Formatting Tips

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When editing a broadcast message, you have access to a fairly sophisticated editor (CKEditor), which allows for rich text (HTML) editing. However, given the power of this editor, it allows you to do things that unknowingly may cause problems for some end users that read your emails. It's important to be aware of these issues related to HTML-formatted broadcast emails. If you're aware of these issues, it will aid you in creating messages that reliably look good to all of your recipients.

Different Email Clients

Since you will be sending email to a variety of recipients, the recipients will be viewing the email in different email clients (Outlook, Gmail, Entourage, etc.). Your emails are formatted as HTML emails, which means they are built using HTML, much like a web page. But, unlike web browsers, which are fairly predictable in how they display web pages several email clients will not display things the way you would expect (notably Outlook).

Some Tips:

• As a rule-of-thumb, we recommend that you keep it simple. The simpler the formatting of the email, the less likely there will be formatting problem on the receiving end.
• If you need to arrange items in a grid or in columns, use tables. Tables are more likely to work in older email clients, and cause the fewest problems. Do NOT try to use spaces to format items into columns. Spaces do not have the same width in various email clients, and will never reliably render well, use a table if you need to organize items into columns
• Do NOT copy-and-paste from Word. Copy-and-paste will frequently bring along non-standard markup. This means it may look ok to you, but to many recipients it could look bizarre. If you need to copy-and-paste content, use the paste-as-text tool, and re-apply formatting to the email.
• When inserting images, add some margin (right click on the image, select image properties, and enter 10-12 in HSpace and VSpace). Otherwise the text will be up against the image and look crowded.
• Be sure to set alignment of images (also done via image properties as well). The text will wrap to the left or right based on the alignment.
• Keep font usage simple and consistent. Use one font, and only change the size or bolding for subheadings or emphasis. Over-usage of bolding will defeat the purpose of bolding, causing no particular text to stand out.
• Keep color usage limited and simple. Over-usage of color will similarly defeat the purpose, and possibly trip spam filters.

Alternative Text (Alt Text) for Images

Alt text is a short text label attached to an image that describes what the image shows. It's worth adding to every meaningful image for a few reasons:

• Blocked images: Many email clients block images by default. When an image doesn't load, the recipient sees your alt text in its place instead of an empty box — so they still get the message.
• Accessibility: Recipients who use screen readers rely on alt text to understand what an image conveys.
• Deliverability: Emails that are all images with no text are more likely to be flagged as spam. Descriptive alt text adds context that can help.

Keep alt text brief and descriptive of the image's content or purpose (for example, "Spring Conference banner" rather than "image1.jpg"). If an image is purely decorative, it's fine to leave the alt text blank.

Adding Alt Text in the Basic Editor

1. Right-click the image and select Image Properties (or double-click the image).
2. In the dialog, locate the Alternative Text field.
3. Type a short description of the image.
4. Click OK to apply.
5. Save your message.

Adding Alt Text in the Advanced Editor

1. Click the image in your message to select it. The image settings will appear in the panel on the right.
2. Find the Alternate text field in that settings panel.
3. Type a short description of the image.
4. Save your message.