Structuring Your HTML Campaigns
Question: I was wondering if you could elaborate on your process of developing html emails. I am good with tables and what not but I still have a hard time developing emails that look very sleek.
The process of developing highly effective, appealing HTML campaigns is an art in itself. As with designing webpages, the development of email creatives takes skill. They are comparable and a solid webdesigner should be able to develop well designed email creatives. Like a webpage, HTML messages can display images, graphics, colorful fonts, etc. Load up your favorite design software, Dreamweaver, Front Page, etc and start playing around. The key here is testing. You don’t want to overload the user with a multitude of images and graphics that take away from the purpose of the email campaign. The ability to track just about everything is why I love email marketing so much. You can hone and test to see which campaigns work best.
Personally, I go a different route when sending out my newsletters. Instead of having to create a new design for EVERY single email drop, I prefer my designers to create HTML templates. Templates are great because they are easily modified and can be used over and over again. At AustinInbox, we have on file numerous template structures that make it easy for the novie user to modify. The biggest benefit is that it cuts down on time and we can use the higher performing templates more effectively.
The drawbacks of using HTML vs. text messages include image blocking and load times. As mentioned in previous posts, most of the bigger ISPs and email clients like Outlook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail, and Gmail automatically block images. A good designer, however, can get by most of the image blocking and still develop sleek, appealing emails. Load times can be an issue as well, especially if you are targeting foreign users who don’t have access to the fast internet speeds we enjoy in the U.S. Know your audience and always test the campaigns. If the load times are slow, get rid of unnecessary images and modify until you are satisfied.
Filed under: Inbox Truth