Mailer Excution
Part I Limitations of most pupular email clients in rendering HTML
General rules
Scripts and Dynamic HTML
some technologies that should be avoided in HTML email designs:
· Javascript, VBScript, Perl
· ActiveX
· Audio
· External Style Sheet
· Java
· Meta Refresh
· Frames and IFrames
Images
The image path in HTML email should be the full absolute image location.
Image Blocking
Most of email clients now offer email blocking as means of reducing spam. So if you have not inlcuded the image dimensions in the HTML then the layout of your email will be affected.
Hotmail & MSN
CSS and Head Tags
Hotmail usually ignores those style sheets in head tags and therefore your email will loss all of it's intended formatting.
Forms
Hotmail only likes forms that use GET method and not POST method. There is a buffer limit of 4096 characters that can be parsed.
Body tags
Body tags such as those shown below will not work:
<body bgcolor=”#FFFFFF” text=”” link=””>
Instead CSS or coding all paragraphs and links should be used.
Example:
<a href=””><font size=”” face=”” color=””>Text for link</font></a>
HyperLinks
Hotmail has its own standard style for text link with its own font, size, color.
Incorrect:
<font size=”” face=”” color=””>Paragraph text <a href=””>Link Text</a></font>
Correct:
<font size=”” face=”” color=””>Paragraph text <a href=””><font size=”” face=”” color=””>Link Text </font></a></font>
Yahoo
CSS, Head tags, Body tags and links
Yahoo like Hotmail does not use global colors and styles that are defined in the Body tag.
Similar to Hotmail links were given a default style by Yahoo unless the extra coding within the link tag is used.
Forms
Forms with a GET or POST action will work in Yahoo.
Part II Tips and Tricks While Executing Mailer
How can I overcome these limitations?
Using a standard mailer template
Note: there have various versions for many languages.
Using seed account to test mailer before it finally gets dilivered
you can apply Hotmail, Yahoo account to test mailer before execution.
Mailer Checklist
· Using the format to mailer file name. Format: 8mar_2005.html
· Using HTML code for specific characters, e.g. ©(©), @(@), ® (® or ®), ™ (™).
· Get rid of all spaces in element property, e.g. <table cellpadding=” 0” cellspacing=”0” width=”” border=”” align=””>
· Check if there have missing tags or unclosed tags.
· Ensure that all link text have FONT tag.
· Check all URL and image path be ensured they are fully absolute path.
· Format HTML code to be readed easy.
HTML Tips and Tricks
· If possiable, please use HTML tags to decorate text, like <b></b><i></i><font size=”” face=”” color=””></font>
· Set the table cell width for first line.
· Use the HTML comment tag to mark mailer body content.
· If possiable, make a confirmed order for element properties, e.g. <img src=”” width=”” height=”” alt=”” border=””>
Part III Tool Tips – EditPlus
1. Configurate EditPlus to support multi languages file.
2. Set EditPlus to show linebreaks, tabs and spaces by selecting relevant options in View tab.
3. Close automate backup function.
4. You can set close HTML tag automatically.
