Email campaign creation: step-by-step

Creating an email campaign

You can create an email campaign through the Channels > Emails tabs. Clicking on the 'Create Email' button on the top will bring you to Email settings.

Alternatively, use a template under the Emails/ Template tab to ease the email campaign creation process.

A new window with the content form will be opened:

Name

(required)

The name under which the email will be displayed in the list of emails. This name is only visible within the Channel/Emails tab.

Remember: If performance reporting is set up for Emails, frequently changing the campaign name may render the report difficult to understand. After the Email campaign is live and activated, we suggest changing the name as little as possible.

Email Subject

(required)

A brief description that summarizes the topic or purpose of an email message, which is displayed at the top of the email message, above the body of the email. You may use an attribute picker to personalize the subject line.

The limit is 150 characters.

Learn more: on how to make maximum use of the subject line.

Email Preheader

(optional)

The text that appears next to or below the subject line in the inbox. The limit is 100 characters.

You may use an attribute picker to personalize the preheader.

Learn more: on how to craft a click-worthy email preheader.

Sender address

(required)

The email address will appear as the sender of the email.

You can select from a list of email addresses that you have previously verified in the configuration section. If you have marked a default email address, it will automatically be filled in the email creation form.

Sender name

(required)

The "Sender Name" field is optional and provides an opportunity for users to personalize the recipient's inbox. This field allows users to provide the name of the sender that recipients will see when they receive the email.

Reply address

(required)

Select one from the dropdown list of configured emails.

The email address will be shown to recipients when they hit the "Reply" button in the email.

UTM parameters settings

(optional)

UTM parameters are used for 3rd party tracking with platforms like Google Analytics. Adding the UTM parameters to all links in your email lets you track campaigns and user behavior on the website.

UTM_CAMPAIGN	A specific identifier used to distinguish the content you are promoting. It is essential to choose a campaign name that is easily recognizable and memorable. E.g., SummerSalesCampaign
UTM_CONTENT	An optional parameter that helps to identify the specific content that is driving traffic to your site, e.g., segment, NewUsers
UTM_MEDIUM	Identifier of the marketing medium used to deliver your email, e.g., Newsletter.
UTM_SOURCE	A source refers to a particular advertiser, website, or publication that directs a visitor to your website, representing a distinct entity within a marketing channel. In our example, we can use Email.
UTM_TERM	An optional parameter used to track specific keywords or elements associated with your campaign, e.g., HeaderImage

For example:

If a user clicks on any link within your email, the resulting URL will include tracking parameters "utm_source," "utm_medium," "utm_campaign," "utm_term," and "utm_content."

For our case, the URL may appear as:

http://www.yourdomain.com?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=SummerSalesCampaign&utm_term=HeaderImage&utm_content=NewUsers

By including these parameters, you can more effectively track the performance of your email campaign and gain insights into which channels and content are driving the most traffic and conversions.

Creating an email template

Once you have filled in the required and necessary fields, you can move on to creating your email content. At this point, you will have two options to choose from:

Use the Visual Editor to construct a new email: this option allows you to use a drag-and-drop interface to create an email layout and add text, images, and other design elements to your email.
Use the HTML builder to construct a new email: This option enables you to build an email using HTML code. This method is best suited for users who are proficient in coding and want to have greater control over email design and functionality.

Regardless of which option you choose, both builders offer different advantages and can help you create professional-looking emails that resonate with your audience.

Step-by-step guide for Visual Editor

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use the Visual Editor:

1. Start by clicking on the "Visual Editor" to proceed with creating the template. The editor is divided into two main sections: the right-hand panel and the main editor window.

2. The right-hand panel contains a variety of content blocks, including text blocks, images, buttons, social media icons, and more.

3. To add a content block to your email template, click on the block on the right-hand panel and drag it to the desired location in the main editor window. You can then customize the content block by clicking on it and using the configuration tab that appears.

4. You can personalize an email campaign using the attribute picker. When the email is sent, the attributes will be replaced with the profile attributes value, e.g., first name, last name, abandoned product in the basket, etc.

To use the attribute picker, click on the attribute picker icon. This will open a list of available attributes for you to choose from. Select the attribute you want to use, which will automatically be inserted into your email content. You may add attributes to the text, images, and button blocks. If you need to refer to a multi-value compound attribute, you need to iterate over an array of values using the iteration block in the email editor.

5. To preview your email, click the "Preview" button at the top of the editor. This will allow you to see how your template will look on different devices, such as desktop computers and smartphones.

6. Once you've finished designing your email, click the "~~Save"~~Create" ~~button to save your changes.~~button. Use the ‘save as template’ button to save the content of already created email campaigns as a custom template.

Learn more: about the content blocks and their configurations available in the Email Editor.

Step-by-step guide for HTML builder

If you already have HTML Email templates created before, you can copy and paste them into our editor to get started. The HTML builder offers advanced customization options for those with a strong understanding of coding.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use the HTML Builder:

Once you choose a layout for HTML Builder, you will be directed to the email editor interface. To create an email, you can insert HTML code and other design elements here.
Personalize an Email using liquid syntax to the attributes. This syntax allows you to insert profile-specific information into your emails dynamically.
To preview your email template in real time, click the "Preview" button at the top of the editor. You can make adjustments as necessary to ensure the email looks and functions the way you intended.
Once you've finished designing your email, click the "~~Save"~~Create" ~~button to save your changes.~~button. Use the ‘save as template’ button to save the content of already created email campaigns as a custom template.

Personalize Emails

Personalization refers to the practice of tailoring messages for individual customers based on their unique data. This can involve addressing customers by name, adapting email content to specific segments, offering recommended products, and tailoring campaigns based on their individual purchasing history or preferences.

Learn more: about how to personalize emails in this article.

Preview & test

Preview

You can switch between the mobile and desktop views of your message to view and edit content. Remember, it is important to ensure that the code is written in a way that provides a visually pleasing appearance on smaller devices as well. You can check how the content will display on a mobile phone without going sending a test message.

Test

To test your email, you must first save it using the "Save" button located at the top of the page. Once you have saved your campaign, you will be able to proceed with testing.

You can choose to test your email template in various ways. For example, you can send a test email to yourself or to a group of users to confirm that your design, images, and text appear as expected on different email clients and devices. You can also test your email with attributes to make sure that the personalized content is populated correctly. Furthermore, you can check the links in your email to make sure they work correctly.

To start testing, you need to fill in the following:

Sent test to

Email addresses of the testing users (e.g., example@gmail.com).

Profile ID

Utilize any customer profile ID to fill in relevant attributes used in the email subject and content (e.g., 3ff16c5c-4109-328a-684f-2381ef149c52)

Remember: each customer profile has its ID, which you can see in the URL of the detail page to the Customer Profile.

Click on the Save button to apply your changes in the email campaign and enable the activation tab.

Learn more: about the activation of an email campaign.