Using AWS SES to Guarantee HTML Email Delivery

Daniel Marino
Friday, April 19, 2024 at 4:36:50 PM
PHP

Optimizing Email Formatting in Laravel Using AWS SES

When sending HTML emails over the SES API with the AWS SDK for PHP v3, developers frequently run into problems with content rendering. In particular, HTML content is handled as plain text if the Content-Type header is missing. This leads to emails that do not maintain the proper formatting, which detracts from the message's polished appearance and readable quality.

Adding a correct Content-Type header guarantees that HTML is handled appropriately, but occasionally it prevents emails from reaching the recipient's mailbox. Email content, configuration settings, and the particulars of the recipient's email service are some of the possible causes of this. For email distribution to be successful, it is essential to comprehend these subtleties.

Command Description
$client = new Aws\Ses\SesClient([...]); Specifies the version and region to connect to the SES service when starting a new instance of the SES client via the AWS SDK for PHP.
$result = $client->sendRawEmail([...]); Transmits emails in a bespoke, raw format that includes headers and MIME parts. This is important when sending multipart emails, such as HTML emails that include attachments.
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; Indicates that the email has several sections (text, HTML, attachments, etc.) that are encoded using distinct MIME standards.
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Specifies the encoding of the message content for safe transmission over networks that may change white spaces or line breaks.
--Boundary Used to divide an email message into its component components. Every section starts with a delimiter line.
catch (Aws\Exception\AwsException $e) Handles exceptions raised by the AWS SDK for PHP, enabling more gentle failure handling and error checks during the email sending process.

Knowing How to Use AWS SES to Implement HTML Email Sending

The given scripts demonstrate how to use the AWS SDK for PHP v3 to build email capabilities with HTML content. Establishing a new instance of the is the first crucial step in this process, as it allows you to connect to the AWS Simple Email Service (SES). This client setup is critical because it sets up the parameters that the SDK needs to interface with AWS services, such as the API version and AWS region. The command, which establishes the connection parameters for email transmission, contains this configuration.

The script builds the email content and headers in a variable after the client setup, meticulously structuring each section with distinct MIME types and boundaries using commands like and . This format guarantees that email clients accurately comprehend various email components, including attachments and HTML content. The command handles the actual email sending; it transmits the prepared raw email data over SES. This script's handling of potential issues with catch (Aws\Exception\AwsException $e) is essential since it enables debugging and graceful failure in the event that the email is sent incorrectly.

Improving HTML Email Capabilities with AWS SES and Laravel

PHP v3 with AWS SDK Utilization

$client = new Aws\Ses\SesClient([
    'version' => 'latest',
    'region' => 'us-east-1'
]);
$sender_email = 'Rohan <email>';
$recipient_emails = ['email'];
$subject = 'Subject of the Email';
$html_body = '<html><body><p>Hello Rowan,</p><p>This email is part of testing deliverability of emails when using AWS SES service</p></body></html>';
$charset = 'UTF-8';
$raw_email = "From: $sender_email\n";
$raw_email .= "To: " . implode(',', $recipient_emails) . "\n";
$raw_email .= "Subject: $subject\n";
$raw_email .= "MIME-Version: 1.0\n";
$raw_email .= "Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary=\"Boundary\"\n\n";
$raw_email .= "--Boundary\n";
$raw_email .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=$charset\n";
$raw_email .= "Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable\n\n";
$raw_email .= $html_body . "\n";
$raw_email .= "--Boundary--";
try {
    $result = $client->sendRawEmail(['RawMessage' => ['Data' => $raw_email]]);
    echo 'Email sent! Message ID: ', $result->get('MessageId');
} catch (Aws\Exception\AwsException $e) {
    echo "Email not sent. " . $e->getMessage();
}

Tracking Down Delivery Problems for HTML Content in AWS SES

PHP Programming Integrated with AWS SDK v3

// Create a new Amazon SES client
$sesClient = new Aws\Ses\SesClient([
    'version' => '2010-12-01',
    'region'  => 'us-west-2'
]);
$email_subject = 'Test Email Subject';
$email_html_body = '<html><body><h1>Hello,</h1><p>Testing SES Send.</p></body></html>';
$email_text_body = 'Hello,\nTesting SES Send.';
$recipient = 'recipient@example.com';
$sender = 'sender@example.com';
$email_body = "--MyBoundary\n";
$email_body .= "Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8\n";
$email_body .= "Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit\n\n";
$email_body .= $email_text_body . "\n";
$email_body .= "--MyBoundary\n";
$email_body .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8\n";
$email_body .= "Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit\n\n";
$email_body .= $email_html_body . "\n";
$email_body .= "--MyBoundary--";
$sesClient->sendRawEmail([
    'Source' => $sender,
    'Destinations' => [$recipient],
    'RawMessage' => [ 'Data' => $email_body ]
]);
echo 'Email sent successfully!';

SES-Based Advanced Email Deliverability Techniques

When sending HTML emails over AWS SES, the way your email headers and MIME types are configured can have a big impact on email deliverability. The email client will identify the email content as HTML if the MIME type is correctly defined as "text/html." The HTML tags are rendered as plain text, which can cause formatting problems, if this is misconfigured or set by default to 'text/plain'. This emphasizes how crucial precise header settings are to the email sending process, particularly when many content types are involved.

Maintaining sender reputation and using email authentication techniques like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are also essential for delivery. Through the management of these settings, AWS SES ensures that the sender is permitted to send emails on behalf of the domain that is claimed in the email header, hence increasing deliverability rates. This improves security and makes it more likely that emails end up in the intended inboxes instead of getting tagged as spam.

  1. Why does HTML content display as plain text in the first place?
  2. 'text/plain' rather than 'text/html' is the 'Content-Type' header being incorrectly set, which is the main cause.
  3. How can I use AWS SES to increase email deliverability?
  4. Keep your sender reputation high and make sure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings are configured correctly for email authentication.
  5. 'Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable': what does it accomplish?
  6. It preserves data integrity by encoding the email content in a form that is most effective for SMTP to handle.
  7. Is it possible to deliver HTML-containing attachments using AWS SES?
  8. With the right formatting of the email boundaries and the selection of the'multipart/mixed' Content-Type, you can send attachments.
  9. Why is it that emails with proper HTML layout could yet not arrive in the recipient's inbox?
  10. It might be the result of problems with the email's content setting off spam filters or misconfigured email authentication systems.

When using AWS SES, deliverability problems with HTML emails are frequently caused by improper header configurations or noncompliance with email authentication guidelines. Emails with proper configuration guarantee dependable delivery as well as preservation of the desired formatting. To improve email performance, developers need to be very aware of boundary settings, authentication procedures, and MIME types. By addressing these factors, emails sent using AWS SES will look better and be positioned more favorably in inboxes.