A HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) email is just like a normal email only it allows you to layout images and colours effectively. It is sort of like a mini webpage sent via your email.
There are many benefits and drawbacks to HTML emails of which only you can decide the effect it will have on your business.
The PRO’s
One of the main benefit of a HTML email is the amount of branding you can get across in your mailing system. Company Logo, colours and other design elements can all be subliminally passed to your customer. This has the added benefit of reminding the viewer exactly who you are. Branding is beyond the scope of this article, however this article is a great resource on this topic.
Images of products, for instance, can be embedded in context with the text so users do not have to view them as attachments. Users then wont have to make the effort of opening attachments and viewing them in their image viewers. Anything that means the user doesn’t have to do anything can only be a bonus.
You can have interactive links to your site via your logo. But it needn’t stop there. When you inform your clients of a new product or service, you can link directly to that page on your website. And even have a signup link for regular newsletters. Obviously it is better to direct them to your own site, but you can have a link to anywhere on the internet if you wish.
Tracking code can also be implemented to see how well your HTML emails are doing for your marketing strategy.
Text can be made to look good, designed especially for readability.
Forms can be embedded into the email, such as a quick questionnaire or sign up to a specific topic.
You can include adverts from your site sponsors if you wish. You could even charge the advertiser more money to have it included in your email. However, tread carefully with this, you don’t want to turn your own clients off because all you do is send them adverts.
This leads me nicely into the cons.
The CON’s
Most significantly, a HTML email is often used by spammers. It can include executable code and even virus’. And email clients/programs know this and try to combat it.
They do this by not using the links within the email. So often your images will not show up, leaving a complete mess of your wonderfully designed email. These features can be turned off by the user, sometimes just adding your email to their address book is enough, but this involves the user actually doing something and cannot necessarily be guaranteed. However it is possible to make reference to images that are attached to the email and can overcome these problems with some email clients.
Spam checkers may also view your email as spam and dump it in the spam folder/inbox, meaning your customer may never actually see your email in the first place. Again this can be combated by adding your email to their address book, so you should always encourage them to do so.
Moreover some email clients cannot even read HTML, thus leaving the viewer with a page of mostly unreadable characters and text. One way round this is to send your email with a plain text version, some email clients will do this for you automatically.
If you don’t make the HTML email properly, the viewer can be faced with a complete mess, for example your text may overlay images so they’re unreadable. Your customer will likely as not, decide it’s not worth the hassle to decipher.
To conclude, HTML emails have significant benefits to your business and website, however there are also pitfalls which should be considered carefully before you make the decision to use them.
