Plain Text Emails Explained in Plain Language
People often engage in discussions about HTML emails. They are overwhelmed by the various features of HTML emails, which involve crafting beautiful and attractive messages. People prefer HTML over plain text emails for sending emails about the tips to troubleshoot some issue or to tell the features of some product. Most email marketers choose HTML because of its attractive graphics, use of different color schemes, links, images, GIFs, italics, and bold text. In this situation, one may think that what causes plain text emails to survive in this era.
It isn't easy to design an appealing email without using HTML formatting, but the point is that not all of your campaigns require to be fancy. Text-only emails fulfill the demand in some situations. You must be thinking about what plain text emails are.
What is a plain text email?
It is obvious from its name. These are simple emails containing only plain text alphabets and no formatting, no bold letters, no colors, no links, and no images. These emails are not as appealing as HTML emails, but they hold certain plus points over HTML emails. I will unravel the pros of plain text emails in this article, along with tips about how you can optimize your plain text emails.
It is very easy to read plain text emails, as they contain text without any distraction. These emails are created by having one recipient in mind and hence are more intimate. Such emails hold importance for B2C marketing emails, where marketers strive to build lasting and personalized connections with individual recipients.
Importance of plain text emails
Plain text emails hold importance even when you are sending out HTML emails in your campaign. This is because Multi-purpose internet mail extension couples together the HTML email with the plain text email. Unless you are sending only plain text email, MIME should be in every email campaign. The reason behind this logic is explained below.
No issue caused by spam filters
The probability of plain text emails being caught by spam filters is way much less than that of HTML emails. Spam filters don't detect plain text as malicious content. While HTML text with high formatting is liable to be declared spam if some issue that does not support HTML disturbs the formatting. This causes it to appear as some code not much understandable. When people don't bother to spend time crafting plain text, you will have a plus point by using it along with HTML formatting.
Some people prefer simple
Some people don't like fancy emails and prefer text emails. It is important to send multi-part MIME to such recipients, so they may have the option to receive emails in simple text. In case your recipient has opted for only simple text emails, and you send them HTML emails. They would either not receive your email or in very bad formatting. Some people consider HTML emails to be malicious. Moreover, the HTML email consumes heavy bandwidth and is not a preferable option for many users.
Higher deliverability chances
It is very less likely for plain text emails to be reported as spam. Hence, the probability of their delivery to the recipient's inbox is very high compared to images containing HTML emails.
More intimate approach
People prefer communication that is directed personally at them. It is good to induce personal touch in your emails, which is possible in plain text emails. If you cannot customize the appearance of plain text emails, it does not mean that you cannot personalize them. Plain text emails are more intimate as compared to HTML emails. Without any graphic and fancy touch, the email gives the impression as if you are talking with your friend and does not appear like a sales pitch.
Wider device options
We are living in the digital era. Now you can even check your emails through your smartwatch. But, the problem is that smartwatches and tech gadgets don't display images and graphics. Rather present only the textual part of the email. So, plain text emails can be easily viewed on any device,which is not the same in the case of HTML emails.
Better likelihood of getting into the inbox
Some browsers don't show HTML emails by default. So, you can break the fence by using plain text emails. It does not matter how well your message is crafted. Some emails fail to make their way to the recipients' inbox due to spam filters that often catch HTML emails. Plain text emails don't face such issues.
Some cons of Plain text emails
As there are two sides of a coin, every situation holds opposite views, and so, the plain text emails also have some cons that include
- In plain text emails, you cannot italicize or bold your words. You cannot use colored fonts, and you cannot even add images and hyperlinks properly.
- You are required to enter the complete link rather than embedding it behind some text, image, or CTA. A full link appears un-attractive.
- You cannot track your email campaign's success as there is no data available that may inform you about the click rate and open rate of the email.
Optimize your plain text emails
Plain text does not mean plain. You can even craft a little creativity and highlight some points by following tricks.
Craft headings
You cannot make bold or italicize your content to make headings. You can still highlight the essential text of your email by using the signs like asterisks * or by = to separate it from the remaining text.
Use spacing
Another way to make your text attractive and readable is to induce spacing in your text and by making paragraphs. You can do it by pressing the enter button.
Listing
In plain text emails, you cannot make bullet points. Still, you can separate each new point by using signs like *, +, ^. This is how you can emphasize your important points.
CTA
It is a bit difficult to craft CTA in plain text emails and draw customers' attention towards CTA compared to HTML email. Because you can use graphical or colorful CTA, but still, you can use double brackets >> to direct the audience towards CTA.
Final words
Plain text emails hold great importance, and you must use this in your campaign along with HTML emails. CBT mass email sender provides the service of crafting and sending out emails in bulk.