What to HTML? As more and more marketers get browser-savvy (like Eddie Bauer) they start to use HTML text within their email creative. (It's not just for legal anymore!) This is because, in general, HTML text is less likely than graphics to be tagged as spam and it's visible in image-disabled environments. Here are a few guidelines to help you grapple with what to HTML.
1) DO HTML product names and prices. This not only makes product names clearer, but also cut-and-pasteable, potentially allowing customers to copy, paste and search your website for specific products more thoroughly. Additionally, it's much easier to update HTML rather than graphical creative in the event of last-minute product name changes or price markdowns.
2) DO HTML longer paragraphs. Full sentences are easier to read as HTML rather than graphical text. Compare the Blue Nile and Macy's examples and notice how much more readable the Blue Nile text is.
3) Maybe DON'T HTML super-big headline text. HTML fonts still look kind of wonky any larger than 15 unless you're on IE7 or a Mac. Blue Nile's "There's Still Time" headline would lose a lot of polish as HTML.
4) DO be consistent. In the Stride Rite example, they use HTML for only three of their four "shop now" call-to-action links. I'd recommend sticking with one or the other to avoid "junking things up" too much.
5) DO understand that HTML text requires far more rigorous email browser testing than purely graphical creative. The locations and colors (blue?) of the "shop now" links in the Stride Rite example indicate more relaxed browser testing. This is IE7 on a PC. I don't even want to know what this looks like in Outlook for Web on a Mac. Ieeee!
From: Blue Nile
Subject Line: Free FedEx 2Day Shipping at Blue Nile
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2006
From: macys.com
Subject Line: Get the best savings on our top-rated products at the Home Sale!
Date: Monday, January 29, 2007
From: Stride Rite
Subject Line: Toddler Tech - Technology for growing feet
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2007
1) DO HTML product names and prices. This not only makes product names clearer, but also cut-and-pasteable, potentially allowing customers to copy, paste and search your website for specific products more thoroughly. Additionally, it's much easier to update HTML rather than graphical creative in the event of last-minute product name changes or price markdowns.
2) DO HTML longer paragraphs. Full sentences are easier to read as HTML rather than graphical text. Compare the Blue Nile and Macy's examples and notice how much more readable the Blue Nile text is.
3) Maybe DON'T HTML super-big headline text. HTML fonts still look kind of wonky any larger than 15 unless you're on IE7 or a Mac. Blue Nile's "There's Still Time" headline would lose a lot of polish as HTML.
4) DO be consistent. In the Stride Rite example, they use HTML for only three of their four "shop now" call-to-action links. I'd recommend sticking with one or the other to avoid "junking things up" too much.
5) DO understand that HTML text requires far more rigorous email browser testing than purely graphical creative. The locations and colors (blue?) of the "shop now" links in the Stride Rite example indicate more relaxed browser testing. This is IE7 on a PC. I don't even want to know what this looks like in Outlook for Web on a Mac. Ieeee!
From: Blue Nile
Subject Line: Free FedEx 2Day Shipping at Blue Nile
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2006
From: macys.com
Subject Line: Get the best savings on our top-rated products at the Home Sale!
Date: Monday, January 29, 2007
From: Stride Rite
Subject Line: Toddler Tech - Technology for growing feet
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2007

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