How do I create HTML emails?

With HTML-based email, you can format an email message with many of the same elements you use on a webpage, such as images, formatted text, and links.  It gives you the ability to brand your emails much in the same way as you brand your website or your printed stationary, and gives your recipients something more interesting to look at.

However, an HTML email is much larger in size than a plain-text email, can look differently on many email platforms (browser, desktop, or mobile device), and it is more likely to be marked as ‘Spam’ than a plain-text email.

If you are happy with those risks, then you can produce HTML emails through a number of ways.

Designing in the mail client

Many mail clients now have HTML as the default option, including Microsoft Outlook.  In your preferences, select ‘HTML’ as the format option, then use the toolbar options to format your email as you wish, including inserting images and links.

Designing in a text file and importing into the mail client

If you have built an email in a text editor and are ready to send it out as it is built, you can import it into your email, usually by clicking ‘Insert’ and ‘Insert as Text’.  Doublecheck that it loads into the email body, and not as an attachment.

Use an email marketing tool

There are many different tools available now that can design, produce, and send HTML emails for you.  Primarily meant for newsletters and similar campaigns, they usually come with a number of templates to make building an HTML newsletter convenient.

Heart Internet has Email Marketing, a platform designed to make sending newsletters and other campaigns easy: https://www.heartinternet.uk/email-marketing