| Creating
a Clipstream Video powered HTML mail
Step 4 |
|
Step 4. Incorporating
non-HTML or non-Java email properties
Make
sure all mail recipients get a message and are given the
choice to see the Clipstream Video video by creating separate versions
of the email:
- Create an
error image .jpg or .gif that shows up if the recipient's HTML-enabled
email client does not have Java enabled. This image includes a
message that urges them to click on a link to a duplicate HTML
page of the HTML email with the Clipstream Video accessible by
the recipient's web browser and allows the page design to stay
intact.
- (optional)
Create a pure
text version of your email including links to launch a duplicate
HTML page of the HTML email with the Clipstream Video accessible
by the recipient's web browser.
- (optional)
Create a duplicate of the HTML mail that resides on a web server
that has the Clipstream Video.
- (optional)
Create a second
error image .jpg or .gif that appears if the user's web browser
is not Java enabled. This image includes a message that urges
them to go to a help page that tells them how to enable Java in
their web browser if they want to see the video.
- (optional)
Create a personalized
help page that tells the user how to enable Java in their web
browser and email client or direct them to see the Clipstream
help page that tells them to do it..
Non-HTML
email recipients
A small percentage of email clients are not HTML capable and an
HTML mail will not appear correctly in those email viewers. To ensure
that the recipient receives a message, you must create a multi-part
email containing a text version of the email that your mailserver
administrator sends out with the HTML mail. This means you must
create a text version of your entire message where graphic text
becomes standard formatted text, body text is formatted using indentations,
etc.
Clipstream Video
will not play in a text-only email. However, you can include web
links in the text that point the recipient to click on them so that
they can open up a page where the video resides. Include a message
that tells the recipient that they can view a streaming video and
then include the link to that page. Some people create a complete
duplicate of their HTML mail that exists as web page that they urge
the non-HTML email recipient to click to.
Non-Java
email recipients
Some
recipients with HTML capable email choose not to enable their Java
or don't know how to enable it. This also includes email programs
that currently do not directly support Java such as Hotmail and
AOL email users. To accommodate these recipients, create a error
image (.jpg or .gif) approximately the same size as the applet
that appears if Java is not detected in their email client. This
image should contain a message that tells them that if they wish
to view a streaming video, they should click on the image. If they
choose to do so, it will launch their web browser and open up a
duplicate of the HTML mail that exists on a web server.
Include a code
like this in the Clipstream Video applet code that appears anywhere
before the end of the </applet>:
<a href="http://www.yourdomain.com/duplicate_of_the_html_mail.html">
<img src="http://www.yourdomain.com/errorimage.jpg" border="0" alt="Click Here to view this cool Clipstream Video video email.">
</a>
An example is
the image below:
Non-Java
enabled web browsers
Some users will
not have Java enabled in their browsers which will prevent Clipstream Video
from playing (although all popular browsers come with Java enabled
as a default). To get Clipstream Video to play you must give the
user a choice to enable Java by sending them to a help page that
contains information on how to do this.
A good example of
this is the visitor help page
on Clipstream.com. A
good way of directing users to such a page is to include another error
image (.jpg or .gif) that appears in place of the disabled applet
in the same way as your created an error image for the non-Java
HTML mail. This error image will have a slightly different message that
tells the user to click on it to go to the visitor help page.
Include an image
and link like this in the applet code in your duplicate HTML email
page. Note: this image and link replaces the error image that you
have in your actual HTML email that you sent out.
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