The use of HTML email is a very interesting and enjoyable experience. HTML with its gamut of features at our disposal really gives us the ability to stimulate our creative juices. Once that is done, there really is no stopping us from sending emails to any target audience we like. We can use the various fonts, colors, backgrounds, hyperlinks and other graphics, but watch out! This could lead us down a very slippery slope. There are certain things that are to be kept in mind when making use of HTML . Just be a little careful and your newsletter will work great. Just to get us started it would be nice to discuss three common mistakes made by the overly eager user of HTML in email.

A common error that is made in HTML templates is not coding the message correctly. Email clients, which are programs used to manage email accounts like Outlook for example, have their spam filters up in arms and ready to battle the mail. The spam filters either junk them or delete them totally. It is therefore wise to send a multi-part MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) message. The MIME mechanism sends the message in both, HTML and plain text format. This ensures that the email can still be read by the intended recipient even if the spam filters on their email client play spoilsport and shun the HTML email. This helps the sender reach a larger audience and also provides those using an advanced email client with options on how they would like to view their messages.

We may tend to get carried away in our attempt to make messages as interesting for the reader as possible. In our efforts to add to the aesthetics of the message we may put too many images in the  email without the right proportion of text. This could be dangerous because the ever faithful spam filters that play watchman for our email clients do not treat embedded objects too kindly. Never send just one big image in your HTML mail; this is email marketing suicide. Spam filters just love eating these for breakfast. It is important to add enough text to your email to subdue the spam filters. So use enough text especially at the beginning of the message. This helps a lot.

It is very necessary to provide absolute paths for images and hyperlinks when sending emails in the HTML email format. Remember to specify the exact path of the image in the email, which leaves the readers with only one option if they want to click on the image. Even in the case of hyperlinks, make sure the link defines an exact path which helps a reader of the HTML email go to a very specific link. This cuts down on the problem of ambiguity and the readers of our newsletter view the same images or hyperlinks that we intend them to.

This is not to deter any enthusiasm about HTML email. However, like anything else, a little caution will take us a long way. Carefully consider the hiccups associated with HTML. We are then left with the ability to make creative and fun-filled emails for us and others to enjoy.