When we just started out with Email, it was standard to end with some text including your name and perhaps your email and/or contact number but we have come a long way. With faster internet being more widely available, many have seen the benefit of using HTML email signatures that speak for you, marketing your business without you saying much at all.
With these email signatures, there are two ways of adding images (which is an important part of a HTML signature):
- Embedding
- Linking
There are advantages and disadvantages to both styles. I will share these below:
Embedding Images in HTML Email Signatures
Embedded images are sent as email attachments.
Advantages
- images are displayed automatically when the email is viewed
- they can be viewed when the email client is offline
- they are not affected by external factors
Disavantages
- images can be blocked by antivirus software
- they increase the size of emails
- in outlook mail programs they often add paperclip icon to messages denoting an attachment
Linking Images in HTML Email Signatures
Images are located on a web server and downloaded into the message each time it is viewed by the recipient.
Advantages
- images are not blocked by antivirus software
- they do not increase email size
Disavantages
- images are not displayed automatically in most popular email clients (recipient must click a ‘download images’ button or change settings for specific sender)
- the recipient has to be online
- images can be affected by external factors (web server down, accidental deletion, URL change)
You can find out more information about email signatures here.
2 responses to “Email Signatures – Linking vs Embedding images”
Very accurate facts Denise. Think Email Signatures has shifted quite a lot from the early days when it was just some contact info in the bottom of your emails. Cheers
Thank you for your comment Henry. Yes, they have indeed. A lot has changed online in such a short period!