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| html based or text based? | Views: 1101 |
| Oct 20, 2005 4:08 am | | html based or text based? | # |
Nicole Bandes | | While we are on the topic of ezines, what are everyone's opinions as to which format is best? My ezine started out html based but I switched to text based because I thought it would get sent to the junk folder less often, now I'm not convinced.
Nicole BandesPrivate Reply to Nicole Bandes |
| Oct 20, 2005 2:58 pm | | re: html based or text based? | # |
lisa micklin | | These days HTML is seldom the thing that sends you to the junk bin. Usually it's content itself or the standing of your delivery service.
Examples of content that'll send you to the junk bin: words like "guaranteed", "sale", "here."
Examples of delivery methods that'll get you sent to the junk bin: trying to send via your own email client, using a service provider who is blacklisted with the major spam reporting agencies.
If you cover yourself with the above parameters, the formatting of your ezine should be determined by the nature of your ezine. In a survey I conducted last year of 150 small business owners, 93% prefered to receive HTML ezines. Their reasoning was along the lines of HTML allowed them to scan the ezine quickly and read the sections that were of interest to them.
If you're publishing an ezine on computer programming, by all means publish plain text- your subscribers don't want any fluff. However, if you're publishing an ezine that's more personal and informative, HTML could be more accessible to folks who are busy and want to quickly scan.
Hope this helps,
lisa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Start Your Ezine:
http://StartYourEzine.com
Ezine Hosting in a Spam-Free Environment:
http://EZezine.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Private Reply to lisa micklin |
| Oct 20, 2005 8:14 pm | | re: html based or text based? | # |
Greg Hoffman | | Check out html programs through Constant Contact. Inexpensive and reliable. I've been a customer for two years.
Their newsletter offers tips about content and growing your database. Private Reply to Greg Hoffman |
| Oct 20, 2005 9:27 pm | | re: re: html based or text based? | # |
Patrick Fultz | | Constant Contact is not bad, but they have a pretty high non-deliverable rate. I've contracted with this company and they have a much better delivery rate and non-bounce rate.
Delivra
Neil Berman, Delivra.com
and a few people I know like Bronto,
Eric Boggs, eric@bronto.com
We went with Delivra due to the integration into our Application we needed that Bronto couldn't do at the time
In either case you can mention my name. No sure if there is any real benefit, but I do like to refer companies I like and love it when they know and do the same.
Patrick
www.grayhairdirect.com
www.easyadmaker.comPrivate Reply to Patrick Fultz |
| Oct 20, 2005 11:31 pm | | re: html based or text based? | # |
Paul Strauss | | I've been using Intellicontact for three years. Very reliable. It has a built-in spam rating system to let you know how your e-mail rates based on the most common spam filters.
Nevertheless, HTML isn't generally the big issue, especially not for Opt-In campaigns (the only kind anyone ought to be doing-- everything else is SPAM).Private Reply to Paul Strauss |
| Oct 21, 2005 12:46 am | | re: re: re: html based or text based? | # |
Nicole Bandes | | Wow, I guess I'm not ready for that level of service. Delivra doesn't even list the cost on their website and Bronto starts at $100 per month! While I'm sure there are wonderful benefits to these sites that I can't get at less expensive sites, that is just way more than I care to spend right now. Private Reply to Nicole Bandes |
| Oct 21, 2005 12:50 am | | re: re: html based or text based? | # |
Nicole Bandes | | Can I ask what your open percentages are with intellicontact? I know this will vary with different topics and lists but it could give me an idea as to how deliverable they are.
Nicole BandesPrivate Reply to Nicole Bandes |
| Oct 21, 2005 5:11 am | | re: re: html based or text based? | # |
>> Barry Caplan - Start Your Future Today | | >If you're publishing an ezine on computer programming, by all means publish plain text- your subscribers don't want any fluff
I get plenty of HTML mail aimed at heavy duty developers and IT from major publishers. The one I have in mind right now is a Ziff Davis list I think...
I don't think there is any correlation here...
Best,
BarryPrivate Reply to >> Barry Caplan - Start Your Future Today |
| Oct 21, 2005 12:12 pm | | re: re: re: re: html based or text based? | # |
Patrick Fultz | | Okay, sorry these might be to heavy duty for your needs. I've just heard the delivery rate for Constant Contact is poor. And if the mail does not get there, what's the point.
I have a document that spells out cost for Delivera here's a preview:
Level 1 - no monthly plan 15,000 annual emails, overage $0.04 each no monthly plan, $600/annually
Level 2 - 5,000 monthly* or 50,000 annual emails, overage $0.02 each $100/month, or $1,000 annually
Level 3 - 15,000 monthly* or 150,000 annual emails, overage $0.013each $200/month, or $2000 annually
If you want this doc, PM me and I'll e-mail it to you.
Patrick
www.grayhairdirect.com
www.easyadmaker.comPrivate Reply to Patrick Fultz |
| Oct 21, 2005 1:38 pm | | re: html based or text based? | # |
lisa micklin | | Constant Contact, in my view as a result from their lack of screening of their users, is blacklisted with several of the primary spam reporting agencies, thus the poor delivery rate.
It's always a good idea to check your potential ESP's email server IP addresses against the spam database at http://www.dnsstuff.com.
If deliverability is a priority for you, always check to see the parameters that an ESP uses for list importing. Do they just let anyone import any list without question? Or, do they have standards that must be abided by? Are these standards enough to ensure clean lists only?
Managing your ezine sends, opt-ins and opt-outs doesn't have to cost a load of money, especially if you're just starting out or have a smaller list. Consider http://EZezine.com and http://Aweber.com as possible solutions.
Hope this helps,
lisa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Start Your Ezine:
http://StartYourEzine.com
Ezine Hosting in a Spam-Free Environment:
http://EZezine.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Private Reply to lisa micklin |
| Oct 21, 2005 1:50 pm | | re: re: re: html based or text based? | # |
Paul Strauss | | Our open percent is 30% give or take. That's twice the average for all users, though.
Our secret is that 90% of our list are people we've met. We combine e-mail marketing with aggressive networking. We try to be omnipresent. If there's an event in our particular industry-- we're there.
Not only that, but our list is opt-in, and not only that, it's double opt-in.
So, people that are on our e-mail list have:
1. Met one of us personally at an industry event.
2. Decided to go and sign up for our ezine.
3. Confirmed that they'd like to receive our ezine.
The result is an unusally high open and click-through percent (our click through is 6%). Private Reply to Paul Strauss |
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