How to Create an EDM in Active Campaign

Find your login details: HERE

Steps to create new template:

1. Go to Campaigns

2. Click Create a campaign

3. Enter Campaign name <Date_EDM_Audience> 

4. Select "Standard" as Campaign Type 

5. Select a List > Click on MASTER EDM LIST (ALL)

6. In templates, use MAG Newsletter Template #1

7. Type in a short and catch email subject

8. Add a photo by clicking the image button

9. Click Add new image or select from the image manager

10. Refer to the toolbox menu in the left  for more items to be inserted in the newsletter

11. Make sure to send a test after finishing the newsletter

Option 1:  insert image (make sure less than 2mb)

Option 2: using gif URL link ➡️➡️➡️

Tip: Why and When to Use GIFs?

Step 1: Go to Google Drive and right click the file that you want to share, then click on "Get shareable link"

Step 2: In the window that comes up, change the visibility to "Anyone with the link"

Step 3: Click "Copy link"

Step 4: Paste that link into the text box above and click "Create Direct Link" to create your link. Enjoy!

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/home

• From a design perspective, we want to keep our EDMS clean/ simple/ professional.

• Aim for 200 words MAX (link to content- video/ blog etc)

• Include 1 image (or GIFF better!!!) - here's how to create GIFF: https://sites.google.com/myadventuregroup.com.au/imag/marketing/giffs

https://mailchimp.com/help/design-an-email-campaign-in-mailchimp/

Add your content

After you choose a template, you'll move on to the design step. Use content blocks to add and format text, upload images, link to files, and more.

All templates show placeholder text and images to help you begin to design your email. Depending on the template you choose, you can add, delete, move, and replicate content blocks to create the look and feel you want.

Drag and drop content blocks

Our drag-and-drop editor allows you to duplicate, delete, and rearrange content blocks on the fly. Drag and drop a variety of content blocks into your layout and rearrange them to customize the look and feel of your campaign.

Add text

The best way to add text to your campaign is to type it directly into the content block editing pane. If you prefer to work outside of the campaign builder, copy and paste your content from a simple text editor, like Notepad or TextWrangler.

Avoid rich-text word-processing programs, like Word or Publisher. They add styling code to the text that can prevent your ability to style content in the campaign builder.If you want to copy content from a rich-text editor, website, or email program, click the Paste as plain text icon on the editor toolbar to add your text.

If content has already been added to your campaign and you didn't use the Paste as plain text option, or if content doesn't update when you apply styling to your text, click Clear Styles and try again.

Clear styles

Clear styles to remove any conflicting formatting or styles that were brought in when you added content. This only removes the formatting that's been applied to your text and does not remove the text itself.

To clear styles from your content, follow these steps.

1. Click the Text content block you want to edit.

2. In the Content tab, highlight the text you want to change.

3. In the editor toolbar, click Clear Styles.

Edit styles

Styles and settings for your campaign design can be applied from a few different places. Each section in your email campaign is related to another in a hierarchy, so the styles you set in one area of the campaign builder may affect other sections.

• Section Style tab

• Every template is divided into different sections, like the header, body, and footer. Apply styles to these sections on the Style tab in the campaign builder. When styles are applied to a section, they are also applied to all content blocks in that section.

• Content block Style and Settings tabs

• If you want one of your content blocks to have different styling from other content blocks in its section, open that content block and set preferences on the Style and Settings tabs for that content block. Styles you apply here will override the style for the section that the content block is in.

• Use the editor toolbar

• Use the editor toolbar in each content block to fine-tune the styling on a line-by-line basis. Changes you make here will override any styles you've set for that content block or section.

i) Before sending out Newsletter it is CRITICAL that we triple check:

• • Spelling

  • links

  • Formatting

In order to do this when you are in the "edit design" view of the email body click top RHS dropdown PREVIEW: 

• Ist: link checker - click on all links and check

• 2nd: Enter Preview Mode - REVIEW email and format

• 3rd: Send a test email-> Send test email to at least 2 other people other than yourself (James +1) to check email for errors

ii) Once we are happy with the EDM content click top RHS Continue

iii) Schedule - set delivery time & day Tue/ Wed/ Thursday 9-12AM

A hard bounce indicates a permanent reason an email cannot be delivered.Here are some common reasons an email may hard bounce.

• Recipient email address doesn't exist.

• Recipient email server has completely blocked delivery.

It is important that hard bounces are removed from our contacts list after every EDM is sent out.

In order to do this, please watch video ➡️➡️➡️

• Contacts-> list cleanup -> Remove Contacts by Status -> select bounces\

1. Click “Campaigns” on the left menu.

2. Click the dropdown for the campaign you wish to resend and click “Resend Options.”

3. Click the resend option you want to use. Then click “Continue.”

4. Follow the prompts to complete the resend option.

• If you choose “Create a new campaign based on this campaign” you will walk through each step of creating and sending a new campaign

• If you choose “Send to new contacts” or “Send to contacts that have not opened,” you will be redirected to the “Reuse an existing campaign” page. Here you can change the campaign name and subject line

5. Click "Send Now" to send your campaign. 

More info here on how to resend campaign