Tips on How to Create an E-HTML Newsletter
Electronic-Hypertext Markup Language (E-HTML) newsletters let you send information to associates via email within minutes instead of printing and sending a hard copy newsletter through regular mail. E-HTML newsletters are inexpensive to produce, can contain links to websites including yours and related sites and are sent to associates without the expense of postage. When creating an E-HTML newsletter, there are some procedures you need to follow before sending the newsletter out to readers.
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Things You'll Need
- Word processing program: Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer or similar program
- HTML creation program: Adobe GoLive, Dreamweaver or similar program
- Graphic manipulation program: Adode Photoshop or similar program
Instructions
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Text & Layout Elements
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Compose the text portions of your E-HTML newsletter in a word processing program such as Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer or similar program before loading the text into your email newsletter template.
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Use the word processing application's spelling and grammar checker to check for misspelled words and incorrect grammar usage.
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Avoid using special symbols, characters and Microsoft Word "Smart Quotes" within your E-HTML newsletter. These elements appear distorted in various email programs including Lotus Notes, Yahoo Mail and other non-Microsoft email applications.
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Replace any Smart Quotes with standard quotes before transferring your text elements to your E-HTML newsletter template.
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Use an HTML creation program such as Adobe GoLive, Dreamweaver or similar program that allows you to define and use a style sheet to control how elements within your E-HTML newsletter appear to your readers. Style sheets let you designate which text should be bold, underline, italic and other formatting options.
Pictures & Graphical Elements
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Avoid using JavaScript elements in your E-HTML newsletter. Email applications often deem and block JavaScript components as a potential security risk since viruses can embed themselves within JavaScript coding.
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Use a graphic manipulation program like Adode Photoshop or similar program to re-size any pictures, graphics and other graphical elements before including them in your E-HTML newsletter. You don't want your reader's email application crashing or blocking your newsletter due to elements being too large for the email program to process.
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Keep pictures, graphics, clip art and other graphical elements for each issue of your E-HTML newsletter in one folder on your computer instead of having the files split across multiple folders on your system. Label the folder with the newsletter's issue name or number so you know which folder is related to which newsletter.
Testing the E-HTML Newsletter
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Test the E-HTML newsletter after composing it by sending the email newsletter to yourself.
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Check each embedded link within the newsletter to make sure the link is still active and goes to the website you intended.
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Check the other elements of your E-HTML newsletter including pictures, graphics, text elements and overall layout of the elements. Any pictures/graphics should be displaying and not showing as a blank box and all text elements should be error free.
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Tips & Warnings
Let a friend, family member or business associate proofread your E-HTML newsletter before sending out the final product. A second set of eyes may catch an error that you missed.
References
Resources
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