Re: emails in HTML format

From: Whiteside, John <John.Whiteside_at_CWUSA.COM>
Date: Mon 31 Jan 2000 09:39:37 -0500

DIANNA LEECH WROTE:
> Can any one point me towards a tutorial or explanation
> on how to provide an email message in HTML format? We
> will be publishing a weekly e-zine article shortly and
> would like to provide it in HTML.

Regarding the debate over HTML email: the latest market
research numbers I've seen indicate that about 45-50%
of all email clients in use can read HTML. Within in a
year or so HTML-capable email clients should become
almost universal.

Does that mean you should send HTML? Not necessarily.
Someone who has an HTML-capable reader may not want
HTML mail. File sizes are larger, and graphics are
served when the message is viewed -- so if you read
mail offline, you get a bunch of boxes with "broken
link" icons. on a list like this, where there's a
digest format, HTML is a disaster -- even if your
message comes through as HTML for regular-mode
subscribers, digest readers get screenloads of code.

Someone disputed the fact that HTML arrives as
attachments. Sorry, you're wrong. What happens at the
receiving end is totally up to the email client. If it
can read HTML, it will display it. If it can't, it
might show a bunch of tags... it might include the code
as an attachment... but it won't do what you want. Just
because YOU can read it doesn't mean everyone can!

Some quick guidelines:

1. HTML boosts response rates, gives you greater
control of the "feel" of your message, and lets you do
branding with logos and graphics. It is also handy if
you need to include charts, graphs, etc. in your
message. If you don't need any of these things, you
don't need HTML.

2. Before you send HMTL, ASK THE RECIPIENTS what they
want. Then send them what they ask for.

3. If you don't want to exclude a lot of people, you'll
need a plain text version as well as your HTML version.

4. Another option is dual-part messages, where an HTML
and plain text version are packaged in one message. The
email client displays whichever it can. Problem: people
with HTML-capable readers will get HTML whether they
like it or not.

5. If you're sending more than a handful of messages,
you should be outsourcing the sending. If you need to
confirm DELIVERY (not just SENDING), you can't do it
without outsourcing (and not many outsourcers can do
this, actually). Your vendor should be able to help you
with all of this. If not, they're the wrong vendor.

(Shameless plug: this is my business.)

HTML is a great tool -- but used incorrectly you can
alienate your audience. So, get up to speed on it
before you use it, and when in doubt, send plain text!

Cheers,

John Whiteside
Senior Marketing Manager, eMessaging Solutions
Cable & Wireless
john.whiteside_at_cwusa.com





Received on Mon Jan 31 2000 - 08:39:37 CST