Why It Matters
Rich text occupies a useful middle ground. It's more visually appealing than plain text but less complex (and less prone to rendering issues) than full HTML. For internal communications, 1-to-1 business emails, and simple transactional messages, rich text gives you enough formatting to be clear and readable without the overhead of building an HTML template.
How It Works
Under the hood, rich text emails are encoded in RTF (Rich Text Format) or, more commonly these days, simple HTML. When you compose an email in Outlook or Gmail and apply bold formatting or insert a link, you're creating a rich text message. The email client generates lightweight HTML behind the scenes.
The key difference from "full" HTML email is the absence of complex layouts, embedded images, CSS styling, and the kind of multi-column designs you see in marketing newsletters. Rich text is essentially styled text -- formatted, but not designed.
Quick Tips
- Use rich text for internal and 1-to-1 emails where you want readability without a designed template
- For marketing campaigns, full HTML gives you far more control over layout and branding
- If deliverability is a concern (like cold outreach), lean toward plain text over rich text -- the simpler the better