How to Send an HTML-Formatted Email
- 1). Use an HTML editor like Macromedia Dreamweaver, which offers built-in tools to help you code in HTML. Keep your design simple, relying on HTML tables to create your layout. MailChimp, an email marketing service provider, recommends restricting the width of your HTML message to no more than 600 pixels and hosting all images on your web server. Don't forget to include a hyperlink where your subscribers can unsubscribe from future marketing messages.
- 2). Create your HTML message using a simple text editor, such as WordPad or Notepad. Coding your message by hand reduces unnecessary code or styles. Copy and paste the text from your HTML message into your text editor and remove any HTML code. Make sure to include the full URL for any hyperlinks, since your subscribers may need to copy and paste the URL into a browser in order to access the link.
- 3). Combine the HTML and text versions of your message so that you can email them together using Multipart-Alternative MIME format. Consult your web developer for assistance creating a server-side script that will send MIME email. Alternately, contract with a third-party email service provider who can send MIME email on your behalf.
- 4). Create a seed list of test email addresses in various email clients typically used by your email subscribers. Designate HTML as the preferred message format in some of your test email accounts and plain-text in others. Send a test message to your seed list. Log in to each test account and verify the accuracy of the content and links in the plain-text and HTML versions of your message. Upload your list of opt-in email subscribers to your web server or third-party email service provider and send your MIME emails to your subscribers.
