Have you ever used a module-based tool or a drag-and-drop feature to create your email? If so, then you were creating an HTML email!

 

Emails are generally classified into two types. You can receive or send a plain-text email or an HTML email. Plain-text emails are exactly that – plain, unformatted text. They are the more traditional emails that most people are accustomed to and lack any distinctive features. 

 

To achieve a more complex goal like advertising (no one wants a plain-text advertisement), you use HTML code to format your emails and make them more appealing. HTML allows you to add unique and eye-catching features to your emails to help you achieve your goal. 

 

If you have ever designed a marketing email, you have probably seen somebody else’s email designs and admired them. You’ve probably wondered whether you can employ their layout or idea in your next email campaign. Luckily, it is possible to determine how they made the layout so you can use it in your emails. 

 

However, a plain-text email is still the best choice for some email clients. Still, the richness in content and the interactive nature of every marketing email make HTML a great tool. 

Understanding HTML Code in Emails?

You may specify an email address for sending an email using the HTML a> element. To utilise the href property of the a> element as an email address, you will need to provide the mailto: email address. The syntax for using mailto instead of HTTP is shown to copy and paste the code into an email subject to send an email. 

 

You do not need to learn how to code when designing your emails. Simply use the drag-and-drop features on the email marketing platform that make editing and building emails a walk in the park. The tools provided by the email marketing platform offer you pre-formatted templates that you can readily use.

 

The templates will automatically change the code for you as you edit the email. This makes the template tools ideal additions to your arsenal if you want to personalise your emails to match your goals.

 

Those who do not have experience coding HTML can still view every email’s code without coding software. You can access the code via a webmail client or a desktop. 

 

Email marketers who design their templates using an email marketing platform can also check an email’s underlying code. It is even possible to download the HTML, modify it, and upload the edited HTML later. 

How to Display HTML in Outlook? 

An HTML email body’s server code and underlying HTML are visible when you see its source code. The following guide will show you how to look at the HTML email body’s source code in Outlook.

 

• Open MS Outlook
• Open your email by double-clicking it
• Under ‘Message’, click ‘Actions’
• Click on ‘Other Actions’
• Select ‘View Source.’ The HTML will be displayed   

 

The email HTML codes always open as .txt files regardless of the text editors. 

In Gmail, How Can I See HTML?

Any communication hiccups can harm a small company. Some browser incompatibilities and bad Internet connections cause Gmail to be sluggish. Google suggests switching from Gmail’s complicated, full-featured Standard HTML view mode to the more straightforward Basic HTML view mode. Gmail is intended to swap views automatically in specific instances.

 

When using a Gmail webmail client, right-click your email, and select ‘View Page Source.’ This, however, displays the HTML for the whole web page, even the information on the messages. 

 

Connecting Gmail accounts to MS Outlook enables the user to view the email layout’s HTML directly.

How Do I View the HTML?

Any HTML code can be seen from the email marketing platform’s preview windows.

 

• Design a template for your email
• Open your ‘Campaign Snapshot’ page
• Launch preview window
• Select ‘View Page Source’

 

To save your code, right-click your file, then select ‘Save As.’ You can also copy the code and paste it into the HTML text editors of your choice. This allows you to modify the code and re-import it back into your email client for future email layouts. 

 

It is important to remember that you cannot modify HTML code on the email client’s interface. It can only be edited on HTML text editors, pasted into the email client, and used as-is. 

How Can the Success of HTML Email Code Be Measured?

Using HTML code enables you to deliver responsive and powerful emails. However, knowing when and with which audience to use a plain-text email is essential. For example, email advertising services or products are best done using HTML. 

 

You can track your emails’ click-through and open rates to determine which email formats work best for your brand. 

 

You can also see the devices used to open emails. This is important because mobile users will not see the same layouts as desktop and laptop users. It helps you gauge your layouts. Open the ‘Insights’ on the email marketing platform to see this data. 

Is HTML That Important for Emails?

Using HTML code on your emails allows you to add buttons, videos, backgrounds, and many other web page features to your emails. It helps you ensure that every email is responsive without worrying about which device it is opened on. 

 

HTML emails also help marketers gather analytics that helps them advertise and sell their products. They allow the marketers to track the client’s interactions with the email. 

 

This is not possible when using a plain-text email. But remember that it is also possible to make an HTML email that looks like a plain-text email. 

Bottom Line

Learning how to code with HTML and reading through guides can help you design some cool and unique email layouts. You can also get creative with the templates available on your email client. Even after learning CSS and HTML, you will need to familiarise yourself with the caveats of designing HTML emails.