Campaigns

v6.4 - Last Mod.: 08/10/2011
A campaign is a personalized mass email which you send to a certain choice of portal users or also to external recipients. For example, send product information to customers, a mailing to your employees or a newsletter to all registered interests. With SITEFORUM campaigns you create, start, manage, repeat campaigns and analyze the success.
Note: This function is available for "Portal Masters" and "Contact Managers."

1. Overview

You have the following options to create a campaign:
  • Campaign from plain text A campaign with text based content contains no formattings, colors, pictures or similar, but plain text and if necessary placeholders. HTML emails are sometimes filterd as spam, therefore you can send plain text mails as an alternative.
  • Campaign from HTML A campaign with HTML based content can be formattet with HTML code. You can enter HTML code directly or text, which can be formatted and edited with the help of the WYSIWYG editor.
    Note: If you don't know any HMTL, this is the best way to create a campaign.
  • Campaign from templates A campaign can also be created template based, but HTML knowledge is neccessary if you want to edit a template or create new ones.
To get to the Campaign Manager please log in as "Portal Master" or "Contact Manager."
  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
You get to the overview of already existing campaigns:
  • Name Shows the name of the campaign.
  • Owner Shows the owner/creator of the campaign.
  • Last run Shows the last run of the campaign.
  • Recipients Shows the number of recipients.
    By clicking the number you get to the overview of the receivers.
  • Start/Test By clicking the icon you can start and test the campaign, q.v. 2.6 Start & Test.
  • Statistic By clicking the icon you get to the statistics, q.v. 2.8 Statistics.
  • Edit By clicking the icon you get to the editing mode, q.v. 5. Edit Campaign.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the campaign, q.v. 2.9 Delete.
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2. Add Campaign

To create a new campaign, please log in as "Portal Master" or "Contact Manager."
  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Campaigns click Add Campaign.
  4. Enter in the field Name of campaign a name.
    Note: You can call on the campaign name via placeholder inside of the campaign.
  5. Enter in the field Mail subject a subject for the email.
  6. Enter in the field Sender email address the sender.
  7. Click the button Save when ready.
You define the content in the area Available content for internal recipients and/or Available content for external recipients.
Note: The procedure for internal and external receivers is the same.

2.1 Template based HTML content

Note: It is different between main templates and content part templates. The main template generates the frame of the campaign, in which the content part template with content, images, links, etc. is imbed. Per default main templates and content part templates are provided. If you want to edit these templates or create new ones q.v. 3. Templates.

To create a campaign with template based content anzulegen please do the following:
  1. Click either
    • the name of the type or
    • the icon Edit.
  2. From the selection box Main template choose the desired template.
  3. From the selection box Add new content choose the desired content part template.
  4. Click the button Add.
The content part template opens up. In the area Details on the right enter your content:
Note: Depending on the template the fields can vary.
  1. Enter in the field Title the title for that content part.
  2. Enter in the field Text the text of this part.
    Note: Use the WYSIWYG editor to format the text or click the button Code to edit the text directly in the HTML source code.
  3. As far as the content part template contains an image, upload it in the area Image:
    • Click the button Select image to upload the image.
      The SITEFORUM File Manager opens up.
    • If you have uploaded the desired image to the File Manager already, then select it from the corresponding folder.
    • If the file is located on your system,
      1. click the button Browse.
          A second window opens up.
      2. Choose the desired file from your system.
      3. Click the button Open of the second window.
          The second window closes.
      4. Choose in which size you want to upload the image (resize to 100 px, standard size of 250 px, original width).
      5. In the File Manager click the button Upload.
          The file is shown in the field.
  4. As far as the content part template contains a link - enter it in the field Link.
  5. For another content part template choose from the selection box Add new content below a new template.
  6. Click the button Add.
  7. Click the button Preview to get a preview of the existing content.
  8. Click the button Save when ready.
Repeat these steps until your campaign is ready.
In the left area Parts/Actions you see the current position of this templates and the name.
  • As far as there exists at least two content part templates, you can sort them by clicking the arrow.
  • By clicking the icon Delete you can delete the content part template.
Note: Below the content part templates you see all placeholders available in the content part templates.

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2.2 HTML based content

  • Click either
    • the name of the type or
    • the icon Edit.
  • Enter in the field HTML code view directly the HTML code to describe the content of the campaign.
  • Or click the tab WYSIWYG editor view to format the text with the help of the editor.
    Note: Below the content part templates you see all placeholders available in this part.
  • Click the button Preview to get a preview of the existing content.
  • Click the button Save when ready.
Note: The subjacent field Mail body (Plain Text) is for plain text content, q.v. 2.3 Text based content.

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2.3 Text based content

  • Click either
    • the name of the type or
    • the icon Edit.
  • Enter in the field Mail body (Plain Text) the plain text without HTML for the campaign.
    Note: Below the content part templates you see all placeholders available in this part.
  • Click the button Preview to get a preview of the existing content.
  • Click the button Save when ready.
Note: The fields HTML code view and WYSIWYG editor view above are for entering HTML text, q.v. 2.2 HTML based content.

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2.4 Attachments

To attach one or more attachments to the campaign stay inside the campaign:
  1. Click the tab Attachments.
  2. In the area Path\File click the button Browse.
    A second window opens up.
  3. Choose from the second window the desired file.
  4. Click the button Open in the second window.
    The second window closes.
  5. Click the button Upload in the first window.
The file is shown below the buttons.
By clicking the icon in the column Delete you can delete the attachment.

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2.5 Recipients

To add recipients to the campaign, click the tab Recipients inside the campaign.
If the campaign already contains recipients they are listed. The following tabs are available:
  • Recipients Shows all existing recipients of the campaign.
    Note: External recipients are marked with "External person" in the column Name, as far as only the email address is known.
  • OptIN Shows the users who added themselves to the campaign via OptIn function.
  • OptOut Shows the users who removed themselves from the campaign via OptOut function.
  • Add internal users Add registered portal users to the campaign with the advanced search.
    Note: All users found after the search are added directly to the campaign. There is no second query.<7div>
  • External users View the lists containing the external recipients.
Tab recipients

Note: If no recipients are listed here then no recipients were added yet.
You have the following options in this view:
  • Details By clicking the icon on the right side of the table you can view the details of the corresponding user, q.v. Support "Marketing & CRM > Users & Contacts."
  • Remove all selected By clicking the button you can remove all selected users from the campaign.
    Note: To select the users activate the boxes on the left of the user.
  • Remove all recipients By clicking the button you can remove all recipients the campaign contains, independent of how many are shown.
  • Maximum amount If required, enter a maximum number of recipients and click the button Reduce recipients.
    Note: If the campaign contains more recipients than the given maximum amount, the difference of recipients gets removed randomly.
Tab OptIn
Note: Therewith recipients can subscribe for a campaign, you have to offer a link in your campaign like
<a href="$link_subscribe:kampagnenID">Click here to subscribe</a>
If there are no recipients listed, no one subscribed yet.
You have the following options in this view:
  • Maximum amount If required, enter a number amount of recipients and click the button Reduce recipients.
    Note: If the campaign contains more recipients than the given maximum amount, the difference of recipients gets removed randomly.
Tab OptOut
Note: Therewith recipients can unsubscribe for a campaign, you have to offer a link in your campaign like
<a href="$link_unsubscribe:1173183374395">Click here to unsubscribe</a>
If there are no recipients listed, no one unsubscribed yet.
You have the following options in this view:
  • Maximum amount If required enter a maximum number of recipients and click the button Reduce recipients.
    Note: If the campaign contains more recipients than the given maximum amount, the difference of recipients gets removed randomly.
Tab Add internal users
Note: Internal users are users of your portal, who have an entry in the database already.
You select users as follows:
  • According to requirements you associate with the selection boxes AND/OR the different search criteria.
  1. Where user level is If required, choose from the selection box the desired user group.
  2. Contact has been created within the last If required limit the time range of the creation.
    1. Limit the time range in the two following fields.
    2. Choose from the selection box behind time unit.
  3. Contact has been updated within the last If required limit the time range of the editing.
    1. Limit the time range in the two following fields.
    2. Choose from the selection box behind time unit.
  4. More criteria If required choose from the selection box the desired options to limit the search further on. Enter in the field behind the corresponding keyword.
  5. Click the button Add users to campaign when ready.
Note: All users found after the search are added directly to the campaign. There is no second query.

To view recipients click the Tab Recipients.

Tab External users
Note: External users are users who have no entry in the database and are not users of your portal.
  1. Choose the list containing the desired external users.
  2. Click the icon
    • Add to add the users to the campaign or
    • Remove to remove the users from the campaign.
  3. Confirm the erasing procedure by clicking the button YES.
To upload a file with external recipients, q.v. 6.1 External recipients.

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2.6 Start & Test

To test the campaign, send it to yourself:
  1. Click inside the campaign the tab Start & Test.
  2. Activate the option Test the campaign now and enter the desired email address.
  3. Activate in the area Available content for internal recipients respectively Available content for external recipients the corresponding campaign types in the column Selection (Squares).
    Note: The colored circles in the column Available show the status of the corresponding campaign type, green = available, red = not available.

    Note: The circles indented to the right in the column "Available" and not-bold descriptions in the column "Type" are subsets of the superior, bold types.
  4. Activate the option Disable link tracking for this run if you want to disable the link tracking.
  5. Choose from the selection box Statistics for this run will be automatically archived in the number of weeks.
  6. Click the button YES when ready.
To start the campaign, please do the following:
  1. Activate in the area Start the campaign now either
    • Send only to new recipients added since the last start. or
    • Resend campaign to all recipients.
    Note: The number in the second line shows the number of recipients.
  2. Activate in the area Available content for internal recipients respectively Available content for external recipients the corresponding campaign types in the column Selection (Squares).
    Note: The colored circles in the column Available show the status of the corresponding campaign type, green = available, red = not available.

    Note: The circles indented to the right in the column "Available" and not-bold descriptions in the column "Type" are subsets of the superior, bold types.
  3. Activate the option Disable link tracking for this run if you want to disable the link tracking.
  4. Choose from the selection box Statistics for this run will be automatically archived in the number of weeks.
  5. Click the button YES when ready.
Warning: If the campaign contains external recipients, you either have to make content for external recipients available and then activate "Available content for external recipients" (for creating content for external recipients, q.v. 2. Add Campaign) or you have to delete the external recipients from the list, q.v. Tab External users.

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2.7 Schedule

Here you define the schedule for automated sending a campaign regularily.
  1. Select the days, when the campaign should be sent out.
  2. Choose the time from the appearing selection boxes for every single day.
  3. Click the button Save when ready.
  4. If required click the button Add Date to define a certain date of the dispatch.
  5. From the selection boxes choose date and time.
  6. Click the button Save when ready.
  7. Repeat this procedure if required. To delete a date click the icon Delete.
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2.8 Statistics

With the help of the statistics you analyze your campaign.
Note: The statistics only make sense if the campaign was send.
  • Click the tab Statistics inside the campaign.
You get the following table:
  • Details By clicking the icon you get to the details of the statistics.
  • Subject, Type, Sender Shows subject, type and sender of the campaign.
    By clicking the subject you get to the details of the statistics.
  • Time, Duration Shows date, time and duration of the transmission.
  • Archive By clicking the icon you can archive the campaign start.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the statistic of this transmission.
Click the campaign whose statistics you want to view. You see percentages and graphs of received the campaign, opened it and clicked containing links.
Note: By clicking the number in the column Count you can view the particular recipients.

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2.9 Delete

  1. In the Overview choose the campaign you want to delete.
  2. Click the icon Delete.
  3. Confirm the erasing procedure by clicking the button OK.
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3. Templates

Note: You can design your campaign with text only, with HTML (HTML code or WYSIWYG editor) or with templates. If your campaign should be based on templates you have to create them first as far as you don't want to use the default templates.
It is different between main templates and content part templates: The main template generates the frame of the campaign, in which the content part template with content, images, links, etc. is imbed.

3.1 Main Templates

  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Templates click Campaign Main Templates.
You get to the overview of the already existing templates:
  • Name Shows the name of the main templates.
    By clicking the name you can edit the template.
  • Edit By clicking the icon you get to the editing mode.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the template.
  1. Click the tab Add.
  2. Enter in the field Name a name for the template.
  3. Enter in the field Code the HTML code which describes the template.
  4. In the area Special placeholders you see the placeholders which you can use in the main template.
  5. Click the button Save when ready.
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3.2 Content Part Templates

  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Templates click Campaign Content Part Template.
You get to the overview of the already existing templates:
  • Name Shows the name of the content part templates.
    By clicking the name you can edit the template.
  • Edit By clicking the icon you get to the editing mode.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the template.
  1. Click the tab Add.
  2. Enter in the field Name a name for the template.
  3. Enter in the field Code the HTML code which describes the template.
  4. In the area Special placeholders you see the placeholders which you can use in the content part template.
  5. Click the button Save when ready.
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4. Synchronize Recipients

If one campaign contains, for example, many or definite recipients who you want to send another campaign, you can simply synchronize the recipients.
  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Campaign click Synchronize recipients.
  4. From the selection box Source campaign choose the campaign which contains the recipients you want to transfer in the new campaign.
  5. From the selection box Target campaign choose the campaign which should contain the recipients.
  6. Click the desired button to synchronize the recipients.
  7. If required activate the option Mark synchronized recipients as "Already sent."
  8. Click the button Synchronize now.
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5. Edit Campaign

  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. Choose in the overview the campaign you want to edit.
  4. Click either the name of the campaign or the icon Edit.
Do the desired changes, q.v. 2. Add Campaign.

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6. Recipients

Manage your lists for external recipients and your blacklists here.

6.1 External Recipients

You can send campaigns to external recipients (recipients who are not in the database, from which you have the email address only). You import the recipients via .txt or .csv file.

Note: The file you want to upload can only contain one email address per line. The lines must be separated by a line break.
  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Recipients click External Recipients.
  4. Enter in the area Upload new list in the field Name a name.
    Note: The file name is not shown.
  5. Enter in the field Description a description for the file.
  6. Upload in the area File the desired file:
    1. Click the button Browse.
      A second window opens up.
    2. Choose the desired file in the second window.
    3. Click the button Open in the second window.
      The second window closes.
  7. Click the button Upload in the first window.
The list is listed in the area Available lists:
  • Name Shows the name and the description of the upload.
  • Entries Shows how many recipients the file contains.
  • Size Shows the size of the file.
  • Uploaded by Shows who uploaded the file.
  • Date Shows date and time of the upload.
  • Download By clicking the icon you can download the file and save it on your system or open it.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the file.
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6.2 Blacklist

A blacklist contains email addresses of internal or external users who should not get a campaign, so you don't have to look through all recipients.
  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Recipients click Blacklist.
List

As far as users are added to the blacklist already they are listed. You have the following options:

Remove from blacklist
  1. Activate the options of the users you want to remove from the blacklist.
    • Click the button All to activate all users or
    • click the button None to remove all activations.
  2. Choose from the selection box Remove from blacklist.
  3. Click the button Go.
Export to .csv file
  1. Click the button Export to .csv file.
    All entries are exported.
  2. Open the file or save it on your system.
Add emails to blacklist
  1. Enter all desired email addresses in the field.
    Note: One email address per line, separated by line break.
  2. Click the button Add when ready.
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7. Bounce Boxes

With bounce boxes you can manage address data and email addresses. The bounce box recognizes if the users are achievable or not.

7.1 Overview

  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Bounce Boxes click Overview.
As far as one or more bounce boxes exist already they are shown:
  • User/account name Shows the account name.
  • Email Shows the sender email address.
  • Server (incoming/outgoing) Shows incoming and outgoing server.
  • Status Shows if the bounce box is active or inactive.
  • Edit By clicking the icon you get to the editing mode.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the bounce box.
  • Inbox By clicking the icon you get to the listing of all emails in the inbox, q.v. 7.2 Inbox.
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7.2 Inbox

To view the inbox in the Bounce Box click in the Overview the icon Inbox of the corresponding bounce box.

As far as emails came back already you get the following table:
  • Envelope The envelope visualizes if the mail is read (envelope open) or not read yet (envelope closed).
  • Manikin The manikin visualizes if the recipients are known and exist in the database already (manikin without red line) or if the email address could not be identified (manikin crossed out in red).
    By clicking the icon you get to the user details, q.v. Support "Marketing & CRM > Users & Contacts."
  • Recipients Shows the recipient.
  • Sender Shows the sender bounce box.
  • Subject Shows the subject of the campaign.
    By clicking the subject the email opens up.
  • Date Shows date and time when the email was received in the bounce box.
  • Delete By clicking the icon you can delete the email.
Per default all emails are displayed. By clicking one of the buttons above you can restrict the display:
  • All Shows all received emails.
  • User reply Shows all replies of the users; marked green.
  • Soft bounced Shows all emails whose email addresses exist in fact but which are not accessible at the moment; marked yellow.
  • Hard bounced Shows all emails whose email addresses don't exist or don't exist anymore; marked red.
  • Undecidable Shows all emails whose status could not be identified; marked purple.
  • Changed Shows all emails which you changed via Action.
In the area Selection below the emails you have the option to show only chosen emails by clicking the corresponding button.

In the area Actions you can accomplish different actions with the chosen emails:
  1. Activate all emails you want and click the boxes in the first column.
  2. From the selection box choose the desired action.
  3. Click the button Execute when ready.
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7.3 Add

  1. Click the button Portal Manager to get to the administrative area.
  2. Then click Marketing & CRM > Campaigns.
  3. In the navigation on the left, below Bounce Boxes click Add.
  4. Name Enter an account name.
  5. Email Enter a sender email address.
  6. Incoming server Enter the incoming server, e.g. pop.server.com.
  7. Outgoing server Enter the outgoing Server, e.g. smtp.server.com.
  8. Password Enter a password.
  9. Status Activate checkbox to set status to active.
  10. Click the button Save when ready.
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7.4 VERP

  1. VERP works for bounce boxes. Prepare your bounce boxes first, specify a name for each of them.
    Server settings for the box should look like this:
    (Marketing & CRM > Campaigns > Bounce Boxes > Overview)

    Name: newsletter@example.com
    Email: Example Newsletter

  2. We recommend to use standard VERP-settings. Still, you may edit them here:
    Marketing & CRM > Campaigns > Bounce Boxes > VERP

  3. Further info: Variable Envelope Return Path
  4. Create a test campaign with several recipients to see how it works.
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8. Newsletter

This feature represents a fast and easy way for your users to subscrube a newsletter on your portal.
The following SITEFORUM template can be included into a story, a design attribute or a widget:
/campaignManager/subscription

Subscribed emails will be added automatically to the campaign "Newsletter" (ID=1).

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