Marketers are inherently creative. This inherent feature makes them tend to use visually attractive HTML emails because they provide more room for creativity. But does plain text email have a statistical advantage?
In this article, we will delve into the details of HTML and plain text emails.We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each format (if any) to help you choose the appropriate format to simplify your Email marketing campaign.
HTML vs. Plain Text Email: Definition and Benefits
Plain text email
As the name suggests, plain text email is a simple, unformatted, text-based email. In other words, a plain text email contains only text—no graphics, images, or formatting (you cannot change the font, font size, or add italics).
The following is an example of a plain text email:
In addition, you can’t embed a link or make a call to action (CTA) stand out.YesYou also lack the ability to add HTML fragments, which makes it difficult to track important email metrics.
Advantages of plain text email
- Requires minimal technical knowledge to create.
- Supported by all email clients, so they provide consistency of delivery.
- Better accessibility, even on devices such as Apple Watch.
- Load time is faster because they have no graphics or images,
- They are more personalized and do not feel automated.
Disadvantages of plain text email
- Lack of visual appeal.
- It is difficult to make CTA stand out.
- Tracking key email metrics is not supported.
HTML email
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is a standard coding language used to create web pages that handle italic, bold, and colored text.
In addition to text, HTML email also supports formats, graphics, GIF, and images. Unlike plain text emails, HTML emails have a more professional and modern appearance. You have more complex design control, and you can embed interactive, visual, and media elements.
The following is an example of an HTML email:
You can use different colors and add eye-catching CTAs, and most importantly, HTML email supports HTML fragments, which makes it easy to track basic email metrics.
Advantages of HTML email
- Better design control.
- You can create a visually appealing CTA.
- Better tracking capabilities.
Disadvantages of HTML email
- Too many HTML elements may direct the email to the recipient Spam folder.
- Some email clients do not render HTML elements well, which may cause code confusion.
- By default, some email clients block images and graphics, making it difficult for recipients to get the complete message.
HTML and plain text email: main differences
When it comes to email, appearances can be deceptive.Therefore, to determine exactly which email format is best for you, you must consider other factors, such as Deliverability, got engaged, And more.
Deliverability
Your email strategy will only work when the email enters the subscriber’s inbox.
The most significant disadvantage of HTML emails is that they are more likely to enter spam folders than plain text emails, especially when they contain corrupted tags.
Normally, antivirus software will automatically delete the CSS styles of HTML emails. Therefore, even if the email arrives in the main inbox, it is difficult for subscribers to decode the message.
If you care about deliverability, stick to plain text email. Even better, use a hybrid email—a hybrid plain text version and properly encoded HTML email.
Opening price
At first glance, HTML email may look attractive because it has a dedicated layout and prominent CTA button—almost all the attributes you want to attract subscribers to open in an email.
However, if you go beyond visual appeal, you will find a problem.
Colorful headers, pixel banners and footers, and social network buttons can be distracting-something that plain text emails don’t.Therefore, HTML email has 11% reduction in click-to-open rate Than text-based emails.
Click-through rate
Even if the open rate drops, you want HTML emails to convert better, thanks to the compelling CTA. Correct?
Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Text-based email sending 17% increase in click-through rate Provide links than their HTML counterparts.
Email analysis
One area where plain text e-mail has come out of the door is analysis. As mentioned earlier, text-based email does not support HTML fragments, so it is difficult to track key email metrics.
Choose the right format for your audience
When it comes to email, statistics show that less is more. Text-based emails seem to have advantages over pretty emails. They provide a higher click-through rate on the CTA and reflect the full purpose of email marketing.
In other words, plain text emails have several major disadvantages: they are not visually appealing and cannot be tracked.
Fortunately, with BenchmarkONE, you can make up for the shortcomings of plain text email. Our email feature allows you to add links, images and track the open rate of text-based emails. Now you can enjoy the best of these two options. sign up for free And experience for yourself what BenchmarkONE can do for you.
