Do Images Help or Hurt Your Email Campaigns?

If you are trying to save the Arctic Refuge, wouldn't including a photo of an adorable baby polar bear in your fundraising appeal boost response rates?

Several tests M+R Strategic Services recently conducted on behalf of its nonprofit clients indicate that images may no longer increase an email campaign's effectiveness. Although it's impossible to account for this decline with 100 percent certainty, the firm has identified two likely culprits.

1. Images are being blocked.

   The default setting for Microsoft Outlook 2003 and later is to block all images, and more and more ISPs and email clients (including Gmail and AOL) either do so automatically or offer blocking options. Many people, particularly those who aren't technically inclined, will never adjust these default settings, meaning that as your constituents upgrade and change providers, it is decreasingly likely they will see the images you send them.

   As compelling as your message may be, if the images are blocked, it can arrive in your readers' inboxes with an ugly, distracting hole where a picture or graphic should be. Worse yet, if you failed to specify the image's dimensions when you set up your message, a blocked graphic may actually fill the entire window — pushing your content far down the page and decreasing the chances that recipients will see the text or click on the advocacy or fundraising link at the end of your email.

   This scenario may be slightly off-putting for a message with just one or two small graphical elements, but it can spell real trouble for a highly stylized message in which a great deal of the content is represented using images. It may also be particularly problematic when constituents decide whether to open and read messages based on what they see on their inbox's preview pane. If all they spot is white space, they're probably not going to open your message.

2. Images are triggering spam filters and blockers.

   The rise of spam has led to a proliferation of blocking services and filters. Overaggressive spam blockers that mistakenly identify pictures and graphics and spam are increasingly catching or "quarantining" image-containing messages. The upshot is that these emails may now have a much tougher time reaching your subscribers' inboxes than they did even a few years ago.

What Do the Tests Show?

To provide a bit more insight into the images-versus-no-images debate, M+R conducted three tests on behalf of its clients, all nonprofit environmental advocacy groups.

Action Alert Test: Photo of the Popular Polar Bear

The following test was designed to determine whether the inclusion of an image would increase or decrease response rates to an email advocacy alert on polar bears. M+R chose this particular alert because polar bears are universal crowd-pleasers, improving the odds that a photo depicting these bears would significantly boost a message's appeal. (Presumably more so than, say, a photo of a vulture, eel, or warthog.)

Three versions of the same email were sent to randomly selected, equally divided samples of one organization's email list. All three messages had identical text; the only difference between them was the number of images they contained.

• Message 1: Header image only. This version contained a standard email header image (368x96 pixels), with no additional images.
• Message 2: No images. This version — created as an HTML message to allow for better formatting — was stripped of all images, except for an invisible 1-pixel image used to track its open rate.
• Message 3: Header image plus one additional image. This version contained a header image, along with an image of an adult polar bear and two cubs in the body of the message. M+R included alt text (text that appears in place of a blocked image)  and height and width attributes in the HTML coding to help ensure that the message remained nearly intact for people who used image-blocking software.

Who wouldn't want to help an adorable bear family after getting a good look at their furry faces? Interestingly enough, the photo had little impact on response rates.

In fact, the results from each of the three messages were surprisingly similar. While the version with no HTML wrapper or image had slightly lower open and response rates than the other two versions, the differences among the three were so small that they are not statistically significant. This means that M+R cannot say with any certainty that including an HTML wrapper or any additional images in an email message has any effect on open rates or advocacy response rates.

Message Version	Messages Received	Actions Taken	Open Rate	Click-Thru Rate	Completion Rate	Response Rate
HTML wrapper, no image	134,195	11,569	18.45%	8.84%	97.53%	8.62%
No HTML wrapper or image	136,949	11,983	18.46%	8.97%	97.57%	8.75%
HTML wrapper + additional image	137,098	11,949	18.70%	8.95%	97.38%	8.72%

Are Images More Effective in a Fundraising Appeal?

Another question M+R explored was whether or not images make a difference when used in a fundraising appeal (as opposed to an action alert). To find out, M+R tested the inclusion of images in two separate fundraising campaigns for another nonprofit environmental advocacy group.

Fundraising Appeal Test #1: Image vs. No Image

In this test, both messages had HTML wrappers with header and footer images. But while one message contained no extra graphics, the other contained an additional image of a landscape scene.

Overall, the difference in open and response rates to these fundraising appeals was not statistically significant. The version without the extra photo raised significantly more money than the version with it, but this difference was due in large part to one high-value donation.

Message Version	Messages Received	Number of Gifts	Amount Donated	Open Rate	Click-Thru Rate	Page Completion Rate	Response Rate
HTML wrapper plus image	47,324	103	$5,055	23.50%	0.86%	25.25%	0.22%
HTML wrapper, no image	46,385	112	$6,570	23.30%	0.91%	26.60%	0.24%

Fundraising Appeal Test #2: Image Versus Callout Box

As in Test #1, both messages contained HTML wrappers with header and footer images. One message contained an additional image of a landscape, while the other contained a callout box in the upper right-hand corner with a brief blurb about the campaign and a link to the donation page. The callout box was formatted in HTML, but contained no images.

Overall, the difference in open and response rates to these fundraising appeals was not statistically significant. As with the first test, the version without the image (albeit with the callout box) raised significantly more money than the version with the photo, but this difference was again due in large part to a single generous donation.

Message Version	Messages Received	Number of Gifts	Amount Donated	Open Rate	Click-Thru Rate	Page Completion Rate	Response Rate
Callout box, no image	58,611	52	$3,571	19.78%	0.42%	21.31%	0.09%
Image, no callout box	58,699	46	$1,765	19.99%	0.35%	22.12%	0.08%

Survey Says...

Although M+R cannot make any definitive claims based on the results of just three tests, the results do indicate that while the inclusion of additional images does not increase response rates to advocacy messages or fundraising appeals, it doesn't decrease them either. While it may not hurt to include properly formatted images in your email message (unless it gets quarantined or rejected by a potential donor or activist because it looks blank in the preview pane), nor does it appear to help.

However, if you've got a great photo of a charismatic or cuddly animal, a beautiful landscape, or an appealing person making direct eye contact, you may want to use it — provided you take the time to format your image properly. But if you're running out of time, can't find the right photo, or simply can't afford the licensing fee for the graphic you would like to include, don't sweat it! Your action alert or fundraising appeal will probably be just as effective on its own.

Tips for Including Images in HTML Emails

If you do decide to use an image, here are some strategies for maximizing its impact.

1. Use smaller header images. Large header images may take a long time to load. They also push the text of your email message further down the screen, forcing readers to scroll down to read your message or click on the all-important links to an action or donation page. To minimize scrolling and loading time, make sure that the first few paragraphs of your email message (and at least one link to the action or fundraising page) is visible above the fold in your HTML message.
2. Always include the image dimensions and alt text. With so many email providers using image-blocking technology these days, HTML messages that don't include the image dimensions or alt text can leave your messages looking mangled. Specifying the dimensions will ensure that the appropriate amount of blank space is left in place of the image; the alt text will clue your readers in to what they should be seeing. If you use spacer images (transparent images used to control spacing) however — which M+R doesn't recommend — do not include alt text.
3. Cut back on spacer images. Image blocking will also make spacer images less attractive, as they will manifest themselves as unnecessary little Xs in empty boxes.
4. Avoid image overload. While it can be tempting to jam-pack HTML messages with images and photos, the more images you include in your message, the longer it will take to download. For your list members with dial-up or slow Internet connections, this can lead to a frustratingly long wait time. Avoid sending image-laden messages and be sure to keep the file size of any images you do include to a minimum.
5. Consider adding an unobtrusive "View Web Version" link. This link goes to your organization's Web site, where readers can see the message as it was intended to look. Keep in mind, however, that this link constitutes another (unnecessary) barrier between your user and the action you want them to take. Ideally, your message should be designed so that it's not necessary to link to a Web version.

Even though a picture may be worth a thousand words, keep in mind that it is not necessarily worth a thousand dollars. By using images strategically and sparingly in your email messages, you'll maximize your impact — both on your readers and on the cause you are supporting.