![HTML vs Plain Text Email for Your Marketing Campaign](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6495758c052e260635fe09fd/65eec649c1a7c407b25dd67a_1080x1080_B-3.webp)
Your inbox might be full of colorful HTML emails — but don’t overlook the plain text emails you receive, either. HTML email campaigns may seem like the best way to go, but for certain types of email marketing plain text emails can actually be far more effective. Today, we’re sharing a definitive guide outlining the pros and cons of HTML vs. plain text email marketing so you can decide which one is best for your campaign. Let’s dive in!
What are HTML emails?
HTML emails are emails that use HTML code (which stands for hypertext markup language) to create a customized visual design and layout. Think of HTML code as instructions that tell your recipients’ email app or web browser how to display the email.
HTML enables you to design elements like background images, buttons, banners, and so on. These elements can enhance your email and let you infuse your brand identity. HTML emails emerged in the late 1990s and since then they have become the standard approach for email marketing.
What are plain text emails?
Plain text emails are emails that are truly text only - no custom graphics or visual designs, just text. This includes every day email communications with your with colleagues or family members. Some brands send plain text emails whenever you're completing a transaction such as a password change confirmation or when payment is received.
Plain text emails are simple and to the point. Email client and web browsers love plain text emails since they are quick to display, whereas with HTML email clients might render the message differently than intended. More on this later!
Comparing pros and cons of HTML emails vs plain text emails
(come back to this) Considering how different HTML and plain text are for emails, which one should you be using in which circumstances? Let’s compare their pros and cons to see which one is the better fit for your brand’s needs.
HTML emails pros
If you really want to make an impression and attract customers’ attention, HTML emails have undeniable advantages over plain text emails:
- Design flexibility: HTML gives you ultimate control over the look and feel of your email - allowing you to create an engaging experience for users. According to TechReport, color alone impacts 90% of a reader's first impressions. With Design elements and interactive components
- Tracking: With HTML you can easy embed tracking links which give you data about how your emails are performing. For marketers this is invaluable and allows you to make informed decisions on how to strengthen future campaigns.
- Branding & personalization: Due to the design flexibility that HTML offers, you are able to incorporate your brand identity into your emails to reinforce brand awareness and recognition. Additionally, with dynamic content you are able to create personalize experience for users further strengthening b
- Branding: By giving you control over the visual appearance of your email, HTML lets you incorporate branding elements into each email. Those visual details can make a strong difference in building customers’ brand recognition and brand loyalty.
HTML emails cons
For all their benefits, though, HTML emails do have some disadvantages too:
- Deliverability: Your customers’ email tools and apps have filters to remove potential spam emails, aiming to keep spam from bothering their users. Sometimes spam filters trigger incorrectly, and because HTML emails are more complex, they may be marked as spam more often than plain text emails. Keep in mind though that plain text emails don’t have a 100% deliverability rate either.
- Loading: HTML emails let you create all kinds of fun and unique visual designs, but that added complexity can make them take longer to load. This is especially the case if you have embedded a lot of images, videos, or other large media. You need to be mindful of keeping your HTML email small to prevent these loading issues.
- Design challenges on different email clients: Chances are that your recipients use a variety of different email tools called email clients - some use Gmail, others use Outlook, and so on. Some email providers don’t do well with HTML — meaning your carefully-designed email may show up as just a bunch of code. Other email clients might block your images or graphics (although there are ways around that). With HTML emails you need to be mindful of only using elements that most email clients can display.
Plain text emails: pros and cons
At first glance, plain text emails might seem boring. But in many cases a text-only email might actually be the better choice. If you’re sharing major company news, your email may have a more serious tone of voice — so colorful graphics might not be appropriate.Here, Walmart chose a middle ground. It kept a logo and footer, but otherwise stuck to simple text in this email responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. No loud colors distract from the message; instead the company kept a laser focus on assuring customers that safety was its top priority.Subject line: Walmart pickup & delivery service in response to COVID-19
![plain text email](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6495758c052e260635fe09fd/65eec64bc1a7c407b25dd7c1_walmart.webp)
One benefit of plain text emails is that they’re simple to design and send. Unlike HTML emails, plain text emails don’t include images, graphics or other time-consuming elements. So if you’re short on time or don’t have the manpower to design an HTML email, a plain text email can be ready to go in a matter of minutes.Plain text emails work on any device, including mobile phones. These emails often load more quickly than HTML emails because they have fewer elements. Plain text emails are also less likely to be marked as spam.And plain text emails often feel more personal, especially if they address the recipient by name. Emails like these can feel and look like those we receive from friends.What are the cons of plain text emails? You don’t have the ability to include images and graphics that can back up your branding. It’s more difficult to track the emails you send. And if you want to increase your conversion rate with a call to action, you won’t be able to make that CTA pop.
What type of email is best for your campaign?
An HTML could be right for your marketing campaign if:
- One of your primary goals is increasing brand awareness.
- You need to be able to track engagement.
- You are trying to prompt action and need your CTA to stand out.
A plain text email might be best for your email campaign if:
- You’re sharing serious news or a company update.
- You don’t have much time to spend on email design.
- You’re emailing people in an area with a slow Internet connection.
- You want to make a direct or more intimate-feeling connection.
Use these strategies to decide whether HTML or plain text email marketing is the right choice for you.
Wrap-up: Design HTML emails with BEE
If an HTML email is the best choice for your campaign, check out BEE’s library of HTML email templates. We have over 270 templates available that work for any industry — and many of them are completely free. Choose the template that’s best for you and customize it with your own logo, text and graphics as you create your email marketing campaign!
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