What is a plain text email?
Most marketing emails are designed emails. The content sits in a centred column with a background fill on either side, and uses custom HTML for colours, images, product blocks and buttons. This is most noticeable on desktop, but applies on mobile too.
A plain text email looks like an email you would write and send yourself from your own inbox. The text is left aligned, with no background fill, no images and no designed layout. A common example is a letter from the founder.
In Instant AI, every email is a designed email by default. You can switch any flow step or campaign to a plain text email with the Plain text email toggle in the email editor.
Plain text emails are fully manual. You write the subject line, preview text and body yourself, and Instant AI does not generate or change any of the content.
Why you need one
- Some messages are meant to read as a personal note, for example a founder letter, a thank you, a feedback or review request, or a message to your VIP shoppers.
- A text block inside a designed email still sends inside the centred, designed layout.
- Without plain text mode, you would need to send this type of email from another tool.
How to set it up
Before you start
In plain text mode you write the email yourself. Instant AI does not generate the subject line or body for that step, so have your copy ready.
Turning it on for a flow email
- Go to Email Templates in your Instant AI dashboard
- Select the flow you want to edit, for example Checkout Abandonment
- Select the Step you want to change at the top of the editor
- Scroll to the bottom of the left panel
- Turn on the Plain text email toggle
- Enter your Subject line
- Enter your Preview text, if you want to use one
- Write your email in the text editor
- Click Save Changes
The toggle applies to the step you have selected. To use plain text for other steps in the same flow, select each step and turn it on separately.
Turning it on for a campaign
- Open the campaign email for editing
- Scroll to the bottom of the left panel
- Turn on the Plain text email toggle
- Enter your Subject line, and Preview text if you want one
- Write your email in the text editor
- Click Save Changes
Writing your email
The plain text editor works like the compose window in your own email inbox. You can use simple formatting from the toolbar under the text box, such as bold, italics, bullet and numbered lists, links and text colour.
A subject line is required in plain text mode. Preview text is optional.
How it works
What the shopper sees
- The email is left aligned, with no padding and no background fill.
- There are no images, product blocks, buttons or designed layout.
- Your text and simple formatting show as you wrote them in the editor.
Switching back to a designed email
Turn off the Plain text email toggle to go back to the designed editor. Your designed email is kept, so it shows again as it was. Your plain text copy is also kept, so you can switch between the two before you save.
Whichever mode is on when you click Save Changes is the version that sends.
FAQ
Is plain text on by default? No. Every email is a designed email unless you turn on Plain text email for that step or campaign.
Can I add images or a button to a plain text email? No. Plain text emails have no images, buttons or blocks. To add a link, use the link option in the toolbar.
Will Instant AI write my plain text email for me? No. In plain text mode you write the subject line and body yourself.
If I turn plain text on, do I lose my designed email? No. Your designed email is kept. Turn the toggle off to go back to it.
Does plain text mode apply to the whole flow? No. It applies to the step you have selected. Turn it on for each step you want to send as plain text.
For more on who your emails are sent from, see How does Instant AI manage email sender to and from addresses?