Ingredient #6: HTML or Plain Text
The debate continues: HTML graphic formatting or plain text for ezines? We recently ran a poll, over on Denise’s BizTipsBlog. Here are the results of what our blog readers prefer after only a few days:
HTML – 79%,
Plain text – 21%
So where does this leave you? Experienced marketers know you get better deliverability with plain text, but your readers like to see graphics. If you deliver your newsletter in HTML format, make sure your readers have a way to access it online. Include a text announcement at the top of the ezine of where to read it online (the URL) for those people whose email reader does not permit viewing HTML formatting.
If you do use HTML, have the template professionally designed. Do not try this yourself, unless you have design skills. You want your template to appear uniform the way it is intended across many platforms and email systems.