One of my primary task at my day job is sending out daily newsletter to our teeming customers. As with every other thing web, I have to test my letters across multiple clients: web, mobile and desktop/native.

Google in its infinite wisdom decided to re-colour my links even down to plain text. If you have ever dealt with newsletters you will know that there isn’t so much flexibility - 600px max-width, inline CSS and loads of tables. Let’s not get started on mobile devices, that’s a post for another day.

I spent days trying to figure out what I did or was doing wrong. Why can’t things like links be any simpler? Google why try to complicate my life? Don’t be Evil - pun intended. Y!, Hotmail and co will render just fine, Google? No.

We all have heard about the buzz phrase “best practices, right?” I have. That said, many scholars and “experts” will cuss and swear if you ever mentioned you use(d) !important in your style sheet. You are automatically labeled an outcast.

Now here’s the thing, I work at a company that defies the status quo. We believe in done is better than perfect, with this in mind I threw away my best practices hat. I used !important.

color: #000 !imprtant

Boom, Google got the message. My letter now have a similar resemblance with my mock-ups.

So, when next you are faced with these kinds of issues, bite the bullet and throw away the “best practices” hat. Become the rebel. Use !important. :-)

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Do you want to say hello? Email me - celestineomin@gmail.com

I tweet at @cyberomin