There are two types of email that we read or write casually:
HTML
email and text email.
HTML emails require some knowledge to write, but many companies use them because they convey information in an easy-to-understand manner to readers. In this article, we will explain the advantages and disadvantages of HTML.
If you are thinking about using HTML email, please refer to this article.
What is HTML email?
HTML email is an email created using a markup language called HTML (HyperText Markup Language).
HTML is also a language for creating web pages, and by creating emails using this language, you can send emails with rich content and design.
Traditional text-based emails display only the text, allowing for information to be conveyed, but with limited design and layout. On the other hand, HTML emails allow you to create better-looking emails by combining not only text but also images, links, colors, fonts, tables, etc.
Therefore, it is used by many companies because it conveys information more attractively and reflects the company’s brand image.
Difference between HTML email and text email
There are differences in appearance and functionality between HTML email and text email, as listed below.
| HTML mail | text email | |
| appearance | Images, colors, font tables, etc. available | text only |
| Setting up a link | Possible | impossible |
| loading speed | slow | early |
| Possibility of being judged as spam | expensive | low |
There are advantages and disadvantages to both, so it is important to understand the characteristics of each before sending an email to the other party.
Below, we will explain the advantages and disadvantages of HTML emails.
Advantages of using HTML email
There are three advantages to using HTML emails:
I will explain each in turn.
Become visually appealing
Unlike text emails, HTML emails allow you to express your content more attractively.
Since text emails only contain text (including URLs), there are limits to how much information can be conveyed, but by using HTML emails, it is possible to incorporate more sophisticated designs and visual elements.
For example, consider a promotional email for a product. With HTML emails, you can place attractive images of your products in the email body. This makes it easier for people who read the email to see the appearance and features of the product and visualize the product in person.
Images can also include links, so you can include a button that takes you directly to a product page, or a link to participate in a special campaign.
HTML emails are also very useful when communicating event information.
By inserting a colorful banner into the body of your email, you can highlight the date and details of your event and catch your recipient’s attention.
Additionally, your banner can include a direct registration
link
, making it easy for recipients to join your event.
When used properly, HTML emails give you greater freedom in email design and layout.
Increased contract rate as it becomes easier to understand
By using HTML in the email body, the content of your appeal can be more easily conveyed, resulting in a higher conversion rate than text emails.
HTML emails can include rich designs and visual elements, making it possible to visually convey attractive product images and service features.
This allows customers to have a more specific image of your product or service, making it easier to attract their interest.
Trying to express the same content in a text email is nearly impossible. And HTML emails can include links and buttons, making it easier for customers to take direct action.
If there is a link to a product page or a button to get a special offer, the conversion rate will be higher than that of a text email because it is easy to take action.
Effectiveness measurement becomes possible
Another advantage of HTML emails is that you can measure their effectiveness. With text emails, even if you can measure the open rate of an email, it is difficult to measure how many conversions there are from the email body.
With HTML emails, you can measure the open rate of the email, the click rate of links and buttons in the email body, and
rate that occurs from there.
By measuring the effectiveness of HTML emails, you can use it as a reference for improvement measures and implement more effective email campaigns to achieve more results.
Disadvantages of using HTML email
On the other hand, HTML emails also have the following disadvantages, so be careful.
I will explain each in turn.
delivery is expensive
HTML emails may be expensive to deliver. The following are cases where costs may be incurred.
As I will explain later, if you do not have the skills to create HTML emails and outsource the work, there will be costs involved. If you use a hosting service to store the images and video data used in HTML, hosting fees will be required.
Knowledge of using HTML is required
To write HTML emails, you need knowledge of HTML. If you have someone in your company who has knowledge of HTML, that would be fine, but if you don’t, you will have to outsource it.
If you outsource it, it will cost you some money. Remember that unlike text emails, which anyone can write, special skills are required to write them.
Heavy load on the server
HTML emails contain more visual elements such as images and photos than text emails, so they have the disadvantage of increasing the amount of data when sending and receiving them, which increases the load on the server.
Due to this increase in the amount of data, it may take time to send and receive emails when sending many HTML emails at the same time or when emails include many images.
Therefore, when running large-scale email campaigns, use an email delivery service provider to distribute the load by using high-performance servers, optimize the size and number of images, and reduce unnecessary elements. It is necessary to take measures such as reducing the amount of data by doing so.
Please be aware that sending emails in the same way as text emails will put an unexpected load on the server.
What is the best way to create HTML emails?
So, how should you create HTML? There are two best ways to create HTML emails:
I will explain each in turn.
Efficient use of templates
When creating HTML emails, it is effective to use templates. This is because templates come with pre-made layouts that will grab the attention of viewers, and often support
responsive
design.
What’s more, templates allow you to deliver emails with a consistent design and save a lot of time when creating designs. The appeal of templates is that even if you are not very familiar with HTML, you can create a decent HTML email by just modifying only the necessary parts.
Templates are very useful tools for efficiently creating HTML emails.
You can also create your own using HTML.
You can also create your own HTML emails. If you have employees who have knowledge of HTML, you can create and send HTML emails in-house, leading to cost reductions.
It is also possible to create HTML emails that are full of originality, rather than the standard design and structure of templates. If you want to reduce costs and create HTML emails that are full of originality, we recommend creating your own HTML emails.
Points to note when using HTML email
Although HTML emails can increase their appeal, there are some points to keep in mind, such as the following. First, there is the importance of responsive design.
Recipients may open your email on a variety of devices, so it’s important to have a design that automatically adjusts to screen size.
Responsive design makes your emails easier to read on small screens such as smartphones and tablets.
Second, proper use of images is important. HTML emails can contain many images, but in some cases the images may not be displayed.
By providing important information as text, you can convey your message even to recipients who can’t see images, so it’s important to use images in a balanced manner, while also taking into account the possibility that the email may take a while to load.
Also, care must be taken to avoid spam. Make sure your email doesn’t end up in recipients’ spam folders by avoiding elements that are likely to get caught by certain spam filters.
Additionally, you need to be careful about font selection and size. Certain fonts may not be supported, so avoid font display issues by choosing safe fonts or embedding fonts as images.
It is also important to choose an appropriate font size, as font sizes that are too small will be difficult to read.
By keeping these points in mind and using HTML emails effectively, you can increase your relationship of trust with your customers and maximize the results of your email marketing.
summary
In this article, we explained the advantages and disadvantages of HTML, as well as points to note when creating HTML. HTML emails can contain a variety of content that cannot be included in text emails.
This has the advantage of being able to convey a lot of information to recipients in an easy-to-understand manner, and making it easier to guide them to product pages.
However, in order to create one, you need to have knowledge of HTML, and you must also consider risks such as responsiveness, server load, and the possibility of spam mail.
While keeping these points in mind, please make effective use of HTML emails and proactively use them for promotional activities for your company’s products.