Definition of HTML Email

Users can send email in one of two formats: plain text or HTML.

Hyper Text Markup Language allows Internet users to format the appearance of Web pages and email messages. Senders can also use HTML to track the number of message views or how many times readers click on a link.

Identification

When a sender uses HTML in his email, the receiver may see colored text and backgrounds, images, links, lists, tables, specialized fonts faces (such as Comic Sans Serif) and formatted text (bold, italic or underlined).

Significance

By default, emails appear as "plain text" format that displays only written content. All email programs support sending and receiving text-only messages. Support for HTML email is not uncommon, but the Internet Engineering Task Force only requires programs to support plain text email.

Usage

Email senders do not have to know HTML in order to use it in their messages. Email providers or programs that allow senders to use HTML frequently include a formatting toolbar on the "Send" or "Compose" a message screen to allow users to format messages with HTML.

Benefits

Organizations can aid company branding by including a logo in official emails. When a person uses HTML to format a message such as a newsletter, she can give the appearance of multiple sections with other headlines.

Considerations

Email users can turn off HTML support in email clients. Additionally, not all mail programs may fully support HTML messages. Also, adding images and other content to messages can cause it to take longer to load the message.

References

• The Internet Engineering Task Force: Internet Message Format
• Add Me:How to Create and Send HTML Email
• SitePoint:How to Code HTML Email Newsletters