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By Becky Repka
Make the message come first.
Graphics and photos should consume no more than 40 percent of your overall visual real estate. A comfortable balance between pictures, copy and white space helps readers quickly find the information they want, skimming that which doesn’t pertain to them. Consumers often block or disable images and formatting options to protect their computer from spam and viruses. Many popular email client defaults – including Gmail and Windows Live Mail – will automatically block images. When messages include one large graphic or more image files than text, messages may also be identified and filtered as spam. If you send one large graphic and your customer has blocked images, no message will reach your recipient. So use photos as a means of enhancing text, not substituting it. When graphics are used, they should always be tagged with alternative text.
Allow skimming.
Stay mindful that your company’s email message will be read on a computer screen, often competing with upwards of 150 other email messages, deliverables and tasks. As such, readers never want to feel burdened with pages and pages of text blocks. Break content up into easily digested segments, compelling headlines and sub-heads, bullets and quick-reference information boxes, with links to longer stories or more information as needed. Avoid bombarding readers with too much content, limiting newsletters to around six to nine items with links to more information as needed for optimal engagement.
Give readers a choice of viewing formats.
While HTML email designs are eye-catching, marketers failing to offer a text alternative could be missing out. Not only does it provide a choice for customers, but deliverability is often better with major ISPs when a text version is included. Marketers can improve results simply by offering a text alternative along with a link to their web-based HTML version.
Keep coding simple.
Flash, JavaScript, embedded videos and advanced coding strategies can grab a reader’s attention. But anti-virus programs often remove those features or quarantine messages due to their inherent virus risk. Keep HTML and coding simple. If you’d like to present a movie or flash animation, link readers to a page on your corporate website instead.
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