Why is it important to use HTTPS for links and images in email marketing?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that images in emails must be HTTPS, or they may not load in some email clients like Comcast when accessed over HTTPS. Chrome may auto-upgrade HTTP images to HTTPS if available. Gmail uses a proxy so this is not an issue.
Email marketer from Litmus Community responds that using HTTP images can lead to rendering issues in some email clients, especially when the email itself is viewed over HTTPS. This can result in broken images or security warnings.
Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that while HTTPS directly impacts website SEO, using HTTPS links in emails can indirectly improve brand perception and trust, leading to better engagement metrics. Also, secure sites are often prioritized.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that using HTTPS ensures data encryption between the user's computer and the server, protecting sensitive information. It also helps improve email deliverability as some email providers may flag emails with HTTP links as suspicious.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor explains that many email clients are moving towards stricter security policies. Some may block or warn users about emails containing non-HTTPS links and resources.
Email marketer from Reddit responds that using HTTPS image links will ensure better image rendering and experience for users using dark mode email clients. Some clients will not display images that are not HTTPS enabled by default.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that using HTTPS links enhances user trust. Seeing the secure padlock icon in their browser builds confidence and encourages interaction with the email's content.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow mentions that Browsers and Email Clients show warnings for HTTP because it doesn't encrypt data. Without encryption, user data can be intercepted.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that adopting HTTPS for all email links and images is a future-proof strategy. As web standards evolve, browsers and email clients will likely become even more strict about enforcing HTTPS.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares issues can arise with page rendering in "view online" versions of emails when mixing HTTP and HTTPS content.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares the HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) can cause issues where HTTP links redirecting to HTTPS sites fail on consecutive attempts until the browser cache is cleared. HSTS forces browsers to use secure HTTPS connections.
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection responds that it is a best-practice approach to only use HTTPS. It provides a seamless experience across devices and applications.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks explains that while HTTP links might work for a while, browsers are increasingly warning about non-HTTPS links, and eventually, emails might not display correctly without HTTPS.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that Google favors HTTPS links in search rankings and that there is a likely benefit to using HTTPS in emails to Gmail.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that using HTTPS builds user trust and protects sensitive information, preventing eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. It ensures that the connection between the user and the server is encrypted.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Mozilla Developer Network explains HTTPS protects data integrity, preventing attackers from tampering with resources transmitted over the network. This is crucial for ensuring email recipients see the intended content.
Documentation from DigiCert explains that HTTPS helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks by encrypting the communication channel. This protects user data and ensures that attackers cannot intercept or modify the email content or linked resources.
Documentation from Cloudflare shares using HTTPS enables the use of HTTP/2, which can improve website loading speed by enabling header compression, multiplexing and server push. This will improve website performance if this is the URL that is linked to. This contributes to a better overall user experience.
Documentation from Google Developers explains that mixed content (HTTPS page loading HTTP resources) can weaken security. Browsers block mixed content or display warnings, impacting user experience. Using HTTPS for all resources avoids these issues.