Rich Text Email
Email marketing is continuously evolving. One recent trend that has emerged is the ability to use different formats for your messages — offering a mix between visual appeal and simplicity.
While there are formats that cover each range of the spectrum (HTML emails for complex formatting and plain text emails for simple text), there is one format that blends the two.
Enter rich text emails.
Whether you’re an email marketing pro or just getting started, understanding the rich text email format will help you strike a balance between formatting and messaging that will lead to more successful campaigns.
This quick guide will help you understand everything that you need to know about rich text emails — exploring best practices, alternatives, and when you should consider using them.
Let’s dive in.
What is a Rich Text Email
A rich text email is an email format that goes beyond the simplicity of plain text emails by incorporating various formatting options.
Unlike plain text emails, which are limited to unformatted text, rich text emails allow the use of features like different fonts, colors, sizes, as well as the ability to bold, italicize, or underline text.
Rich text emails can also include bulleted lists, numbered lists, and varying text alignments.
While they don't support advanced content like HTML emails (images, gifs, complex layouts), rich text emails strike a welcoming balance between visual appeal and simplicity.
Rich Text Email best practices
When sending a rich text email, following best practices can significantly increase the effectiveness and engagement of your message. Here are some key points to consider:
Keep It Readable: Use formatting sparingly to enhance readability. Avoid overusing colors or different font styles that might distract the reader or take focus away from the main message.
Highlight Key Points: Use bold or italic text to emphasize important information or call-to-actions.
Consistent Branding: Stick to your brand's font and color scheme to maintain consistency across all communications.
Responsive: Ensure your email is mobile friendly. This will be fairly easy with a rich text email.
Send Test Emails: Always send test emails to check and confirm how your formatting looks across different email clients.
By following these best practices, your rich text emails are more likely to be welcomed and actioned by your recipients.
When should I send a Rich Text Email?
Rich text emails are ideal when you want to make your content more engaging than a plain text email but don't need the complexity of an HTML email. They are particularly effective for:
Welcome Emails: Welcoming new users to your product or newsletter should be personal. Rich text emails can have that 1:1 personal feeling while still incorporating simple branding.
Educational Content: Utilize rich text emails to help break down dense content into bulleted lists.
Internal Company Memos: When you need to maintain a professional yet engaging tone.
Newsletters: Bold or italicize headings while keeping the overall format simple and readable.
There are countless use cases for rich text emails. You aren’t limited to the list above. Be creative!
Want to send a personal looking email with an extra dash of style and formatting? Rich text emails are your answer.
Rich Text Email alternatives
There are two main alternatives to sending a rich text email — plain text emails and HTML emails.
A plain text email is an email composed solely of text without any additional formatting such as images, custom fonts, bulleted lists, or hyperlinks. These are perfect for personal communications where formatting is not a priority.
HTML emails are a type of email that are formatted using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). This format allows for much wider formatting options when compared to plain text or rich text emails.
Key takeaways
A rich text email is an email format that allows formatting options like different fonts, colors, sizes, as well as the ability to bold, italicize, or underline text.
Rich text emails strike a welcoming balance between the visual appeal of an HTML email and the simplicity of a plain text email.
Rich text emails are mobile friendly and can enhance the readability and effectiveness of your message.
Rich text emails can significantly improve the engagement and response rates of your email marketing efforts as there is nothing to confuse or distract the recipient — it’s just your messaging.
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Email marketing is continuously evolving. One recent trend that has emerged is the ability to use different formats for your messages — offering a mix between visual appeal and simplicity.
While there are formats that cover each range of the spectrum (HTML emails for complex formatting and plain text emails for simple text), there is one format that blends the two.
Enter rich text emails.
Whether you’re an email marketing pro or just getting started, understanding the rich text email format will help you strike a balance between formatting and messaging that will lead to more successful campaigns.
This quick guide will help you understand everything that you need to know about rich text emails — exploring best practices, alternatives, and when you should consider using them.
Let’s dive in.
What is a Rich Text Email
A rich text email is an email format that goes beyond the simplicity of plain text emails by incorporating various formatting options.
Unlike plain text emails, which are limited to unformatted text, rich text emails allow the use of features like different fonts, colors, sizes, as well as the ability to bold, italicize, or underline text.
Rich text emails can also include bulleted lists, numbered lists, and varying text alignments.
While they don't support advanced content like HTML emails (images, gifs, complex layouts), rich text emails strike a welcoming balance between visual appeal and simplicity.
Rich Text Email best practices
When sending a rich text email, following best practices can significantly increase the effectiveness and engagement of your message. Here are some key points to consider:
Keep It Readable: Use formatting sparingly to enhance readability. Avoid overusing colors or different font styles that might distract the reader or take focus away from the main message.
Highlight Key Points: Use bold or italic text to emphasize important information or call-to-actions.
Consistent Branding: Stick to your brand's font and color scheme to maintain consistency across all communications.
Responsive: Ensure your email is mobile friendly. This will be fairly easy with a rich text email.
Send Test Emails: Always send test emails to check and confirm how your formatting looks across different email clients.
By following these best practices, your rich text emails are more likely to be welcomed and actioned by your recipients.
When should I send a Rich Text Email?
Rich text emails are ideal when you want to make your content more engaging than a plain text email but don't need the complexity of an HTML email. They are particularly effective for:
Welcome Emails: Welcoming new users to your product or newsletter should be personal. Rich text emails can have that 1:1 personal feeling while still incorporating simple branding.
Educational Content: Utilize rich text emails to help break down dense content into bulleted lists.
Internal Company Memos: When you need to maintain a professional yet engaging tone.
Newsletters: Bold or italicize headings while keeping the overall format simple and readable.
There are countless use cases for rich text emails. You aren’t limited to the list above. Be creative!
Want to send a personal looking email with an extra dash of style and formatting? Rich text emails are your answer.
Rich Text Email alternatives
There are two main alternatives to sending a rich text email — plain text emails and HTML emails.
A plain text email is an email composed solely of text without any additional formatting such as images, custom fonts, bulleted lists, or hyperlinks. These are perfect for personal communications where formatting is not a priority.
HTML emails are a type of email that are formatted using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). This format allows for much wider formatting options when compared to plain text or rich text emails.
Key takeaways
A rich text email is an email format that allows formatting options like different fonts, colors, sizes, as well as the ability to bold, italicize, or underline text.
Rich text emails strike a welcoming balance between the visual appeal of an HTML email and the simplicity of a plain text email.
Rich text emails are mobile friendly and can enhance the readability and effectiveness of your message.
Rich text emails can significantly improve the engagement and response rates of your email marketing efforts as there is nothing to confuse or distract the recipient — it’s just your messaging.