asked on

HTML email not displaying correctly in Outlook 2010

Hello,

I am creating an HMTL email for a client. It displays correctly in every email client except the customer's, and they are using a Win 7 PC with Outlook 2010 Pro Plus.

The width of the table cells <td width="550"> are being ignored, and it looks very condensed - almost like they are viewing it on a phone screen. (See image1)

When I did some research, I read that adding a <style> tag to the <td> would force Outlook to to actually display a 550px table width. I added in a style width <td style="width:550px;"> to the table cells, but then my header image (which has a height and width specified, of 550x250) shrinks and doesn't fill the space. (See image2)

Here's a link to view the email itself:
http://secure.pledgemine.com/emails/etmp_50.asp?id_prf=767199&secure_src=60857

Any ideas why

1) Outlook is displaying my email so condensed? or

2) Outlook shrinks my image (which has a height and width specified)?

Thanks for any help on this,

Josh
image1.jpg
image2.jpg

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Dave Baldwin

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

skimox

ASKER

Dave -

I have looked at that campaign monitor page, and I've tired to be careful about not using code that Outlook can't read - or at least provide a backup which Outlook can use.

Do you see something specific that would cause Outlook do display incorrectly - either the width issue or the image size issue - based on the code I'm using?

Regarding your PS. I'm using the same doctype that Campaign monitor suggests using.
http://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/post/3317/correct-doctype-to-use-in-html-email/

Dave Baldwin

Open a copy of your email code in Word. That's what is used to display it in Outlook since 2007. Don't save it from Word though, it does horrible things to HTML.

nanharbison

Don't use this:
<td width="550" style="text-align:center;background-color:#fff;"><

try the ancient way:
<td width="550" align ="center" bgcolor="white">

And do change the DTD to html.

nanharbison

Have you thought of using a email marketing company like Constant Contact to send emails? They allow you to format email correctly for email clients.