This is another article created with the objective of proposing a debate, to propose a discussion, so that we can reflect about this topic.
Is it worth to use newsletter templates with elaborate design? Or is it better to work only with text? Why? In which cases?
Does it matter?
Is there any difference?
In most cases, the template selection is very personal. Most users will decide to work with the template because they thought it was suitable for their needs.
Do you remember a few years ago, that everyone was adding animated GIFs on their website?
And these flash intros which were so colorful? but now most people are doing the same with email marketing.
Is this the best we can do?
Are you the one who should enjoy the design, or it is more important to please your subscribers?
It is important to recognize, most users didn’t like these intros in flash, usually the owner of the website added something very personal that he thought was nice and interesting.
Is it the same with a newsletter template?
And what is it all about?
A few days ago, I read an interesting article published by Víctor Campuzano on how to Avoid the promo tab in Gmail.
This is a very interesting article in which Victor commented some Possible techniques to send email marketing and ways so that Gmail would interpret the newsletters as personal messages.
And put the newsletter in the main folder! Instead of the promo tab.
Many tips explaining that it was better to use a few images, preferable only simple text, not send using HTML templates, etc.
Perhaps these advices are correct, perhaps they are not, what is certain is that the choice of your newsletter template should be well planned.
Don’t use an HTML newsletter template just because it has a beautiful design.
And don’t work with simple text only to try to avoid the promo tab.
The choice must be based on your email marketing strategy, after all, you are not creating an email marketing campaign to send postcards and interesting pictures!
You must choose correctly, as this will affect your brand and your products.
But, shouldn’t it be easy?
There are marketplaces with hundreds of newsletter templates. Websites with hundreds of templates for you to select one and start sending email marketing.
Yes, this is true
However, the problem I see is that some templates were created only to be sold, not to sell your products or services.
Remember.
We cannot choose the design of a newsletter just because the template is beautiful!
I know it’s hard. But we must try.
Please pay attention, I will show some examples and you can better understand what I’m saying.
1) Example # 1
Very cute, isn’t it? It seems a great newsletter template, but what will occur when you add your own images?
This newsletter is designed to work with some images, if you cannot work with images of excellent quality, properly edited, this is not a good template for you.
2) Example # 2
In this case we have something similar, image of good quality, with some icons.
If neither the image nor the icons fit with your product, you cannot work with email marketing using this template, no matter how beautiful it is.
3) Example # 3
Another example of the use of high quality images, but in this case,
The buttons and titles are small.
This must be taken into account because unless you have a very specific product, it is not possible to create a good email marketing campaign with this template.
All these templates have a very beautiful design.
But they cannot be used in all situations, for any email marketing campaign.
This is what I explained earlier, these templates are created to be sold.
In some situations, it will be better to work with plain text, without any HTML template.
HTML Templates VS plain text
Now, I would like to express my thoughts on when it is best to use a type of email or the other.
1) We will use an HTML newsletter template when:
– The most important is the brand image, in this case, the entire image of the newsletter, must be balanced with the corporate colors of your company. This is easier with email marketing campaign created in HTML.
– The product or service offered requires design, for example, to sell perfumes, travel packages, etc. It is not the same thing to try to sell an iPod using a newsletter with plain text, than creating a campaign with an elaborate and creative design.
– You are working with a sales campaign. In this case a HTML template is more advisable because it can include calls to action visually attractive, to draw the user’s attention to the link with the access to landing page.
– We will send a large list of products, in these cases, an email marketing campaign in HTML can help you to create a campaign with a visually appealing and ordered structure.
2) it is better to send plain text emails when:
– You want to give a more casual look to your campaign, and send a personal message. So that when your subscribers see your email, they will not think, this is propaganda.
– You want to establish a relationship of trust, gradually, with that email does not have an advertising connotation. To create a more personal email marketing strategy.
– You want to focus more on the content and interaction with users, in order to increase the amount of responses you receive.
– You want to send a brief message, no more than a few paragraphs.
I think these points can be summarized in this way:
If the subscriber has to read, it is better to work with text, if he has to see and click, work with email marketing in html.
Because most users will not read the entire text of a website, most of us will just quickly glance at any flashy button and will click on it. With an HTML newsletter template it is the same thing, most subscribers will not read all the contents of your email.
If it is a plain text email, most subscribers will read the content.
But it is also important to remember two things:
1) This is my personal opinion, so I recommend doing tests to see if this strategy will be suited to your email marketing
2) It’s not all black or white, that is, you can work with other strategies, using newsletters in text format, with various graphic elements, such as buttons, images, etc.
But the most important
Test and analyze the results.
No matter how beautiful a newsletter template is, if it is not the most appropriate option, it will not work.
Therefore, continue to send email marketing, and see the results.