Using Indesign to make a HTML file for a newsletter

[designo2]

Hopefully someone is able to answer this frustrating question I have. I have use of very few Adobe software unfortunately, but a few I do have are InDesign & Dreamweaver. I know, I know, I've made a big mistake already and that's trying to create a HTML newsletter in indesign, but I'm not great at coding a full nice looking newsletter in Dreamweaver.

I have created my document using imagery, text and including hyperlinks in some areas. When I try to export to HTML so I can upload to Mailchimp, it just doesn't keep it's layout. Everything is there when I view in the browser, it's just in a strange order!

I didn't embed my images and I'm wondering if that's what I'm doing wrong, or whether what I'm trying to do just isn't going to work!

Any theories you guys might have are welcomed enormously! I'm hoping I can figure something out because I would really love it if I can get it to work.

Thank you!

[Steve Werner · Accepted solution]

We just had a thorough discussion of this topic yesterday or the day before. I highly recommend reading through this thread:

How to create a email newsletter and email signature? And what Adobe software do you use?

[designo2]

Thank you Steve!

[JonathanArias]

You can't do it. here is why.

An html newsletter is made of inline styles tables with rows and columns. The code has to be clean because there is a massive number of restrictions email programs will use as excuse to reject the email

here is them complete list of the styles that will work per email program:

CSS Support Guide for Email Clients | Campaign Monitor

because of this reason none of the adobe tools will do the work for you if giving you a perfect email newsletter ( except for dreamweaver and clean coding with understanding of tables). You should use mailchimp, dotmailer.com or constant contact platforms for making the email newsletter. They will not allow you to make mistakes since they are design so you can make a email blast that works across all of the email programs. Microsoft Outlook is the bad boy in this whole equation. there is a ton of things microsoft outlook does not accept and if you are doing an email newsletter that will go to an outlook email program, you HAVE to keep it simple and live by what outlook will let you do. again, see the link above.

This tool will allow you to run a poorly written HTML document thru it and it will clean it to make it work:

Premailer: pre-flight for HTML email

I know what you are thinking.. i can just make it on indesign and export and html document and run it in premailer and i am done. Go ahead. and good luck.

If you have access to mailchimp. start from scratch on mailchimp building your template. It will take you minutes compare to the pain you are subjecting yourself to by trying to upload the html file indesign generates.

I do this all the time for 7 years now. Design in adobe indesign or illustrator or whatever you like. Show that design to the people you work with and than make the email newsletter on mailchimp. If you are not following the basic principles of design in tables for html you will not be able to duplicate the design since you just can't do that with tables, and mailchimp will just not let you.

If you show me a screenshot of the email newsletter design you made i can help you further. You have to think in tables and rows when making these.

stop exporting you html from indesign, that layout is just a guideline at this point. build from scratch on mailchimp and use the design you made as your guide. as you are duplicating the layout in mailchimp you will find section where you can't do what you design. here is the part where you have to change the layout you made in indesign since it does not work for HTML .

slice your images and work on mailchimp from scratch

[jennyo89533863]

Hi there!

Newsletter designed in Indesign but sent out via mail chimp and a Printed piece

Is there a way I can design a newsletter and send out via mail chimp? The newsletter needs to be printed and sent out as well via mail chimp. Can anyone help ??? thank you

[JonathanArias]

no, you have to make it from mailchimp