Automatic Plain-text Email Generator in MailChimp
June 21, 2008 – 10:14 amWhen you send HTML email newsletters, you should always include an alternative plain-text version of your message (a version with no pictures, links, or formatting).
Email marketers know that’s a best practice, because some people just prefer no-frills email. Some mobile devices (Windows Mobile 5) default to the plain-text version. And some spam filters (Outlook, Roadrunner) will junk your email if you send an HTML email without a plain-text version. So you gotta do it.
But let’s face it. We hate creating plain-text emails. It’s the most tedious step of the entire email marketing process.
So we made plain-text emails automatic in MailChimp.
And we didn’t just use a clumsy, home-made script that simply removes HTML tags. We took it a little step further…
We’re using Lynx, which is an old-school browser invented in 1992 (back before Al Gore invented pictures on the inter-tubes). Since Lynx is used by uber-nerds and the visually impaired, we felt it was a good engine for generating plain-text emails. It does nice stuff, like replace images with alt-text, replace hyperlinks with the URLs, and it even handles tables!
Here’s a demo of how it works in MailChimp:
HTML Email to Plain-Text Generator from MailChimp on Vimeo.
13 Responses to “Automatic Plain-text Email Generator in MailChimp”
Martin
By Awesome MAILCHIMP! on Jun 21, 2008
Hopefully everyone here knows that Al Gore didn’t really claim to invent the internet. Snopes.com has a good article on that.
By Eric on Jun 22, 2008
By Meg on Jun 24, 2008
Heart you all
By Becca on Jun 24, 2008
Love the new plain text generator, though. That’s a huge help.
By Louis on Jun 24, 2008
By Tamara on Jun 24, 2008
This is the best thing ever! This will save me sooooo much time and effort.
I’m so happy!
xxxxxxxxxxx
By Russell on Jun 24, 2008
By John on Jun 24, 2008
I HATE making the plain text versions of my sends. This should save time/effort! Yay!
Thanks for continuously improving the all-powerful chimp!
By Daniel on Jun 24, 2008
By Sanford on Jun 24, 2008
By Chuck on Jun 25, 2008
Relax, I’m not a right-wing fanatic. I have a healthy distrust for *all* political parties.
For the record, I always knew the Al Gore comment was taken *way* out of context, and just assumed this had become an “Internet Fact” by now. Like how Apple pays Chuck Norris 99 cents whenever he downloads from iTunes.
But I see I definitely touched a nerve with the Al Gore fans. Sorry—we blog in peace!
And Mr. Gore, if you’re listening, please don’t turn off our internet access.
By Ben on Jun 25, 2008
You’ve eliminated the worst part of my monthly writing duties.
May your bananas be abundant!
By Janet Ott on Jun 30, 2008