Challenging assumptions about email images

That cracking sound could be the thin ice I'm walking on, but let's continue regardless (a good old-fashioned British approach to adversity.)

A few days ago I suggested you could pluck out people who opened previous emails from you and feel relatively safe about sending them image-rich emails.

The post generated some disagreement and a little debate in the comments, given that it goes against accepted best practices related to the growing prevalence of image blocking.

More recently, the mailingmanager blog took up the theme and described another scenario where more images might work better than "safe" design.

Neither blog post should be seen as necessarily recommending the image-rich approach, as its proper application requires certain conditions to be met in terms of the quality and nature of your email program.

But they are an invitation to think harder about why and how people view emails. And to consider how you might exploit that understanding in how you design yours.

(Update: and here's another blog finding value in an all-image email!)

Tags: email marketing, image blocking, image suppression, email design

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