Many businesses choose to use HTML for their email promotions because it offers a more visibly enjoyable experience for the reader. It allows you to leverage a wide variety of fonts, colors, backgrounds and graphics, presenting a gamut of features that can really stimulate the creative juices. However, you should be warned of the pitfalls many others have encountered when using this programming technology. If you are not careful, you could end up making the same mistakes of others who were over anxious when incorporating HTML into their marketing campaign.

Coding Errors

One of the most common mistakes made in HTML-based email promotions relates to errors in the design. Sometimes, email can look perfect on your end, but look like absolute junk when opened on your customers system. This is mainly due to coding errors that were made when designing the template. If you are using third party editors such as Microsoft FrontPage or Dreamweaver, you must keep in mind that you are formatting HTML for email, not a website. If you compose your email in the same manner as you would a website, the recipient is likely to receive a message chalk full of errors. Using CSS with caution, ensuring that all your image links are complete web URLs, and working with clean code can all help to significantly reduce the likelihood of coding errors.

Inappropriate Balance of HTML and Text

It is fairly easy to go overboard in attempts to make your email standout to the reader. This generally refers to implementing a large number of images while not utilizing the right proportion of text. It may not sound all that harmful, but this can turn out to be a major problem due to the fact that many spam filters are not a fan of embedded objects. In fact, overdoing it with images could end up resulting in HTML email marketing suicide. If you want to ensure that your messages can pass the filter, try to find a good balance of HTML to text. Several companies have found that inserting a nice amount of text at the beginning of the message goes a long way in making sure it gets through.

The Lack of Absolute Paths

If you are using HTML for email promotions, take note that it is necessary to provide absolute paths for your hyperlinks and images. This can be done by simply making sure you specify the exact path of the link or image inserted in the email. By doing so, you can virtually eliminate ambiguity and better assure that your readers are directed to the place you intended them to go. If your readers are constantly clicking on dead links, it will be very hard for them to take your business serious.

Conclusion

Numerous mistakes can be made when using HTML to create your promotional emails. Just like anything, exercising a little caution and playing it smart goes a long way in helping you avoid them. When keeping this in mind, you can enjoy all HTML has to offer your email marketing campaign.

Jamie Colbs is a best practices activist and advocate for Benchmark Email (http://www.benchmarkemail.com/email-marketing/html-email-templates) a leading Web and permission-based html email service.