Text versions are, in many ways, similar to their HTML counterparts. For example, they both require a Higher Logic Thrive Marketing Professional (Thrive Marketing Professional) content story location, and they both require unsubscribe links. However, what makes a text version unique is that it lacks the stylization, look, and feel of the HTML version. Quite simply, it only contains text. Let’s learn about how to manage these versions of your mailings.

The text version of your template generates automatically. The content found within the text version parallels that of the HTML version. And, while you can modify the text version, you’ll generally find that everything is already in place.

NOTE: Always review the text version as part of the Preview Test (don’t be satisfied by simply looking at the HTML version). This is especially important if you copied a previous mailing and made edits. If you don’t, you may find yourself with a different set of content between your HTML and text versions.

Viewing the Text template

As stated above, each HTML version of a mailing has an associated text version. To view and modify the text template:

1. Navigate to Mailings > Templates > View.
2. Hover over a mailing's menu icon and select Text.

3. The text template is populated with location codes, links, etc. from the HTML version. Here, you can make any additional changes as necessary.

1. Click Recreate Text Template to regenerate the text version. The template regenerates based on the parameters of the HTML version, and overrides any changes that were input manually.
2. Click Mailing Content Codes for examples of content codes that you can add to your text template.

4. Click Update to save your changes.

Modifying text versions of stories within a mailing

To exercise greater control over your mailings, you’ll want to view the text version of each story so that you can be sure it renders properly (you may need to modify the spacing and indentations if they don't render as expected).

1. Navigate to Mailings > View.
2. Hover over a mailing's menu icon and select Edit.
3. Navigate to the Design tab.
4. Click a Content Location to open the HTML editor for the corresponding story.

5. Click the Text Version toolbar icon to access the text version editor for your story. The Text Version window opens.

6. Click Recreate Text to generate a text version of the story.

7. Once the text is available in the window, you’ll be able to edit the spacing and indentations as necessary. When complete, click OK to save your changes.

Other Notes

There are a couple other things to note about text versions.

• By default, Thrive Marketing Professional sends HTML AND text versions of all mailings. This increases the chances of the mailing being delivered, which is especially beneficial if the HTML version bounces.
• You can choose to send ONLY the text version of a mailing. This is useful in the case of the United States Department of Defense, which disables HTML links for all inbound mail to military email addresses (identified with a .mil domain). Additionally, the HTML in a regular mailing may not render properly for a military address.

• TIP: As a best practice, send only text versions of mailings to these addresses.

• Hyperlinks in text versions are often quite long. It's a best practice to move the hyperlink under the related block of text to help preserve the flow of your content.