There are three main newsletter formats, plain text newsletters, HTML newsletters, and PDF newsletters. Each newsletter format has its advantages and disadvantages. In order to choose the right format for your newsletter, there are several things that you need to consider. You need to understand the pros and cons of each format and the features that each format provides.
Plain text newsletters are still the most popular among all the three different formats. A text newsletter is easy to create; any one can create a text newsletter because it does not require any special skills. Making a text newsletter does not require any special or advanced newsletter creation software; it can be made using Microsoft Notepad which quite simple to use. MS Notepad is similar to MS Word; it is even easier to use than a word processor. No special features or rich editing can be done in text newsletters; all you can use is plain old text. The advantage of using a text format is its overall compatibility with all email clients and applications.
HTML newsletters on the other hand are full of features and customization options. Unlike text newsletters, an HTML newsletter allows you to change fonts, switch colors, add photos, insert hyperlinks and play around with the whole layout of the newsletter. In order to lay out your newsletter with HTML, you need to use tables. A table is used for the sidebar and another one for the main body of the newsletter. HTML newsletters are growing in popularity because of the rich editing they support. HTML lets you fully personalize your newsletter by adding headers and photos. This enables you to give your newsletter a splash of uniqueness which makes it stand out from the crowd.
HTML newsletters are created by using HTML editors. There are free as well as paid HTML editors. The free editors are just as efficient as the paid ones. Nvu and KompoZer are free HTML programs which can function as HTML newsletter creators. Adobe Dreamweaver is another HTML newsletter maker but it is not free. It is much more sophisticated than the other ones but all those advanced functions are not needed for creating a newsletter. It is true that you may need a few of them when building a website.
PDF newsletters are the least common among all the three formats. The reason for their unpopularity is the fact that they are difficult to make. In order to make a PDF newsletter, special software is required. You can make the newsletter using Microsoft Word and then convert it into a PDF file using PrimoPDF, a free software program. This can consume a lot of time and effort. Most PDF newsletters are published at long intervals such as on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. The users receive an email containing a link from which they can download the newsletter to read it on their desktop. They can equally open the newsletter in an independent browser window. Most PDF newsletters are print-friendly.
All the three email newsletter formats are good. But each format is more appropriate for a particular purpose than the others. If your main concern is compatibility, a text newsletter is your best candidate. But if you care more about features and customization, the HTML newsletter will give you just that. If your readers are the sort of people who like to read stuff at their own pace and comfort, then you may need a PDF newsletter which users can download and read on their desktops.