| Newsletter formats fall into three main types, | | | | arrangements when laying out your content. |
| namely, text newsletters, HTML newsletters, and | | | | If you use advanced and overly sophisticated HTML |
| PDF newsletters. Each type has some good and | | | | features, you run the risk of getting your HTML |
| points which make it much more difficult to choose | | | | layout jumbled up by some email applications. It is |
| one format over the other. | | | | always wise to stick to simple coding and avoid |
| Of the three types, HTML newsletters are rapidly | | | | getting dazzled by the flashy elaborately designed |
| increasing in use because they offer a multiplicity of | | | | templates. |
| design options and provide much more room for | | | | 3.Avoid using multimedia files. |
| customization. | | | | If you have a video that you think is of some |
| Plain text newsletters are still in use; the reason could | | | | interest to your list, you can simply redirect them to |
| be the simplicity with which they are made and their | | | | it with an in-content link. Several email clients do not |
| compatibility with all the different email clients that | | | | support multimedia files such as video, flash and |
| exist out there. | | | | audio.Therea re several reasons for this; they are |
| Here are a few tips to help you design a more | | | | slow to load, and they take too much room. |
| effective HTML newsletter: | | | | 4.Make scarce use of CSS. HTML and CSS are sort |
| 1.Set the width to 500-600 pixels. | | | | of complementary to each other. However, when |
| Your HTML newsletter is not going to take the full | | | | designing your HTML newsletter, it is better to rely |
| width of the browser window. It will be displayed | | | | mainly on HTML because not all email clients support |
| within an email client frame which is usually no larger | | | | CSS. Even those which do support it are able to |
| than 600 pixels. By limiting the width of your | | | | execute only its basic tags. CSS should be used to |
| newsletter, you avoid getting its content and layout | | | | refine the look of your newsletter but should not be |
| messed up. | | | | at the core of its design and layout. |
| 2.Stick to simple HTML formatting. | | | | The above tips are oriented to webmasters who are |
| Email clients do not have the full capabilities that web | | | | familiar with HTML and CSS. If you are not that sort |
| browsers enjoy. They have been designed to | | | | of person, you can simply use ready made HTML |
| execute basic HTML tags. Use simple table | | | | templates. |