Question:

How can I provide a readable message for subscribers who read email on their cell phones or PDAs? There isn't any technology that makes HTML render properly on mobile devices.

Answer:

You are right to be concerned about having your messages render legibly on ever-shrinking screens. Walk through the nearest mall or airport, and look at all the people squinting at their cell phones or PDAs. Many mobile platforms don't properly render HTML either. You can see that the future of email depends ever more on readability.

This problem has an easy answer though: Create a text-only version of your HTML newsletter and offer a link to the text version just as you would a Web version, at or near the top of your email.

If you suspect you have a large number of mobile readers, this is something you could do to improve readability for your newsletter, sales circular, stand-alone ad or other email messages you typically send in HTML, in order to meet the needs of as many subscribers as possible.

Promote the text version as a benefit for your mobile readers on your sign-up form. Also, keep the link to your Web or text version short and self-explanatory so that as much of it shows up on a tiny mobile screen as possible.

Examples:

Too long: "To see the Web version of this newsletter, please click this link."

Better: "Mobile Version, Web version online."

More information:

• Crafting a Compelling Text Message (ClickZ E-Mail Delivery Column)

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