E-mails have replaced conventional communication altogether. All electronic mails/communications have an ordained format, whether they are personal mails or business mails, they all stick to a designed format. Two well-known formats for emails are the Text Format and the HTML Format or the business email format. Text format is literally the plain text with no graphics, colors or images. These are mostly adhered to for personal mails while the HTML format entails a more interesting layout, images, colors, graphics and so on, thus making an excellent option for online marketing and business promotions.

WHAT IS HTML?
Hyper Text Markup Language, lovingly called HTML by the internet fraternity, is in fact just like any other language used for conversing and communicating. It specifies the structure of documents enabling them to be retrieved via the internet using the World Wide Web. HTML is a set of symbols or codes compiled in a file displayed on the World Wide Web browser page. The markup actually advises the web browser on how a web page’s words and images are to be displayed to the end-user. For a page to be displayed as intended on various systems, which is an inherent requisite of all web generated matter, the layout of the page must be formatted in a particular manner so that it makes sense on different kinds of workstations.

HTML is a computer language designed for website creation. The basics of the HTML are very simple and can be followed easily. HTML text can be made using a rudimentary text-editor or a powerful graphical editor. The creation of HTML is quite fantastic given its simplicity and it is constantly being revised to meet improving standards of the e-community. The World Wide Web Consortium is the international body designing, revising and regulating this virtual language.

Using Hypertext, one moves across the web – clicking on texts called ‘hyperlinks’ that take him from one to another page at the click of the mouse, with no adherence to any set of patterns or order. One can travel to any site or page at whim. The markup is secured through tags when certain types of texts are designated to look a certain way. A markup code is technically called an element and casually referred to as a ‘tag’. HTML is made up of different series of short codes, typed in a text file - these codes are called tags. The text, is saved as an HTML file and is viewed through a browser like the Internet Explorer or the Netscape Navigator. The tags separate normal text from HTML code seen as words between the < brackets >. Images, tables and other appurtenances on a page look so, due to these instructions but the tags are invisible and only their results are seen on screen.

The HTML is a variation of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) which is the universal standard for text markup. Text markup focuses on the structure rather than the appearance, so that documents can be recycled and used while the appearance and the visual details depend on the reader’s software. HTML is generally adhered to by the major browsers like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. It is the browser that actually reads the HTML text and translates or rather deciphers it to present the text in a readable form. HTML allows the sender to properly express quotations, headings, bulleted lists, emphasized text, subscripts, superscripts and other visual cues to enhance readability and beauty.

HTML Email has been opposed for a long time now by different people for a number of reasons but it has increasingly been adopted for personal and business mail. HTML mail is more complex than plain text apart from being incompatible occasionally in various platforms and software. A few email clients do not render HTML mails properly, meaning that users of MSN or Hotmail cannot at times read or view their mails properly. Yet more and more businesses and individuals prefer HTML mails for email marketing and amazingly, more readers prefer reading HTML mails over Text.

HTML OR TEXT: TIME OF TRUTH
HTML email versus Text email causes a heated debate amongst those in email advertising. However, there are a number of issues that a business should take into consideration before making a decision either for or against sending HTML email in their advertising campaign.

HTML Email Format and Its Advantages

HTML emails, whether they are messages or newsletters, have a few advantages over other formats such as:

Embed images, add catchy colors, add flavor to the e-mail and make it look delicious to the users. HTML format allows one to experiment with color, text effect, fonts, graphics, animations, forms and such making the message more attractive and interactive. For content that requires graphical presentation using pictures, tables or charts for easy understandability, HTML is the answer. The advantage of HTML formatted email is that it is graphical, font can be specified, layout can be controlled, textures, pictures and backgrounds can be added. All this makes for a visually appealing message when it gets to the recipient. Whereas plain text email is just that — plain text, not fancy, no pictures, no special fonts, just plain text.

Shop talk apart, HTML email messages spell business. HTML is the best business email format to present any offer through e-mail. Image building and brand establishment is most easily possible through HTML with logos being projected. Commercial publishers often choose HTML as it gives more alternatives to work with although with slick HTML newsletters, it is best to keep the flashy design under control if things are to be kept at a personal level.

HTML format allows to hide the tracking URLs from the users, as the user gets to see only the final result with no visible codes. E-mail sent in HTML format generates enormous response and, with an affiliate link added, your click through ratio also increases. E-mails sent in HTML format have a white background with black text very much resembling the text e-mail format which convinces the users to click or browse through them.

HTML is beginning to edge out text as the preferred format for email messages, whether they're newsletters or marketing emails.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF EMAIL ADVERTISING

Email Advertising, as effective as it is, has both advantages and disadvantages. The good news is that the advantages of email advertising are numerous and far outweigh the few disadvantages. For starters, it is extremely cheap. Companies and businesses send out email messages to millions of clients and prospects who have opted to receive their messages at negligible cost. It is instant, recipients are able to receive the message and respond instantly.

When sending out email messages to targeted market, we reach only those who need our services, solutions or products without bothering those who do not. Targets can be selected based on geography, age, income, and many other parameters. Email advertising allows you to initiate campaigns with whatever sales pitch you like which is of interest to the prospect and grab their attention and interest immediately. While highly personable email advertising enables you to personalize and greet every person you target. This helps in creating a special bond with the prospects and allows you to build customer and reseller loyalty and acquire new customers. Most internet marketing companies offer prepackaged and tailor made lists to suit your campaign.
 
Email advertising is also very easy to track. The marketer can track how successful the marketing campaign has been by counting the click through or hits the target web site has received. This improves chances of success as a wrong strategy can be rectified and adjusted. One can even create a totally new plan immediately to avert what would usually be a disaster in the offline world. Given these reasons, e-mail marketing is mostly done through the mass e-newsletter strategy.

WHY HTML EMAIL MARKETING MESSAGES?

Email marketing newsletters are increasingly becoming popular because they incur no print or mail costs, they can be published for a fraction of the cost of their traditional print equivalents and because e-newsletters can be instantly delivered to readers throughout the world at the click of a button. These publications are, therefore, ideal for communicating timely information to readers in distant locations.

The first question to be considered when thinking of publishing an e-newsletter is its basic format. Although, a few publishers have started experimenting with other formats, the two conventional formats widely followed are the Text and the HTML. The most crucial criterion for determining whether it should be HTML is to see if it fits your content, purposes and requirements and importantly, your readers’ preferences. Years of experience and surveys reveal that readers have clear preference for either of the formats so it is best advised to leave the choice to them between Text mail and HTML mail. They could do this at the time of subscribing to your publication and even alter it subsequently.

WHY HTML E-ZINES/NEWSLETTERS?

Facts & Figures

An HTML email newsletter is distributed through email, and viewed in the reader's email program. It incorporates color, photos, graphics and other design elements, such as varying typeface sizes and styles, and multiple columns of text. However, only people who have HTML-capable browsers can view these publications. People with older, non-standard or Web-based email programs may not be able to read HTML email, and will instead be confronted with a confusing array of programming codes on their screens. If photos or graphics are included in the HTML email, readers must have an open connection to the Internet while they read the email to see the photos. This may be a problem for people who view the newsletter at work because many companies restrict their employees' Internet access.

HTML e-zines are attractive, attention getting and snazzy, so much so, they make text e-zines look boring. You could prefer to think that your e-zine ‘is appreciated for its content and not the way it appears. The information is good enough to catch their attention, and you don’t need some design to do it for you”, unfortunately statistics reveal, you are wrong.

If you're just starting an e-zine, text is a great place to begin so you can focus on developing good content and publishing on a regular basis, without worrying about HTML design or coding. Text also gives you complete freedom and flexibility — you can add new sections and delete others, without having to redesign your entire e-zine. But let's face it: There are hundreds of thousands of text e-zines out there that all look the same. The ones that catch the eye and make one read on are done in an  HTML format.

Look at the response a publisher received after switching over from a Text e-zine to a professionally designed HTML e-zine complete with a logo, colors and images:

Should you publish your e-newsletter/e-zine in HTML, TEXT, or both via Multi-Part technology that allows you to send in both formats? With an HTML e-newsletter your subscribers will be finding it simpler to click through to your web site even while connected to the internet. So, HTML e-zine publishers do not include the full text of articles and just a summary with a link to the full article on the Web. Even with full articles, HTML format makes it easier to include supplemental article summaries, teasers, and links. You could include a side bar or some other form of navigation allowing subscribers to explore some of your website. Links to your archives, areas of an on-site directory, a "search your site" page, your media kit, and reprint information will be useful to your subscribers.

For plain facts, not everybody has the ability to receive HTML email, which is a deciding factor for anybody in email advertising. Over 30 per cent of email users are not able to receive HTML email. They either show up unreadable or in non-standard fonts, clashing colors, and badly formatted images. However, the good news is, this figure is reducing daily. Ideally, you will offer both a text and HTML version of your ezine. When an email newsletter is free - an email publisher should be able to send in either HTML or TEXT format without guilt but, when a fee is charged to receive an email newsletter - there is good merit to send in both formats allowing your members to choose which format they prefer.

HOW TO MAKE HTML WORK FOR YOU?

Let the readers choose - The ideal is to make two versions of the same message, one in HTML and the other in text format so that the recipients can have the liberty to choose their preferred format. This is what a few popular marketing drives do, either the readers choose or a multi part message is sent.
Simple, Humble, Beautiful - The best way to market through HTML mails is to keep it simple by overcoming the urge to do more and more within the format. Highlight the most crucial portion of the message and never let it get sidelined with the extra effects.
Test - Take the pains to find out how your message may look to someone reading it on a mobile device like a Blackberry or a Palmtop, the remedy is to minimize HTML tags at the top of the mail or using a multi-part format. Check out your message on a variety of readers, especially if there are embedded forms or if advanced HTML techniques are being used.
Images Are To Be Seen - Recipients using AOL, Outlook 2003, Outlook Express and Gmail will never see the images in any emails sent to them by default. For some publishers/advertisers that can make up at least half of all the people they ever send email to. Just ensuring a few things when designing your email can avoid image blocking:

Grab Their Attention - If you don’t grab your recipient’s attention with relevant and interesting content within a second or two, you probably don’t stand a chance, so:

Essential content - On top of getting your design and code right, there are a number of items that you must include in your email content.

The Must-Haves

The Should-Haves

Earn A Reputation – Good Sender! - ISPs use a few criteria to determine your sender reputation, and these are easy to fulfill. These metrics are (a) your spam complaint rate (b) the percentage of email you send to addresses that no longer exist (c) and finally the number of spam trap addresses you send to. Spam traps are email addresses created by ISPs and anti-spam companies to lure spam by never actually signing up to anything, but publishing them in spots where email harvesters will pick them up. Keep to these simple tricks below and ensure your reputation.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, publishing in HTML format is not a sin, but invariably test to find how your HTML ezine looks like in AOL, Yahoo, MS Outlook, and many other receiving formats. After all, what readers see determines what they read, what they read determines what they buy.