If you’ve been doing an e-newsletter for a while, or if you’ve done your homework on e-marketing, you know that the success of your effort rests largely on your content. But it’s important not to forget that the term “content” doesn’t just mean words. Remember when you were a kid and your parents bought you a book? I don’t know about you, but if it didn’t have any pictures, that book was not worth my time. I tend more toward books without pictures now, but I still demand that my magazines, newspapers, and other media have at least a few visual elements. That way I can save my imaginative energy for reading novels on the beach.
My point is that using images effectively is a key component to boosting the readability of your e-newsletter. It’s also an area that I field technical questions on all the time. Most of the images you’ll work with in your e-newsletter will be the ones that accompany your articles and, like your articles, they will change with each issue. There will probably also be some images that appear in the same spot in your template for each issue and next month I’ll give you some tips on working with those as well.
For now, I’ll offer a few different ways to include images with your articles, so you will be able to get a handle on all your options.
1. The “Add Image” button
Most of you probably know that you can include pictures within articles using the “Add Image” button. It’s a quick and easy way to plug in your image and caption, and you don’t need to worry too much about the original image size because your template will determine the image size for you. You’ll find this button just beneath the “Article Body” field on the “New Article” (when you’re adding an article through the “Articles” button on the Main Menu) or on the “Edit Article” page (when you have an existing article you’re editing from the Layout Page).
When you click on the “Add Image” button, you’ll be taken to a page with instructions for uploading your image and a “Browse” button. You can use this button to find the GIF or JPEG image that you want to use and then click on “Upload File” to include it with the article.
If you’ve ever used this button to add images, you have probably noticed that the image then appears in a pre-set spot in relation to the article (left, right, top, bottom) and has a pre-set size (100 pixels if you’ve never changed the Default Settings). It might also appear on the article page in a section all its own, where it also adheres to a pre-set size and location on the page. However, just because these are pre-set doesn’t mean you can’t change the settings that determine where and how they appear. This is done through the Layout Editor.
In most cases, the images you see on the Cover Page appear with each article summary. The summaries and images are displayed within a Multiple Article element. To change the size and position of the pictures within one of the Multiple Article elements, simply click to edit that element.
Then, under “Picture Display Options,” choose the size and positioning you feel will work best with the rest of your layout. Note that you can also leave the Picture Size blank in order to always display the images at their original size.
Pictures entered in this way will automatically show up on the Article Page within a “Picture Display” element. By default, the article assignment for this element is set to “auto,” so it will automatically display the correct picture.
This is a great way to include images within articles in a consistent and simple arrangement.
IMN also gives you two other methods for adding images to your articles, both of which allow for more flexibility and will allow you to hyperlink images and include multiple images within an article.
2. Uploading your images as a part of a Microsoft Word document
When you create your article by uploading a Microsoft Word document, any images that appear within that document will automatically be uploaded with the article and will appear in the size and position that you gave them in the Word file.
Once you have completed the upload, you can use the HTML editor to view and edit your article, images included. Double-click on an image within the HTML editor and a dialogue box will come up with image information. Here you can resize, 
reposition, and even create extra space around the image. If you select the image by clicking on it once, you can also use the hyperlink button to link the image to a URL of your choice.
3. Using the HTML Editor to insert images
Even if you are not using a Microsoft Word document to upload your images, you can still take advantage of the flexibility of the HTML editor’s image capabilities. If you have written your article within our system, or if you have copied and pasted it, just click on “Use Editor” as you normally would to bring up the HTML editor, place your cursor where you would like the image to fall, and then click on the image button at the top of the editor.
Then, click on the file-folder icon in the right hand corner of the image information box to look for an image.
The window that pops up next will display any images that you have previously uploaded to our servers. Either double click on one of these, or select the “Upload” button to search your files for a different image.
When you’re done, the image will appear with your text in the HTML editor. You can then select it or double-click on it to edit it in the same way that you would if you had uploaded the image as a part of a Word document. When you are satisfied with your changes, save the article. Using the HTML editor to include images is a great way to achieve higher levels of flexibility and creativity with images.
I’ve outlined a few different methods here for adding images to your articles. Most of you will probably run into situations where each of these different methods will prove useful. If any of these techniques were new to you, I’d definitely recommend trying them out. This way, you can find the most comfortable and effective way for you to include images with each of your articles.
Next month, I’ll tackle the subject of adding images to your template as permanent design elements, rather than including them within articles. And until then, if you have any questions, feel free to email me!
Want to learn more from Jessica? Here is a library of her most recent tips:
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Giving Your Emails Personality: How to Get Recognized and Stand Out
Managing Your Subscribers: Five Tips to Get You Going
Getting Back to Basics: 3 Simple Steps for Creating a Customized Layout
Thinking Inside the Box: Layout for Beginners
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