Pros and Cons for Using Text Formatting in Emails

Email Formatting vs. Vocabulary

I’ve always favored using your vocabulary to show your intent and meaning rather than formatting text to get your message across. Formatting your emails can be helpful when appropriately used. But it’s a fine line, and many senders don’t realize it when they cross it.

Showing emphasis in emails can be achieved in several ways, depending on your message’s tone, intent, and context. So, let’s review your various formatting options and talk about the pros and cons of each.

Bold Text

Use bold text to highlight keywords or phrases you want to emphasize. However, use this sparingly to avoid making the email look cluttered or aggressive.

Highlight certain words and click the “B” button. Easy enough. However, overusing bold text can make your email look emotional and appear aggressive or confrontational. If everything is highlighted, it can also distract from your primary message.

Italics

Italics can be used to emphasize words or phrases subtly. They are considered less bold than bold text and can be used for a more nuanced emphasis.

While italics can be used for subtle emphasis, excessive use can make the email difficult to read and confuse the reader about the important points.

Underlining

Underlining can draw attention to specific words or phrases, such as bold and italics. However, it’s less commonly used in emails. Also, online, underlined text is expected to be a link.

Like bold text, overusing underlining can be confusing and detract from the overall message if it is not used consistently.

Caps Lock

Avoid using caps for emphasis, as it can come across as shouting and be perceived as rude or emotional.

Using caps for emphasis can be perceived as shouting and may come across as rude or confrontational. It can also make the email difficult to read and may distract from the main message.

Highlighting

If you’re using an email client that allows highlighting, you can use this feature to emphasize important points. Again, use this sparingly to avoid overwhelming the reader.

Overusing highlighting can make the email look messy and may confuse the reader about which points are truly important. It can also be distracting and detract from the overall message.

Bullet Points or Numbered Lists

Organize your points in a bullet-point or numbered list to make them stand out and easier to read. Just as I am doing here, this can help emphasize the importance or sequence of your points.

While bullet points or numbered lists can make your points stand out, you still need to put summarize your points to ensure the overall meaning.

Use of Exclamation Marks

While it’s important to use exclamation marks sparingly in professional emails, they can be effective in emphasizing enthusiasm or urgency. However, avoid using multiple exclamation marks in a row, which can appear aggressive.

Using too many exclamation marks can make your email appear super emotional or may come across as overly enthusiastic or insincere. It can also distract from the main message and may confuse the reader about the overall tone of the email.

Spacing and Formatting

Use spacing and formatting (e.g., line breaks, paragraphs) to make your email easy to read and highlight important points. White space is your friend when it comes to important communications

Poor spacing and formatting can make your email difficult to read and may cause the reader to miss important points. Long text that runs together and not in logical order can cause misunderstandings and confuse your message.

Repetition

Repetition can effectively emphasize a point, but it should be used carefully to avoid sounding redundant and bossy.

While repetition can emphasize your point, excessive repetition can make the email sound pushy and annoy the reader.

Formatting and Misunderstandings

While emphasizing points in emails can be effective, using these techniques sparingly and strategically is essential to ensure your message is clear and respectful. Overusing or misusing these techniques can lead to misunderstandings and may detract from the overall effectiveness of your communication.

It is a fine line you want to try not to cross.