HTML the clear winner in the e-newsletter format debate

For almost a decade, experts have been debating which format is best suited for sending out e-newsletters. Web-standards gurus, media professionals and the like have written countless articles and given lecture after lecture to discuss this topic. Originally, the debate focused on html vs pdf.

In the last few years, the general consensus is that html should be the standard. There are still some minor debates regarding the ability of all email programs to process and correctly display html newsletters, which has sparked some defenders of the boring text-only format.

As a CMC student, an experienced email user, and a newsletter coordinator, the choice seems very clear to me.

Below is a short list of the benefits of html newsletters:

• Businesses can track reader click-through rates on the newsletter in general, as well as each individual story
• The colors and graphics entice users to read the email
  
• Allows for branding reinforcement through logos and images
• Graphical layouts encourage scanning and are less intimidating to readers
  
• Readers can be easily directed to take a specific action such as make a donation or redeem a coupon
  
• Story teasers entice readers to continue on to the company web site to find out more