Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Why aren’t my images displaying correctly in my newsletters?
Labels:
advice
,
Email Design
,
email marketing
,
error prevention
,
GraphicMail
,
image paths
,
images
,
send a test
Receiving an image error just before sending (or during the creation process) of a newsletter can be the worst possible thing that can happen. An image not displaying correctly can be due to a number of reasons, and it’s usually resolved quite easily.
Here is a list of the common problems:
• Deleting the image from the account. This is one of the most common reasons why an image does not display. Before removing an image from the account, check to ensure that the image is not needed for display in a recently sent email or an email that you expect to send again. Always send yourself a test to ensure that images are displaying.
• Spring cleaning your image folder. Removing unwanted images is a very good idea as it releases space for more images to be stored. However, please take care not to delete images which may still be needed by previously sent newsletters, as the “image Path” will still search within the originally stored location.
• Choose to host your images from your own server. If you choose to host your images from your own server or website, ensure that the images or the image folder are not moved or deleted and that the server will always be reachable. As above please take care not to delete images which may still be needed by previously sent newsletters, as the “image Path” will still search within the originally stored location.
We recommend that you check and test your emails before sending to ensure that the email you are sending will display correctly in the recipient’s inbox.
For further helpful advice on deliverability please view our blog regarding the importance of the image to text ratio >>> “Why is the image to text ratio so important?”
Read More
Here is a list of the common problems:
• Deleting the image from the account. This is one of the most common reasons why an image does not display. Before removing an image from the account, check to ensure that the image is not needed for display in a recently sent email or an email that you expect to send again. Always send yourself a test to ensure that images are displaying.
• Spring cleaning your image folder. Removing unwanted images is a very good idea as it releases space for more images to be stored. However, please take care not to delete images which may still be needed by previously sent newsletters, as the “image Path” will still search within the originally stored location.
• Choose to host your images from your own server. If you choose to host your images from your own server or website, ensure that the images or the image folder are not moved or deleted and that the server will always be reachable. As above please take care not to delete images which may still be needed by previously sent newsletters, as the “image Path” will still search within the originally stored location.
For further helpful advice on deliverability please view our blog regarding the importance of the image to text ratio >>> “Why is the image to text ratio so important?”
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Module 4: Image to text ratio
Labels:
advice
,
deliverability
,
email marketing
,
GraphicMail
,
images
,
newsletter
,
ratio
,
spam
,
spam checker
Images have the ability to catch everyone’s attention in a few seconds and, as the saying goes; “a picture paints a thousand words”. We are all attracted by visual content and we all like graphic newsletters!
However, it is important to display a higher ratio of text to images as emails which have large images but very little or no text at all will be classed as spam when received by the email client. This happens because the email client is not able to read images and so, automatically redirects it to the junk-mail folder increasing the probability that your newsletters will not be read.
There isn’t a specific ratio between the amount of text and images you can use in an email to ensure it isn’t sent to your junk folder however, after several studies, figures show that the best image to text ratio would be 40% image to 60% text. You can check your image to text ratio by using the Spam score tool in your GraphicMail account.
The spam score tool will not only score you on your image to text ratio but will also provide you with a rating on the whole of your newsletter, taking into account the subject line, the “from” email address and the content of your email. If the score is higher than 0.00, the tool will identify the issues and suggest actions which you can take to reduce the score and increase the chances of your campaign landing in your recipients inbox.
Creating a text only version will also help your delivery. By doing this, your newsletter will also have an increased chance of being read in the email clients that are not able to support images. You can learn more about creating a text only version of your newsletter in this blog.
Read More
However, it is important to display a higher ratio of text to images as emails which have large images but very little or no text at all will be classed as spam when received by the email client. This happens because the email client is not able to read images and so, automatically redirects it to the junk-mail folder increasing the probability that your newsletters will not be read.
There isn’t a specific ratio between the amount of text and images you can use in an email to ensure it isn’t sent to your junk folder however, after several studies, figures show that the best image to text ratio would be 40% image to 60% text. You can check your image to text ratio by using the Spam score tool in your GraphicMail account.
The spam score tool will not only score you on your image to text ratio but will also provide you with a rating on the whole of your newsletter, taking into account the subject line, the “from” email address and the content of your email. If the score is higher than 0.00, the tool will identify the issues and suggest actions which you can take to reduce the score and increase the chances of your campaign landing in your recipients inbox.
Creating a text only version will also help your delivery. By doing this, your newsletter will also have an increased chance of being read in the email clients that are not able to support images. You can learn more about creating a text only version of your newsletter in this blog.
Monday, 3 March 2014
Module 3: Creating a plain text and HTML version of your newsletters
Labels:
advice
,
content
,
deliverability
,
email delivery
,
email marketing
,
GraphicMail
,
HTML
,
newsletter
,
text
Although HTML emails are the best way to get your marketing message across as they can contain colour, images and different font styles, having a plain text version of your newsletter is very important too as some corporate email clients do not support HTML coded emails for security reasons. HTML emails may also not show depending on how the recipients have their emails client set up.
So why are text versions of your emails so important? Having both plain text and HTML, can be of a great benefit as it helps to ensure that at least one version of your email is received. The settings in the email client will determine which version of your email is received, either HTML or text. If HTML is not accepted and you did not create a text version, your intended recipient will not receive a copy of your mailing, so plain text emails can greatly contribute to improving your delivery rate.
If you would like to know how to create plain and HTML versions of your email follow the steps below:
How to create plain text and HTML emails:
Check you are using the “Advanced mail” section within your GraphicMail account.
Select “Newsletter” >> “Create from template” >> choose the template you would like to use >> “Select folder” location >> tick the “Also create text version” option and click “next”.
You can then proceed to create the HTML version of your email. Once you have finished and would like to exit the editor, you will be redirected to the text only section where you select the option “Use this paste button to paste a Text only version from the HTML version”.
Finally, you can save the text version and you will then have an HTML and plain text version of your email to send out to all your recipients ensuring a higher readership of your content.
If you wish, you can setup your account so that a text version is created for every newsletter that you create.
How to create a text version of EVERY newsletter that you create:
In your account home page click “Setup & Options” >> “General Settings” >> “Create a text version of every newsletter I create” >> Click “SAVE”.
That’s it, as you exit the HTML version of every newsletter that you create you will now have a text version available.
Read More
So why are text versions of your emails so important? Having both plain text and HTML, can be of a great benefit as it helps to ensure that at least one version of your email is received. The settings in the email client will determine which version of your email is received, either HTML or text. If HTML is not accepted and you did not create a text version, your intended recipient will not receive a copy of your mailing, so plain text emails can greatly contribute to improving your delivery rate.
If you would like to know how to create plain and HTML versions of your email follow the steps below:
How to create plain text and HTML emails:
Check you are using the “Advanced mail” section within your GraphicMail account.
Select “Newsletter” >> “Create from template” >> choose the template you would like to use >> “Select folder” location >> tick the “Also create text version” option and click “next”.
You can then proceed to create the HTML version of your email. Once you have finished and would like to exit the editor, you will be redirected to the text only section where you select the option “Use this paste button to paste a Text only version from the HTML version”.
Finally, you can save the text version and you will then have an HTML and plain text version of your email to send out to all your recipients ensuring a higher readership of your content.
If you wish, you can setup your account so that a text version is created for every newsletter that you create.
How to create a text version of EVERY newsletter that you create:
In your account home page click “Setup & Options” >> “General Settings” >> “Create a text version of every newsletter I create” >> Click “SAVE”.
That’s it, as you exit the HTML version of every newsletter that you create you will now have a text version available.
Module 2: What do you know about Spam?
Labels:
advice
,
deliverability
,
dkim
,
email marketing
,
GraphicMail
,
increase roi
,
junk
,
opt-in
,
spam
,
spam checker
,
spam score
,
SPF
,
subject line
,
trusted sender
We are sure you have heard the word spam before….but what does it really mean? Spam is usually expected to be a mass mail out or a bulk send from a \/i4ggra advertiser, however spam is actually ANY number of emails sent across the internet to recipients that have not agreed to receive this type of email from the sender. This type of email is mostly known as commercial advertising, for instance, emails like get-rich-quick schemes and suspicious product among others, but can also be genuine business products and services.
Don’t become a spammer! Make sure you follow these steps to avoid unintentionally spamming your recipients, which may, in turn have more of a negative impact on your business than you ever intended:
• Never use a purchased list as you will be sending to people who have not agreed to receive emails from you. All email addresses that you are sending to need to be opt-in, or permission-based. This means that everyone on your contact list will have had to agree to receive newsletters from you before you send to them. If your email addresses don’t have opt-in permission, not only may your email campaign be classed as spam, but you will also have a very high chance of the emails not reaching your recipients, or worse still, receiving a lot of complaints.
• Use the free Spam checker tool that can be found in every type of GraphicMail account, as this gives you a spam score rating regarding the ‘subject line’, the ‘from email address’ and the whole content of the email you are intend sending out. If your spam score is too high, this tool will alert you to the issues and provide you with some ideas in order to improve and avoid your email from landing in the junk or spam folder.
• Greater deliverability benefits can be achieved if you have a monthly or Pay-as-you go account! All paying account holders have the option to set up the DKIM and SPF records within their account. These options tell the recipient servers that we have permission to send emails out on your behalf giving your email a greater chance to land in the recipient’s inbox. You can learn more about this features in our “DKIM and SPF records” blog.
• Another under-used but useful practice is to request your recipients to add your ‘from’ email address to their list of trusted senders as this tells the recipients’ email client that they expect to receive emails from you.
If you use these Best Practices in your email marketing campaigns you will greatly reduce the possibility of receiving spam complaints and minimise the risk of your email being bounced by Recipient Servers before they even have the opportunity to see it
You will also see a much increased delivery rate making future email marketing campaigns more successful, giving you a much greater ROI.
Read More
Don’t become a spammer! Make sure you follow these steps to avoid unintentionally spamming your recipients, which may, in turn have more of a negative impact on your business than you ever intended:
• Never use a purchased list as you will be sending to people who have not agreed to receive emails from you. All email addresses that you are sending to need to be opt-in, or permission-based. This means that everyone on your contact list will have had to agree to receive newsletters from you before you send to them. If your email addresses don’t have opt-in permission, not only may your email campaign be classed as spam, but you will also have a very high chance of the emails not reaching your recipients, or worse still, receiving a lot of complaints.
• Use the free Spam checker tool that can be found in every type of GraphicMail account, as this gives you a spam score rating regarding the ‘subject line’, the ‘from email address’ and the whole content of the email you are intend sending out. If your spam score is too high, this tool will alert you to the issues and provide you with some ideas in order to improve and avoid your email from landing in the junk or spam folder.
• Greater deliverability benefits can be achieved if you have a monthly or Pay-as-you go account! All paying account holders have the option to set up the DKIM and SPF records within their account. These options tell the recipient servers that we have permission to send emails out on your behalf giving your email a greater chance to land in the recipient’s inbox. You can learn more about this features in our “DKIM and SPF records” blog.
• Another under-used but useful practice is to request your recipients to add your ‘from’ email address to their list of trusted senders as this tells the recipients’ email client that they expect to receive emails from you.
If you use these Best Practices in your email marketing campaigns you will greatly reduce the possibility of receiving spam complaints and minimise the risk of your email being bounced by Recipient Servers before they even have the opportunity to see it
You will also see a much increased delivery rate making future email marketing campaigns more successful, giving you a much greater ROI.
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