Plain Text vs HTML in Cold Emails
Plain text emails consistently outperform HTML emails for cold outreach. Here's why:
- Higher Deliverability: Plain text emails are less likely to trigger spam filters, ensuring they land in the recipient's inbox.
- Better Engagement: They generate 21%–42% more clicks and avoid the 23%–37% drop in open rates seen with HTML emails that include images or GIFs.
- Personal Connection: Plain text feels more genuine and conversational, making recipients more likely to respond.
- Universal Compatibility: They display perfectly across all devices and email clients, unlike HTML emails, which can break or load slowly.
When to Choose Each Format:
- Use plain text for cold outreach, follow-ups, or personal communication.
- Use HTML for warm audiences, newsletters, or when branding and visuals are essential.
Quick Comparison
| Metric | Plain Text | HTML |
|---|---|---|
| Click-through rates | Higher by 21%–42% | Lower, especially with images |
| Open rates | Consistently higher | Drop 23%–37% with rich elements |
| Inbox placement | Better deliverability | Higher spam risk |
| Perception | Feels personal | Seen as promotional |
| Device compatibility | Universal | May have display issues |
| Spam filter risk | Lower | Higher with complex designs |
For cold outreach, simplicity wins. Choose plain text to boost deliverability, engagement, and trust.
Plain Text Emails Explained
Plain text emails are as simple as it gets - just text, no fancy formatting, no multimedia. Think of them as straightforward messages that focus entirely on the content. Unlike HTML emails, which can include images, colors, and other design elements, plain text emails strip away the extras. This minimalist style makes them particularly effective for cold outreach campaigns, where clarity and authenticity matter most.
Main Benefits of Plain Text Emails
When it comes to cold outreach, plain text emails shine for three main reasons: better deliverability, a more personal tone, and compatibility across all platforms.
- Better Deliverability: Because plain text emails are lightweight and free of images or complex coding, they’re less likely to get flagged by spam filters. Email providers like Gmail and Outlook often treat these emails as personal messages rather than mass-marketed content, helping them land in inboxes instead of promotional or spam folders.
- Personal Feel: Plain text emails mimic a one-on-one conversation, making them feel more genuine. Research even shows that plain text emails can get 42% more clicks compared to HTML emails. Adding just one image can lower click rates, underscoring the power of simplicity.
- Universal Compatibility: Since they’re purely text, these emails display perfectly on any device or email client - whether it’s the latest smartphone or an older desktop program.
Better Inbox Placement
Plain text emails have a knack for bypassing spam filters and avoiding promotional tabs. Without images or complex formatting that might raise red flags, they achieve higher deliverability rates. This means they’re more likely to reach the recipient’s primary inbox, where they’re most visible.
How Recipients View Plain Text
Plain text emails often come across as less pushy and more trustworthy. Their straightforward nature feels honest, which resonates with many people. For example, 74% of Baby Boomers and 60% of Gen Z consider email the most personal form of communication. Plus, plain text emails load instantly and avoid issues like blocked images or broken layouts, creating a smoother experience for recipients.
When someone receives a plain text email, it feels like a personal message rather than a polished marketing pitch. This simplicity can build trust and engagement. Next, we’ll explore how HTML emails compare to this pared-down approach.
HTML Emails Explained
Building on our discussion of plain text emails, let’s dive into HTML emails and what makes them stand out. These emails integrate rich visuals, interactive elements, and polished layouts, offering features like company logos, branded colors, clickable buttons, and even multimedia content. While their design enhances branding, HTML emails often face challenges in cold outreach due to strict spam filters.
Although widely used in marketing campaigns, HTML emails can sometimes hinder personal connections with prospects, as their visually appealing elements may come off as impersonal.
Main Benefits of HTML Emails
HTML emails bring several advantages to the table: professional branding, interactive elements, and advanced analytics.
- Professional Branding: With logos, custom fonts, and consistent colors, HTML emails help solidify your brand identity. This cohesive look not only reinforces brand recognition but also makes your company appear more established and credible.
- Interactive Features: Unlike plain text emails, HTML emails allow for clickable buttons, which are 28% more effective than text links. Adding interactive elements can also increase click-to-open rates by 73%.
- Advanced Analytics: HTML emails provide detailed performance data. Beyond just open rates, they track metrics like click-through rates, offering valuable insights into how recipients engage with your content.
Inbox Placement Problems
Despite their visual appeal, HTML emails face notable deliverability hurdles, especially in cold outreach. Their intricate designs and larger file sizes often trigger spam filters or cause emails to be blocked by certain clients. In fact, research shows that 70% of emails encounter at least one spam-related issue, and using heavy HTML templates can reduce open rates by 23%.
Another common issue is image blocking. Many email clients disable images by default, which can result in broken visuals and an unprofessional appearance. Providers like Gmail frequently sort HTML emails into promotional tabs or spam folders, particularly if the formatting feels overly promotional or lacks personalization. These factors can significantly impact engagement and campaign success.
How Recipients View HTML Emails
While HTML emails look polished, this can sometimes backfire in cold outreach. Recipients often perceive them as mass marketing rather than a genuine attempt to connect, which can lower response rates. This perception creates an immediate hurdle - many people instinctively categorize HTML emails as promotional content.
Load times further add to the challenge. HTML emails, especially those with complex designs, can take longer to load on mobile devices, leading recipients to abandon them altogether. Considering that most people spend only 10–13 seconds on an email, even a slight delay can cost you their attention.
Adding to the complexity, HTML emails may not display consistently across different email clients. For example, an email that looks flawless in Gmail might appear broken in Outlook or on a mobile device, potentially harming your professional image and confusing your message.
Plain Text vs HTML Email Comparison
In earlier sections, we explored how plain text emails often outperform HTML emails in terms of deliverability and engagement. Now, let’s dive deeper into how these differences affect response metrics. Here’s a closer look at the performance of plain text versus HTML emails.
Response and Click Rates
When it comes to cold outreach, plain text emails consistently take the lead. Research shows that HTML emails with images can see click-through rates drop by 21%–51%, while plain text emails often generate 30%–42% more clicks. The data paints a clear picture: the more HTML-heavy an email becomes, the less likely it is to drive clicks.
"Although I visually prefer HTML emails, I do find that plain text performs better... Specifically, in the IT space, they tend to lead to higher open rates." – Jennifer Lux, SmartBug Media
This trend becomes even more significant when we examine inbox placement.
Inbox Placement Rates
Deliverability is a key area where plain text emails shine. With about 45.6% of all emails being flagged as spam, the format of your email can make or break its chances of reaching the recipient. Tests reveal that emails containing GIFs or images experience a drop in open rates by 23%–37% compared to plain text. Considering that around 20% of marketing emails fail to reach their intended inboxes, and the average open rate sits at roughly 38%, choosing plain text can be a strategic move. Its simple structure helps it bypass spam filters more effectively than HTML emails.
But inbox placement isn’t the only factor; how recipients respond to these emails also sets the formats apart.
Recipient Response Patterns
Plain text emails often feel more personal and authentic, fostering trust with a one-to-one conversational tone. On the other hand, HTML emails are frequently perceived as bulk or promotional messages, which can dilute the personal connection. It’s worth noting that 60% of Gen Z consumers consider email to be the most personal communication channel.
"For cold outreach or personalized connections with customers, plain text emails will always be a better choice since you want to act like a human rather than a commercial brand." – Vladyslav Podoliako, Founder & CEO of Belkins and Folderly
Side-by-Side Comparison Chart
| Metric | Plain Text | HTML |
|---|---|---|
| Click-through rates | Higher by 21–51% | Lower, especially with images |
| Open rates | Consistently higher | Drop 23–37% with rich elements |
| Inbox placement | Better deliverability | More likely to hit spam |
| Personalization perception | Feels authentic and human | Often seen as bulk/promotional |
| Mobile compatibility | Universal compatibility | Potential display issues |
| Spam filter risk | Lower risk | Higher risk with complexity |
| Accessibility | Works with all devices | May have compatibility issues |
| Trust factor | Builds personal connection | Can appear commercial |
| Response rates | Higher for cold outreach | Better for warm audiences |
This comparison highlights the strengths of plain text emails, particularly for scenarios like cold outreach or building personal connections, where simplicity and authenticity matter most. Meanwhile, HTML emails may be better suited for warm audiences or promotional campaigns where visual impact is a priority.
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Choosing the Right Email Format
Plain text emails are often the go-to for cold outreach due to their reliability, but the best format for your campaign depends on your goals and audience. Here's how to determine the right choice for your business.
When to Use Each Format
Plain text emails are ideal when you're aiming to create a personal, one-on-one connection. They're perfect for initial outreach, follow-ups, or any scenario where you want your email to feel more personal and less like mass marketing. George Wauchope, Founder of Emailchaser, emphasizes:
"Plain text emails are better for deliverability."
Jesse Ouellette also shared that switching to plain text emails significantly boosted his company's reply rates. These emails tend to feel more genuine, whereas HTML emails can sometimes come across as overly polished.
HTML emails, on the other hand, work well when targeting a warm audience - people who already know your brand, such as existing customers or subscribers. These emails are great for campaigns that require visual elements and branding to make an impact.
Hybrid emails strike a balance by combining plain text with minimal HTML elements. This approach can add a touch of visual appeal while maintaining a personal tone. However, testing is crucial to ensure these enhancements don't negatively affect deliverability. Consider factors like your campaign goals, audience preferences, and whether visuals are necessary. For B2B cold outreach, plain text often remains the safer bet.
Your choice should also factor in how well each format performs in terms of deliverability.
Why Monitor Email Deliverability
With up to 45.6% of emails flagged as spam, keeping an eye on deliverability is essential to ensure your messages land in the primary inbox.
Monitoring deliverability provides insights into how different email formats perform. For instance, if your HTML emails frequently end up in spam while plain text emails consistently reach inboxes, it's a clear signal to rethink your strategy.
Tracking metrics like open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, spam complaints, and blacklist status can help fine-tune your approach. A/B testing is especially useful for comparing plain text and HTML versions to see what resonates best with your audience.
Improving deliverability is critical, and this is where tools like Warmforge can make a difference.
How Warmforge Improves Results
Optimizing your sender reputation is crucial for overcoming deliverability challenges. Warmforge acts as a hub for email deliverability, ensuring your messages land in primary inboxes instead of spam folders. Its automated warm-up process uses AI to mimic human behavior, helping to build your sender reputation. Warmforge recommends warming up new inboxes for at least two weeks to achieve optimal results.
The platform also features the Heat Score™ system, which allows you to monitor mailbox performance and make adjustments as needed. Every user gets one free warm-up slot for Google or Microsoft mailboxes and one complimentary placement test per month. This lets you assess the impact of warm-up efforts on your deliverability before committing to a paid plan. With a 4.6 rating on G2, Warmforge has proven to be a reliable tool for maintaining strong email deliverability.
Email personalization is another critical factor. Personalized emails can increase response rates by up to 50%. Campaigns that include 4–7 emails in a sequence see a reply rate of 27%, compared to just 9% for campaigns with only 1–3 emails. Margaret Sikora from Woodpecker highlights the importance of personalization:
"Email personalization is very important. It shows your prospects that you care about their response. And that you were planning on writing specifically to them."
Conclusion
Deciding between plain text and HTML emails for cold outreach isn't just a matter of style - it’s about effectiveness. When it comes to cold campaigns, plain text emails consistently outperform HTML in the metrics that matter most.
Key Insights
Plain text emails emerge as the top choice for cold outreach. Why? They achieve higher click-through rates and better inbox placement compared to HTML emails. For example, plain text emails show a 21% higher click-through rate and a more reliable deliverability profile. Even when pitted against HTML emails featuring GIFs, plain text emails still drive 42% more clicks overall.
When it comes to deliverability, plain text wins by steering clear of the formatting complexities that often trigger spam filters. As Vladyslav Podoliako, Founder & CEO of Belkins and Folderly, explains:
"For cold outreach or personalized connections with customers, plain text emails will always be a better choice since you want to act like a human rather than a commercial brand."
Engagement statistics also back this up. Hybrid emails that include GIFs see 37% fewer opens, while those with images see a 25% drop in opens compared to plain text. While HTML emails have their place - such as for newsletters or engaging with existing customers - plain text’s simplicity is better suited for cold outreach, where first impressions and inbox placement are critical.
What to Do Next
To refine your cold outreach strategy, consider these steps:
- Evaluate your current email performance. If you’re using HTML emails and struggling with deliverability, it’s time to switch to plain text. The 21% boost in click-through rates reported by HubSpot could translate to tangible business growth.
- Run A/B tests. While plain text has proven advantages, it’s always smart to test both formats with your audience. Different industries or demographics may respond uniquely, so track open, click, and reply rates to determine what works best.
- Keep an eye on deliverability. Tools like Warmforge can help ensure your emails land in the primary inbox. With its AI-driven warm-up features and a 4.6 G2 rating, Warmforge can tackle deliverability challenges that might otherwise undermine your campaigns.
- Focus on personalization. Regardless of format, crafting messages tailored to your prospects’ needs and pain points is essential. Personalized emails are more likely to engage and convert.
The evidence is undeniable: simplicity works. Plain text emails not only improve deliverability but also drive better engagement and results. Make the switch, fine-tune your approach, and watch your cold outreach efforts deliver the outcomes you’ve been striving for.
FAQs
Why do plain text emails often perform better than HTML emails in cold outreach?
Plain text emails often have the edge over HTML emails in cold outreach, and it all comes down to their simplicity. Without flashy formatting or images, they’re less likely to trip spam filters or end up in the promotions folder. This increases the odds of landing in the recipient's main inbox.
Another key advantage is how personal and direct plain text emails feel. They come across as genuine and conversational, rather than looking like a polished marketing pitch. Plus, they’re universally compatible with all email clients, ensuring your message is delivered and easy to read no matter what platform the recipient uses. In cold outreach, where making a strong first impression matters, this straightforward style often translates to better open and response rates.
When should I use HTML emails for cold outreach, even though they may have lower deliverability?
HTML emails are a smart option for cold outreach when you want to highlight your brand with visual elements like logos, brand colors, or interactive features such as buttons and hyperlinks. They work particularly well for promotions, newsletters, or campaigns aimed at recipients who appreciate visually engaging content.
Another advantage of HTML emails is their ability to track key metrics like opens and clicks, which can be crucial for measuring the success of your outreach efforts. That said, ensuring your emails land in the recipient's inbox is just as important. To avoid deliverability issues, make sure your domain has a solid reputation and your email content is designed to meet inbox placement standards. Tools like Warmforge can help you monitor and enhance your email deliverability, boosting the chances of your outreach efforts hitting the mark.
What’s the best way to compare the performance of plain text and HTML emails in my campaigns?
When deciding between plain text and HTML emails, A/B testing is your best friend. Here's how it works: send one version of your email as plain text and the other as HTML to two similar audience groups. Then, track metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to determine which format resonates more with your readers.
Plain text emails often come across as more personal, which can lead to higher engagement. On the other hand, HTML emails are visually striking but need careful coding to avoid deliverability problems. To ensure your emails reach the inbox, always include a plain text version alongside your HTML email. By reviewing the results of your tests, you'll gain insights into your audience's preferences and can fine-tune future campaigns for better results.