Email template export: Formats, ESP integration, and post-export workflows

You’ve built your email, and now it needs to get somewhere. Whether that’s your ESP, a colleague’s inbox, or a marketing automation platform, how you export matters more than you might think.

We’ve got you covered. It is very important that the emails you create can be delivered quickly and easily to the places where you need them. In this article, we’ll walk through every export option you can use for your email marketing, their ins and outs, and the overall process nuances you should know.

Key takeaways

1. There are several ways to export your template. As an HTML file, you can export it to the ESP of your choice, use third-party tools like Webhook or Zapier, download it as a PDF or image, and much more. Each way has its own applications, so choose based on where your template needs to go.
2. Direct ESP export is the easiest and fastest way to export created templates, but it only works if your email design tool has a direct integration with the ESP needed.
3. Post-export issues, such as broken rendering, missing images, or shifted layouts, are usually caused by how the receiving ESP processes imported HTML, not by the export itself.

Export format comparison: Which file type to choose

Let’s start with the basics and talk about various types of formats to which you can export your email template. They have different nuances behind them, so we’ll consider each one for you to have a better understanding of what’s what.

HTML file

The first type of format you can choose for export is an HTML file. Briefly speaking, it’s a full-fledged .html file that you can save and open in a browser to check how your template looks.

The main pitfall of this export type is that all images you used during template design are saved on the CDN server (Stripo servers), and each image in the code is specified with the link that leads to this server. If you delete images from the server, they won’t display correctly in your HTML file.

HTML archive

If you need to have all your template files in one file, .zip archive export is your go-to option. When you export your template this way, all images and template files are stored in this .zip archive. Meanwhile, all links to these images in your template file are led to the exact image path, where all the images are stored. Once you move the folder with images or do any other manipulations with the storage path, all images will stop displaying.

HTML code

Tech-savvy marketers most likely want to get under the hood of their templates, so HTML code export is a great option. All you need to do is just copy and paste the whole template code to the code editor you use and make your tweaks there.

AMP HTML file

It’s the same as an HTML file, but it’s packed with interactive AMP elements that fuel gamification, interactive elements, and much more. So, if you have set your email marketing on the interactivity path, AMP HTML export is your partner.

PDF and image exports

We decided to single out the export of templates into various file formats, which, at first glance, may not seem necessary to the user. After all, who wants to export their HTML email as an image?

However, due to users’ requests for this feature, we have added it as an option. For example, 9% of our users export their emails as PDF files.

By conducting surveys and talking with our clients, we discovered that such an export format is needed to validate the email design. They find it more convenient to look at the entire email picture. Plus, they often include arrows, leave comments, and draw on various elements within the file, thereby giving a clearer understanding of which parts of the email need to be improved.

Exporting to your ESP: Direct push vs. manual HTML import

Now, let’s talk about one of the most popular export options that interests many marketers. This is not surprising, as every marketer wants a quick and convenient way to export their created template to their ESP of choice, so they can then embed their creation in an email campaign and deliver it to their audience’s inboxes.

How direct ESP push works

Direct export to ESP works as simply as it sounds. If your ESP has a direct integration with Stripo, all you need to do is connect your ESP account with Stripo, and you are ready to export your templates. Once the connection is established, all exports will take you only two clicks, making them fast and seamless.

Stripo supports over 81 email service providers, and this list is constantly growing as we carefully assess the requests of customers and expand our offerings.

Step-by-step: Connecting Stripo to your ESP

Establishing a connection between Stripo and your ESP is straightforward. First, find your desired ESP from our extensive list manually or by typing in its name. After that, click on the ESP and choose New Connection.

After that, enter the name of your account to which all your future templates will be exported.

Once it’s done, you’ll be introduced to a log-in screen, where you need to log in into your ESP account. Once logged in, the connection will be established, and you’ll be ready to export your templates to this ESP.

Manual HTML import: When no direct integration exists

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of different ESPs in the industry that assist businesses in sending emails to their audiences and measuring their effectiveness on a daily basis. And every business wants the templates created in other tools to be seamlessly transferred to their ESP of choice.

In most cases, you need to set up the email code in your ESP after exporting it, making additional tweaks, and restoring aspects that work differently after the export (or don’t work at all). 

Why are all Stripo templates fully exportable?

Since we aim for ease in email template export, certain tweaks to the code are necessary to make it compatible with different ESPs. As a result, all the templates you build with Stripo have clean code without service symbols that may conflict with ESPs. This means that you will not need to set the code for your email template after exporting. What happens after that depends on how your receiving ESP handles imported code, and we cover that in detail further in this article. 

Template editing after export

There’s always room for improvement, as they say. If you need to edit your exported email template within the ESP of your choice, you can do it. All email templates can be edited after export in several ways:

• via WYSIWYG editors built into ESPs;
• using code editors that allow users to tweak texts, colors, image links, etc.

For example, if you export a template to Mailchimp, you can tweak it using the platform’s built-in code editor.

Bulk export: Migrating or refreshing a template library

Imagine that you have made some beautiful templates that will form the main part of your email campaign, and you now need to push all of them to your ESP. You might think you need to export each template individually by repeating the same steps.

This only takes a few clicks. You just need to select the multiple templates created in Stripo and push them to your ESP. Voila, all your created templates are there!

Our exports are paid and limited by number, depending on the plan of your choice. Currently, we offer the following plans:

• free plan with 4 exports monthly;
• basic plan with 50 exports monthly;
• medium plan with 300 exports monthly;
• pro plan with 4000 exports monthly.

Important note: Keep in mind that these export limits cover all export options mentioned in this article. Besides that, you can buy additional exports if you need more than your plan provides. However, if you buy additional exports again after you bought them earlier this month, the previous additional exports you bought will vanish.

What survives export, and what doesn’t

When you export your created templates, you should always keep in mind that, depending on your final export destination, some things in your templates can disappear and look and work differently, as well as stop working at all. We’ve gathered a short list of what you might expect to stay intact after export and what elements might change depending on the circumstances.

Merge tags and personalization syntax

To be more specific, each ESP to which you can export your templates has its own merge tags. Not only are they different, but their syntax also varies. For example, Mailchimp uses *|FNAME|*, HubSpot uses {{ contact.firstname }}, Klaviyo uses {{ first_name }}, and so on.

As a result, if you use one set of merge tags and export them to another ESP, they will stop working. First, you should make sure you insert ESP-specific tags as part of the text. They’ll pass through to the exported HTML exactly as written.

The second option is to use placeholders. Write something like [FIRST_NAME] in the editor; then find and replace it with your ESP’s syntax after exporting.

AMP elements and fallback 

Your interactive AMP elements usually survive the email template export if the ESP you want to export your template to support the AMP itself. And that’s a big “if” we got here, as only a handful of ESPs and email clients support AMP content. As a result, if you export your interactive template to non-AMP destinations, your precious interactivity will stop working, and you won’t even see it.

In that case, it’s vital for you to prepare a fallback version of your interactive content. There are two types of fallbacks you can create:

• kinetic version: This is interactive content built with HTML5 and CSS3, as it offers a lighter form of interactivity, like showing/hiding sections or supporting quizzes and polls. It works in Apple Mail, Samsung Mail, Thunderbird, and most modern email clients;
• static fallback: This is a simple HTML version that shows text, images, and links only. It’s the safest version and works everywhere, including Outlook.

If you still want to export your interactive email to your ESP without interactive support, your email will be exported as a classic HTML email (meaning that all interactive content will be cut out). Keep this nuance in mind when your email campaigns require interactivity.

Conditional blocks and dynamic content

Even though templates created in Stripo have clean code and are ready to be exported, there are still many dependencies on the final EPS destination. We have a bit of a tricky situation in terms of conditional blocks and dynamic content. It also depends on the ESP of your choice, the type of dynamic content, and much more. Usually, simple personalization, show/hide conditions, and ESP-native dynamic blocks remain intact after export. However, the whole situation turns upside down when real-time or API-driven content and custom scripting come into play. There are too many variables in which a possible break can occur after an export. The best possible way to handle this uncertainty is to use basic conditions or add advanced conditions after you export your template to the ESP (if its tools allow you to edit the code). In this way, you can make tweaks specifically for the tool you use and its requirements.

Common post-export problems and how to fix them

Email template export is a complex process if you go under the hood. As a result, small problems can emerge, and you should be prepared to fix them. We’ve gathered some of the most common ones that you can stumble into.

Exporting without an ESP: Gmail, Outlook, Zapier, and Webhook

If you need to export your created template without any ESP involved, there are a handful of ways you can do it, like exporting to Gmail or Outlook or using tools like Zapier or Webhook. 

Export to Gmail or Outlook

In developing our export functionality, we ensured that email messages and templates could be exported to the popular email providers Gmail and Outlook, which have the largest market shares. According to a recent Litmus summary, the shares of these email clients are as follows:

• Gmail: 23.54%;
• Outlook: 5.67%.

Stripo has a convenient and fast way of exporting emails directly to your email client. Fortunately, the exported templates are editable; you can change the text and pictures and delete and add the necessary elements directly in the email client.

For example, the export process to Gmail looks like this:

• click the “Export” button above the template area;
• in the pop-up window, choose Gmail;
• enter your Gmail credentials (Stripo will not have access to your account, only draft emails. We pass the Bishop Fox Security Test every year, so you may rest assured that your privacy is well protected);
• find your email in the Drafts folder in the featured email client.

Your Outlook emails can be exported to Windows, macOS, and even the web version, which greatly expands your export options and provides greater convenience.

Export through Webhook and Zapier

These services allow you to export emails to any marketing automation platform using webhooks. In the meantime, webhooks (or reverse APIs) are dedicated tools that allow a system or application to receive real-time notifications about various events in another system or application.

These export options can be found in the Applications tab of our export window.

Stripo has direct integration with the popular webhooks Zapier and Webhook. We have convenient and detailed manuals for integrating your emails into these webhooks:

• manual for Zapier;
• manual for Webhook.

When to use no-ESP export vs. direct ESP push

You may be confused about when to use each of the export option, so we’ve decided to create a small table that can push your decision in the right direction.

The pre-export checklist

Even if your ESP is supported and you think that your next template export will be flawless, it’s still worth conducting quick checks before hitting that Export button. Here’s your short checklist that you can use right away to make sure your email templates are greenlit for export.

Design and content checks

1. Review merge tag placement, as incorrect placement can break layout or rendering.
2. Validate dynamic content visibility to ensure that every audience sees appropriate content.
3. Confirm conditional blocks are rendered correctly, as hidden or duplicated sections are common export issues.
4. Review the dark mode appearance since some ESPs rewrite styles during export.
5. Review hidden preheader texts, as ESP imports sometimes expose hidden content.
6. Verify font fallbacks since if you use custom fonts, they may not survive the export to your ESP if it doesn’t support your fonts.

Technical checks

1. Check inline CSS, as many ESPs strip embedded styles.
2. Verify merge tag syntax for the target ESP since the syntax differs across platforms.
3. Confirm conditional syntax compatibility, as ESP parsers handle logic differently.
4. Ensure that fallback HTML exists for AMP, as it’s critical for unsupported clients.
5. Minify HTML cautiously, as over-minification can break conditions or AMP.
6. Validate tracking placeholders, as ESPs may rewrite or duplicate tracking links.
7. Check whether the ESP rewrites HTML on import, as it’s critical for advanced layouts and logic.

Bulk export checks

1. Verify naming conventions prevents confusion across campaigns and ESPs.
2. Confirm correct workspace/project selection to avoid exporting outdated assets.
3. Check localization variants, as wrong language versions often spread during bulk operations.
4. Verify tracking standards across all templates to ensure analytics consistency.

Export settings: Advanced options you should know

Stripo has a few export customizations that you will want to enable (or disable, depending on your needs) that we should explain where to find and how they work.

HTML minimization

The Minimize HTML feature is included in all HTML export options. You can enable it to make your exported HTML file even lighter in terms of file size. It removes all line breaks, extra spaces, and indentation in the HTML code and reduces file size. This makes the code more compact but harder to read manually.

Image path and folder configuration

This feature is exclusive to Archive HTML export and allows you to set a specific path (or simply a folder) to save images within the archive. By default, all images will be stored in /images directory, but you can easily change it.

Support of accessibility

This feature is included in all versions of the export and is vital for keeping your emails accessible to people with visual disorders and other disabilities. It sets the role=presentation attribute, which assists screen readers used by some recipients with disabilities. When deactivated, the role=presentation attribute will be removed from the HTML code.

Fixed image dimensions

This export feature is also available for all HTML export options. When you enable it, both dimensions (height and width) will be specified for each image in the HTML code. This is primarily necessary for certain ESPs that might alter image dimensions during HTML file import.

Wrapping up

Email export is an indispensable feature that allows you to save valuable time when creating email campaigns. Throughout your work, you will be required to transfer emails from the editor to the marketing automation system. Stripo ensures that this process is simple and does not require technical knowledge. We provide you with five different options for any marketing case, covering the needs of email marketers, no matter what ESP, email provider, or email design pipeline you use. We have you covered in any situation. 

FAQ

Can I export a drag-n-drop email as HTML?

Yes, it’s the most basic way to export your created template, and you can use several ways of doing it (HTML file, HTML archive, or HTML code).

How many templates can I export per month?

It depends on your payment plan; we have plans with 4, 50, 300, and 4,000 monthly exports (with the ability to buy additional exports separately).

Will my merge tags work in the new ESP after export?

If you use merge tags that are supported by your ESP, they will work after export.

What happens to AMP content when I export to an ESP without AMP support?

The AMP part is usually ignored or removed, and recipients see only the fallback HTML version.

Can I export multiple email templates at once?

Yes, we have a bulk export feature that allows you to export large numbers of templates.

Can I edit the template in my ESP after exporting it?

Yes, but only if your ESP has this feature.