HTML email newsletters are email messages that can be coded to look like a Web page. These types of emails are gaining popularity as they are much easier to scan, navigate and read than plain text emails. Furthermore, publishers also prefer these emails as they can embed code in HTML, which can track the number of opens, forwards and click-throughs. Nevertheless, coding an HTML email can be a mix of pain and misery. The biggest problem with these emails is that people use many different software tools to read their email, from desktop clients like Outlook, AOL, Lotus Notes to Web-based email clients like Yahoo, Hotmail and Google Mail. These software tools display the same email code in a wide variety of ways. Therefore, this type of email may look good on Google Mail but may look horrible on Outlook.
Here are some simple tips for coding HTML emails:
1. Layout
Determining the layout of your email is the first step in coding your email. Single column or two-column layouts are ideal for html emails as they give these emails a better look. While using two-column layout, use a narrower column to contain all the links and logos and use the main column to contain the general idea. After deciding on the layout, use the <table> tag to code the layout. Tables are the best way to divide the layouts in HTML emails. Use images cleverly in your email to invoke interest among readers without compromising on presentation.
2. Testing with Email Clients
After coding the emails the most important step is checking the HTML email with various software tools. Often this will identify problems which you need to work around. Start testing with Firefox or Internet Explorer. They are the most widely used tools to read emails. If they throw up no problems, minor tweaking will see you through Outlook, AOL and other software tools.
3. Spam Check
Just imagine, after all this hard work that your email ends in the spam folder or recycle bin. So, it is very important to check your HTML email for possible spam before send it to your clients. Spam Check is a free service for highlighting features that might make the spam filters block your mail.
4. BrowserCam
If you want to know all the problems with your email, use BrowserCam. Save your email as a Web page, host it in your server for few minutes and point BrowserCam at your page. It takes screen shots and displays how the email will be displayed with various software tools. This is the best way to eliminate all the errors in your HTML mail.
5. Avoid all other errors
Avoid javascript as most software disables javascript. Avoid using 1×1 images. You might like to use 1×1 images to get the desired spacing, but spammers use 1×1 pixel images to determine if their email has been opened. Avoid a big image above the fold in the email. This is another widely used practice in spam, so your email can easily end up in recycle bin or spam.
HTML emails are a gaining popularity among both the publishers as well as readers. But if don’t take sufficient precautions your email can easily end up in a pile of spam.
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