

An HTML email that looks one way in, for example, Gmail can look very different in Outlook. Mobile users in particular are unlikely to wait more than two seconds to view your mail. A “heavier” file weight can mean it takes longer for your email to load.

Spam filters are much more likely to redirect HTML-intensive emails to the Promotions tab or, worse, to spam folders. All those options are great, but are you ready to spend hours arguing about which shade of light blue looks better? Those “Hello ” intros are back, along with any other personalized content you want to use. Use content hierarchy design to channel attention where you want it. Understand how your message was received through tracking capabilities that monitor opens and clicks. Use hyperlinks to easily navigate recipients to landing pages or anywhere else. ➕ Include the kind of links recipients expect. You can use HTML to get that “wow” factor we mentioned above. If you want, you can spend all day experimenting with a long list of options that let you create multiple versions of every detail. Media pitch example – HTML email created in Prowly On the other hand, the preparation of an HTML email is naturally more time-consuming and difficult. Multimedia enhances the experience, boosting your brand recognition and making your PR communication unique. This makes templates much more appealing and eye-catching.įurthermore, you can embed links in the content, and recipient engagement is trackable, allowing you to follow opens, clicks, etc. HTML lets the sender structure the email in columns and rows and share images, videos, or even GIFs. HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) enables formatting options for the email, which means the ability to use bold, resize, underline and change the color of the text. You can’t even use the most basic “Hello, ” introductions. Instead of hyperlinks, recipients see the long-form we used in the days before hyperlinks. You can’t brand your plain text emails with company colors or logos, and you can’t add even simple images to engage the recipient. ➖ No possibility to use even the most basic visuals. Since it looks the same as an email you would receive from a friend, plain text emails can feel more personal and less salesy. Smaller devices like wearables and IoT equipment can easily display plain text emails.
Rich text vs plain text plus#
Another plus for avoiding spam filters, plain text emails are small, which also helps them load faster. With no HTML or formatting elements to trigger spam radars, plain text emails will always land in inboxes at a higher rate. Compose your text, and you’re done, no decisions to make about what looks better where or if certain colors clash, etc. Media pitch example: Plain text email created in Prowly It’s all right there in the name - plain text. Using a link shortener does not change anything. Links can be implemented, but in a format that most modern users of email are not used to. It’s as straightforward as a message can get, just words like a text message you might write on your phone.Īs the name suggests, there are no visual or layout options. Every character looks the same and takes the same amount of space in the email body. Plain text email has no diversification in terms of formatting. Plain text vs HTML emails: What’s the difference? Plain text vs HTML emails: What’s the difference?.So which is better for email pitches, HTML or plain text? Before going over their pros and cons, let’s describe the differences between both types of mails. Once that’s answered, it’s usually much easier to decide which way to go. Instead of arguing about which format is best, you should instead focus on what the email is for. This is because supporters on both sides are right when they claim that their favorite email format is best for certain kinds of emails. With the advent of HTML and support from email service providers, emails gradually became decorated with visuals, while links and CTA buttons added a ‘wow’ factor that was missing from email 1.0.ĥ0 years later, the debate about plain text vs HTML emails in the PR community is still raging. No graphics, no pictures, and nothing nice to look at other than letters and punctuation marks.īut like every technology, early baby steps soon turned into great leaps forward. When we first started to communicate with each other by email, there was nothing but text in the content.
