| Search the Help Center |
The article has been updated successfully.| How do I format text-only emails? |
|
To format text-only emails to arrive in your recipients' inboxes correctly, here are a few tips: Background Info The application lets you create a plain text "alternative" version for all the people on your list who can't view your HTML email. We "embed" this plain text version along with your HTML email (using something called "Multipart/Alternative MIME Format"), so that if someone can't (or won't) view HTML email, your plain text version displays automatically. Note that if even if a subscriber is listed as Text as a preference, they will get the HTML version if that's what their email client is set for. Creating Plain-Text Messages The main thing to remember about plain text email messages is that there is no formatting whatsoever. No special fonts, colors, bolding, italics, underlines, etc. It is just plain, simple text. Use a Simple Text Editor Don't try to create a plain text message in Microsoft Word, because the formatting just won't work. You need to use a very simple free text editor like Windows Notepad or Mac's TextEdit. If you're a programmer or designer, use one of your HTML editors like BBEdit (for Mac), HomeSite (for PC), or Fookes NoteTab Pro (PC). Make it easy to read Since the message is plain text, black and white, and most likely uses a mono-space font (ex. Courier), you have to "get old school" and use some little tricks to make the message easy to skim and scan. An example: ==================== This is my headline ==================== And here's some intro copy for my plain-text message, and here's some bullet points: ** Bullet one ** Another point ** Third reason ** Get the point? ==================== URLs Might Not Click Of course, you won't be able to code links like you do in HTML email. Placing tags won't work. You just have to type the URL in your plain text message and hope that people understand to copy/paste it into their browser or hope that their email application made the URL "clickable." Some email applications will turn any URL it sees into a clickable link automatically, but many don't. Yet others only work half the time. A suggestion for an alternative: ========================= To visit our new site, go to this URL in your browser: http://www.ThisIsYourSite.com ========================= |
