In digital marketing, a persistent debate rages on whether emails should be plain text or lavishly designed. Depending on who you ask, some will swear that less is more, while others will argue that the more eye-catching, the better.
If you find yourself constantly trying to decide what kind of email you should be sending to your audience, know you aren’t alone.
While it’s not an easy answer, here’s a deep dive into the nuances of this question.
What is a Plain Text Email?
A plain text email contains only text without images, graphics, or special formatting.
Benefits:
- Often perceived as more personal and less promotional.
- Easier to create and edit.
- Accessibility – They are easier for assistive technologies, like screen readers, to process.
Limitations:
- Lack of visual appeal.
- No advanced formatting or branding.
- Limited interactivity (e.g., no clickable buttons or images).
What is a Designed Email?
A designed email incorporates visual and interactive elements, such as images, graphics, styled text and buttons.
Benefits
- Enhanced branding with more formatted logos, photos, etc.
- Creates multiple ways to engage with visuals and calls to action.
- Flexibility to support a variety of content types like promotions, newsletters, or event invitations.
Limitations
- Rendering Issues: May not display consistently across all email clients or devices.
- Development Time: Takes longer to create compared to plain text emails.
- Loading Time: Heavy use of images and graphics can increase loading times.
Which is better?
The Short Answer: It Depends
The most straightforward answer to which type of email is superior is unsatisfactorily vague: it depends. However, understanding the ‘depends’ part is crucial for anyone looking to optimize their email marketing strategy.
What kind of email are you sending? What audience are you trying to reach? What is your offer? These are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself when trying to make your decision.
Let’s break that down below:
Key Factors Influencing Email Design
1. Your Offer
- Industrial Tools: For businesses dealing in products like industrial tools, where the audience prioritizes functionality over flair, plain text emails are often the superior choice. The focus here is on clear, concise communication about product specifications, durability, and practical benefits. Fancy designs might distract from the core message, which is about efficiency and utility.
- Fashion Brands: Conversely, if your business is in fashion or any visually-driven industry, designed emails can significantly enhance your marketing. Here, the visual appeal is part of the product’s allure. Emails with high-quality images, clean layouts, and brand-specific aesthetics can convey luxury, style, and brand ethos much more effectively than plain text.
2. Your Branding
- Consistency in Brand Image: If your brand has well-defined visual guidelines, designed emails can serve as an extension of your brand’s identity. They can reinforce brand recognition and loyalty through consistent use of logos, colors, and typography. However, mixing in some plain text emails can serve as a refreshing change, perhaps for more personal or urgent communications.
- Copy is King: No matter how visually appealing an email is, the content within must be compelling. Good copy motivates action. A beautiful email with weak copy is like a book with a stunning cover but a dull story inside; it might attract attention but won’t keep it.
The Practical Approach
- Testing Both Styles: Don’t rely solely on intuition or industry standards. Test both plain text and designed emails. Each audience segment might respond differently. The key is to analyze conversion rates, engagement levels, and feedback.
- Adaptability: Recognize that what works for one brand might not work for another. Even within the same industry, different brands might find different email formats more effective based on their unique audience and marketing goals.
Insights
- Both formats have their place. Plain text can be seen as more personal or urgent, often leading to higher open rates in certain contexts. Conversely, designed emails can increase click-through rates for visually oriented products or promotions.
- Adapt to Market Feedback: The market will tell you what it prefers if you listen. Regularly review metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to adjust your strategy.
Can Groundhogg support plain text and designed emails?
Yes! Groundhogg allows you to send simple, text-only emails for a personal, straightforward touch.
If you’re looking for something more visually appealing, you can use our drag-and-drop email editor. With it, you can easily:
- Add images, buttons, and links.
- Customize fonts, colors, and layouts.
- Create engaging, interactive messages for promotions or newsletters.
Groundhogg also provides built-in templates to simplify creating professional emails, even without coding experience.
Conclusion
The debate over email design isn’t about finding a universal winner but about understanding your specific context.
Whether to use plain text or designed emails isn’t a decision made in isolation but one that should be informed by your offer, your brand, and, importantly, the feedback from your audience.
The greener pasture is where your audience converts, not where another brand does. So, experiment, analyze, and adapt. That’s the path to truly effective email marketing!
Get started with Groundhogg!
To get started with Groundhogg, you can:
- Start a 14-day demo.
- Purchase a plan.
- Take the free quickstart course.
- Keep reading!
Have questions? Don’t hesitate to shoot us a message!
