best way to make sure html email is received as html?

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  • Mutt
    Too lazy to set a custom title
    • Sep 2002
    • 34431

    #1

    best way to make sure html email is received as html?

    what should i include in the <head> and doctype of an html email to ensure the most amount of people actually see the html/graphics rather than text? i'm always receiving emails that are html code so obviously somebody didn't do something right.
    I moved my sites to Vacares Hosting. I've saved money, my hair is thicker, lost some weight too! Thanks Sly!
  • Grapesoda
    So Fucking Banned
    • Jul 2003
    • 46234

    #2
    can't, I do not accept html email. don't think you can force it

    Comment

    • DateDoc
      Outside looking in.
      • Feb 2005
      • 14243

      #3
      Talk to Keith aka Varius.

      Comment

      • ottopottomouse
        She is ugly, bad luck.
        • Jan 2010
        • 13177

        #4
        Are you able to do it with base64 like Greasemonkey images?
        ↑ see post ↑
        13101

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        • woj
          <&(©¿©)&>
          • Jul 2002
          • 47880

          #5
          you need to set it in the header, not the actual message
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          • AlCapone
            Confirmed User
            • Sep 2003
            • 708

            #6
            Email clients have settings to turn HTML off and view in Plain Text. This keeps people from sending them phishing emails.

            You won't be able to get around that.
            "You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”

            Comment

            • MetaMan
              I AM WEB 2.0
              • Jan 2003
              • 28682

              #7
              Originally posted by AlCapone
              Email clients have settings to turn HTML off and view in Plain Text. This keeps people from sending them phishing emails.

              You won't be able to get around that.
              bingo it is on a user/platform end basis.

              for people who are used to your brand it matters less. they are going to view the content anyway.

              but for new users i suggest using text until you build a trust with the user and your emails.

              do not worry about the flashy look of emails. people spend seconds scrolling through them, good intro text is more important than a flashy layout on your emails.

              once the user is familiar with your brand you can add more pep to the emails.

              if you send new users an email with content blocked you are going to lose them. remember slowly fish people into your brand. email marketing should be used for longterm anyway so it is good to build up a trust with the users inbox.
              Last edited by MetaMan; 08-01-2010, 12:26 PM.

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              • AlCapone
                Confirmed User
                • Sep 2003
                • 708

                #8
                I'm not sure about other software packages, but if you are using SendBlaster, you can format HTML and Plain Text, and whatever the end-user is using they will see that version of the email.
                "You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”

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                • TheScratch
                  Registered User
                  • Jul 2010
                  • 63

                  #9
                  In the content type/text field of the email body, you have to bait them. Typically that says something like "you must have an HTML email client to view this message". Try something better than that, or maybe a link.
                  I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.

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                  • Supz
                    Arthur Flegenheimer
                    • Jul 2006
                    • 11057

                    #10
                    depends on the recipient.

                    Comment

                    • JD
                      Too lazy to set a custom title
                      • Sep 2003
                      • 22651

                      #11
                      it's a bitch. what a lot of people are doing though is sending a giant image instead of HTML. that and/or straight text with a link to the HTML version of the newsletter/email

                      Comment

                      • potter
                        Confirmed User
                        • Dec 2004
                        • 6559

                        #12
                        DocTypes don't really work in html emails, nor does anything in the head tag really.

                        A good html email should look like this as it's base

                        <html>
                        <head>
                        <title>Title of email</title>
                        </head>
                        <body>
                        </body>
                        </html>

                        Then, for the design/layout. You can't use any styles for the most part. Only font-family, font-size, line-height, color. For spacing, use BR tags. <p> Tags aren't rendered in Yahoo email clients and margin/padding isn't rendered in the majority of the others. You literally have to use height attributes or BR tags for spacing.

                        Only use tables, and old old html attributes (like ones that are almost all depreciated. If you want some space ontop of an image for example, use the vspace attribute.

                        I probably have more experience than anyone else here with html email design and layouts. People that think designing for a couple browsers is though, when I run an email design it has to be tested and functioning in 30+ different email clients. All of which have insane quirks compared to browsers.

                        Oh, add style="display:border;" to all images that are part of the layout, other wise you'll end up with spacing around them in about 5 of the clients.

                        Oh, and always provide a expandable area for the text/content area. MobileMe and Lotus Notes suck for spacing and they'll break a fixed size content region.

                        Comment

                        • potter
                          Confirmed User
                          • Dec 2004
                          • 6559

                          #13
                          Oh, and per your actual question. There isn't any way to "force" the recipient to get the email in it's html format. That is their personal settings, and you can't just take control of their computer.

                          The best method, is to create two copies of the email on your server. One being a copy of the html email itself, and the second being a .txt copy - which just has the content/copy of the email and no html code. At the top of your email, add two links to these files like "View this email with images" and "view the text version of this email", that way if they aren't seeing it right, or have images turned off - you still have a good chance of getting them to see your ad / email.

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                          • Loch
                            Confirmed User
                            • Feb 2002
                            • 7674

                            #14
                            Dont try to force it "which you cant" just make sure that if the receiver does not accept HTML that they get a text based version.

                            Contact us for Beta store access (4000 HD/SD productions) - Editing - Encoding/Post production
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                            Comment

                            • Loch
                              Confirmed User
                              • Feb 2002
                              • 7674

                              #15
                              Originally posted by potter
                              Oh, and per your actual question. There isn't any way to "force" the recipient to get the email in it's html format. That is their personal settings, and you can't just take control of their computer.

                              The best method, is to create two copies of the email on your server. One being a copy of the html email itself, and the second being a .txt copy - which just has the content/copy of the email and no html code. At the top of your email, add two links to these files like "View this email with images" and "view the text version of this email", that way if they aren't seeing it right, or have images turned off - you still have a good chance of getting them to see your ad / email.
                              what he said lol "i should really start reading threads first huh"

                              Contact us for Beta store access (4000 HD/SD productions) - Editing - Encoding/Post production
                              ICQ - 277 862 930 E-mail casper /@/ cool-content.com

                              Comment

                              • AlCapone
                                Confirmed User
                                • Sep 2003
                                • 708

                                #16
                                Originally posted by potter
                                Oh, and per your actual question. There isn't any way to "force" the recipient to get the email in it's html format. That is their personal settings, and you can't just take control of their computer.

                                The best method, is to create two copies of the email on your server. One being a copy of the html email itself, and the second being a .txt copy - which just has the content/copy of the email and no html code. At the top of your email, add two links to these files like "View this email with images" and "view the text version of this email", that way if they aren't seeing it right, or have images turned off - you still have a good chance of getting them to see your ad / email.
                                Too late...

                                Originally posted by AlCapone
                                I'm not sure about other software packages, but if you are using SendBlaster, you can format HTML and Plain Text, and whatever the end-user is using they will see that version of the email.
                                "You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”

                                Comment

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