indicator on whether people are reading your email messages.

        I guess I should have been a little more careful with my original post because because if they did not take action, (did my email accomplish what I wanted) I don't consider my email as being opened.

        It is the action you want to accomplish with your email is what really counts. So if you are not including some kind of action the email reader needs to do, then you are wasting your time sending out the email message.

        So if the reader isn't clicking on that link to the free download or new post on your blog then your email might as well of not been read. You send out emails to build relationships and to get people to take some kind of action.

        Best regards,
        Steve Yakim
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        • Profile picture of the author Coby
          Originally Posted by yakim1 View Post

          The real open rate is really based on your subject line and has nothing to do with whether an email message in text or html. So if you count your open rate as to how good your subject line is then the open rate is relevent.

          the whole purpose of the your subject line is to get your message opened.
          In my opinion the real open rate is based on the sender...

          We read left to right (in english anyways) so the first thing we read is the name...

          A sender with a good relationship with their list will get a higher open rate even with a crappy subject line than someone with no relationship will get with a really good subject line...

          Again, just my opinion based on my experience.

          Cheers,
          Coby
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          • Profile picture of the author yakim1
            Originally Posted by Coby View Post

            In my opinion the real open rate is based on the sender...

            We read left to right (in english anyways) so the first thing we read is the name...

            A sender with a good relationship with their list will get a higher open rate even with a crappy subject line than someone with no relationship will get with a really good subject line...

            Again, just my opinion based on my experience.

            Cheers,
            Coby
            Cody,

            You are absolutely right, branding is very important. When I have to wade through several hundred emails, I look at the from line first, but then I look at the subject line to decide whether I want to take the time to open the email.

            For me and many other people, the subject line is ultimately what gets the email open.

            There are many factors that can help get your messages read.

            Best regards,
            Steve Yakim
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            • Profile picture of the author Coby
              Originally Posted by yakim1 View Post

              When I have to wade through several hundred emails, I look at the from line first, but then I look at the subject line to decide whether I want to take the time to open the email.
              That's what I'm saying...

              So even if someone has an amazing subject line you won't even look at it because you didn't get past the from line.

              But I agree with you also that branding is very important. This is often overlooked when doing email marketing. But you need to brand your emails and your business to build the relationship so people know what to look for in their inbox.

              Cheers,
              Coby
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          • Profile picture of the author yakim1
            Originally Posted by Coby View Post

            In my opinion the real open rate is based on the sender...

            We read left to right (in english anyways) so the first thing we read is the name...

            A sender with a good relationship with their list will get a higher open rate even with a crappy subject line than someone with no relationship will get with a really good subject line...

            Again, just my opinion based on my experience.

            Cheers,
            Coby
            The people with the great realationship with me send to a different email address so I don't have to look at the from line. I was talking about going through hundreds of emails.

            I do open good subject lined emails when I don't have to go through tons of emails.

            You also have to think about how many more emails you would have opened not depending just on branding and also having a quality subject line.

            I know you do your best on every email you send or why go through the motions.

            There are different parts to every email that you need to pay attention to as far as getting your emails opened.

            I like your responses,
            Steve Yakim
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    • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
      [DELETED]
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by MrMonetize View Post

        I'm sure its the email client and not the ISP that blocks the emails.
        Definitely.

        The normal thing to do is to send both, together (this is the default, for many autoresponder companies, anyway), and people's email client software will open whichever version they prefer.
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  • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
    Originally Posted by yakim1 View Post

    Many ISPs will block more html emails.
    I'm sure its the email client and not the ISP that blocks the emails.

    OP - Here is a great article I've just found that tells you to create both formats.

    This is an interesting point from it as well which I wasn't aware of.

    4) SPAM Filters Like to See Plain Text

    When a SPAM filter sees an HTML email without a plain text counterpart, it's more likely to suspect the email to be SPAM, since it's an indication of a "lazy spammer." In other words, failing to include a plain text version of your email is a red flag to SPAM filters.
    Why Marketers Must Optimize Emails for HTML AND Plain Text [Infographic]
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  • Profile picture of the author zspuckl
    According to all the big shots, use HTML but don't get crazy with it! You want the benefits of embedded links and honestly the majority of email clients are using HTML emails! Just be sure that you don't go overboard with photos and such or you will come up as spam much more frequently!
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  • Profile picture of the author AllanWM
    I concur with Alexa and MrMoneitze, send both html and text.

    Thanks,
    Allan
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  • Profile picture of the author natf
    Originally Posted by JohnPeters1983 View Post

    I been using html but some subscribers tell me the format looks like the words are too spaced from each other.
    I've found the HTML editor in Aweber makes for some strange formatting as well. I don't know if it's because I'm on a Mac or something else, but the spacing is way too big when I use their templates.

    I write my emails in a text editor in Markdown format then run them through an HTML conversion tool (I use Marked) and paste that HTML directly into the source window in Aweber.

    It lets me fine-tune the layout much more. And when it comes down to it, I'm just sending it in a format that looks like it's plain text but can include anchor text links and other little tweaks.
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  • Profile picture of the author yakim1
    Hi Cody,

    I have a question about your email client. You said...

    We read left to right (in english anyways) so the first thing we read is the name...

    I use Thunderbird to get my emails messages from all my servers and ISPs. The first thing on the left is the subject line. You must be using Gmail, which lists the sender first.

    Is Gmail the only email client that presents the from line first or are more and more going to this format?

    Best regards,
    Steve Yakim
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    • Profile picture of the author Coby
      Originally Posted by yakim1 View Post

      Hi Cody,

      I have a question about your email client. You said...

      We read left to right (in english anyways) so the first thing we read is the name...

      I use Thunderbird to get my emails messages from all my servers and ISPs. The first thing on the left is the subject line. You must be using Gmail, which lists the sender first.

      Is Gmail the only email client that presents the from line first or are more and more going to this format?

      Best regards,
      Steve Yakim
      Hey Steve,

      I've used/or use Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, Squirrel Mail, SeaMonkey Mail and Outlook... All of these present the sender name first.

      In fact, this is the first I've ever heard of any email client that did otherwise (without adjusting the settings). Of course, I've never used Thunderbird either so take that for what it's worth.

      Cheers,
      Coby

      P.S. Yes my main email is currently run through Gmail using Google Business Apps and the last time I looked at my list data 53% of my subscribers were Gmail addresses.
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      • Profile picture of the author yakim1
        Hi Cody,

        Thank you very much. You have me thinking about a different strategy with the from line that I may want to test.

        Best regards,
        Steve Yakim
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