"HTML Email" CSS issues

[hefterr]

Hi,
I created an HTML email that works fine in MS Outlook (and Express) and Safari Email (and the Web). The problem I am having is with the GMAIL web email facility (as a few others). My HTML seems to loose all the background setting (particularly the BODY background color. Yahoo email look fine.

Any suggestions as I hear the Web based email facilities are quirky?

FYI. You can see my HTML/email source at : http://www.greeneconomyproject.org/emailhtml.cfm

Thanks in advance,
Rich Hefter

[nox587]

I saw this question populate my feeds, first post on this board...

I do a lot of email HTML for my job so I can say the first thing that pops out is on your second "primary" table you have

background="http://www.greeneconomyproject.org/images/email_BG.jpg"

Image backgrounds don't work for a majority of email clients. I'd recommend using an email testing suite like Litmust (http://litmusapp.com/) I believe you have to pay to use Litmus but there may be some free testing platforms if you google it.

Anyway, use background colors in emails, never background images. H

Hope that helps!

[donatello]

Email has to be coded like it's 1995 all over again! No CSS, TABLES! Yes, you should actually use tables for layout.

600 pixels wide...

The best quick guidelines are over at the MailChimp page... I think the URL is:

www.MailChimp.com


They have a one page guide on creating HTML mail that works in most mail clients...

Worth a look for sure!
Good luck!