How to Send HTML Newsletters With Outlook

HTML emails are an easy way to send visually appealing messages to a client base or list of subscribers. These emails can have the same look and feel as a web page, which means that a company can continue its branding in its emails. Microsoft Outlook allows users to send emails in three formats: HTML, plain text and rich text. The HTML format allows senders to include links, images and other HTML tags in emails.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Outlook 98 (or later)
• HTML Editor

Instructions

1. Create your HTML document using your HTML editor and save it in .htm format.

2. In Outlook, select "Create Message," roll over "Insert," and click "Text from file" to choose your HTML document. Click on the arrow next to the "Insert" button in the bottom-right corner of the "Insert File" window and choose "Insert as Text."

3. Send a test email to yourself and try opening it in different programs and browsers to check that everything is how you want it. Check that all the links work and proofread the newsletter thoroughly.

4. If you are likely to send out newsletters with the same design on a regular basis, save the document as a template, cutting down on the amount of work you need to do for future emails.

Tips & Warnings

• Images should be stored on a web server. It is possible to send them as attachments but this increases the size of the email. Full URLs (including "http://") should always be used.

• You cannot send HTML newsletters with Outlook 97. Instead the HTML document will be sent as an attachment.

• HTML emails may be filtered or quarantined if they include executable files, or if any code opens an external site when the email is opened.

• Not all email software allows users to view HTML emails.

References

• Microsoft Office: Change the message format to HTML, Rich Text, or plain text