The "mobile version" link in HTML emails. Hmmm.

As use of mobile email spreads, we discover the need to link to a "mobile version" from our HTML email. It makes intuitive sense: the mobile design challenge solved in one swift link.

But do we give enough thought to its execution? Are we, in fact, making a complete pig's ear of it? In some cases, yes.

There are two distinct issues with mobile devices and how an email displays.

The first is that they have a much smaller screen than your PC or laptop. The second is that not all mobile devices can render HTML email appropriately.

As a result, we actually have three main mobile email scenarios:

1. Device handles HTML email fine

This user might value a link to a web version of that HTML email...a version optimized for a small screen.

2. Device displays the text version of the email only

This user might value links to mobile-friendly web versions of both the plain text and HTML email.

3. Device displays the original HTML source code or a simplified rendering of the HTML version

This user might value a clearly visible URL (the link typed out in full) to follow at the top of the HTML code, so they, too, can view a more appropriate version online with their mobile browser.

(For screenshots of all three kinds of email rendering, see Gregg Oldring's post.)

Given those scenarios, here some common mistakes I see:

No link in the plain text version

First, the link is only in the HTML part of the email: there is no mobile link in the plain text version (seen by devices in scenario 2). The assumption is that plain text is, well, plain text. Where's the problem for mobile users?

Plain text emails commonly have hard returns at the end of each line to ensure readability. Line lengths are typically set at 50-70 characters, depending on your taste.

On a mobile device, this text can end up looking like this:


Additionally, who says the recipient wants to see plain text email only? That display format is not usually a user choice, but is enforced by the mobile operating system.

Oversimplified "mobile versions"

Second, clicking on the "mobile version" link in the HTML email commonly takes you to a plain text version of the email confined within a narrow PDA/SmartPhone-friendly column. Which seems sensible.

But...those able to see that link easily (scenario 1) are, by definition, used to a fuller HTML experience. The link delivers an unnecessarily dumbed-down text version of the email.

(You could argue that bandwidth issues mean text-only versions are likely more acceptable to mobile device users.)

Buried links

Third, a "mobile version" link is buried several screens down when a simplified version or (particularly) the original HTML code is displayed (scenario 3). It never gets seen by the very people who most need the link.

Solutions

So, if you're going to have a "mobile version" link (another debate entirely), what should you do? Best practices are still to emerge, but consider these possibilities:

1. Add "mobile" URLs to your plain text version OR set the line length in this plain text version to a mobile-friendly number of characters (for scenario 2).

2. Offer a nice link to a "small screen" version in your HTML email (for scenario 1).

3. Make it easy for those with poor HTML email rendering (like Blackberry devices on older operating systems) to find and follow the "mobile version" URL (for scenario 3).

"Easy" how? Here I wonder if it's enough to top your HTML version with a typed link, similar to this MarketingProfs example. Anyone got some good ideas? Any of you clever code people have some elegant solutions for ensuring that link is easily seen and followed, even when the HTML displays messily?

If nothing else, some reflection on the "mobile challenge" reveals that simply suggesting "you add a link to a mobile version" isn't enough. (I've been as guilty as anyone in issuing that banal advice.)

The saving grace is that each passing day sees a greater and greater proportion of mobile devices fully capable of rendering HTML email. One day soon we'll laugh about some of these problems. Possibly.

More on mobile email to come in future posts. The more I learn, the more confusing it gets...

Tags: email marketing, mobile email, wireless email

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