The Benefits of Hosting HTML Email Images
When it comes to HTML email creative, there seems to be two well-defined camps. One side wants the images to be hosted for them, so they can just copy and paste the HTML code and run with it. The other side prefers to host all of the files themselves. Personally, I’m with the latter team. I’ll explain why I think this is the better option.
It may be quick and easy to grab some HTML code and paste it into your email solution so you can get as many email drops out as possible. However, I feel you are doing yourself a disservice in the long run. If you prefer the files to be hosted for you because you don’t know HTML, rest assured that it is quite easy to learn and you will only need a basic level of understanding in order to be able to host the files yourself and properly update the links in Dreamweaver or a comparable program.
You work hard to maintain a clean reputation and be CAN-SPAM compliant. Hosting your own files will help you keep your deliverability high and make sure your emails aren’t wrongly getting flagged as SPAM. If you are having the files in your HTML email hosted by someone else, you are putting your reputation in their hands and even in the hands of other publishers you don’t even know about.
What does this mean? If the individual hosting the files hasn’t been CAN-SPAM compliant in the past, or if they are letting other not-so-hot publishers also use those hosted files, your deliverability will be lowered and your income potential will take a hit. This means that less people will have the opportunity to even see your email because of actions from third parties which are completely out of your control.
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