In Dialog Insight, email is a tool that can be integrated to several modules or to an automated campaign (welcome campaign, referal, birthday, etc.), or it can be used alone. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to create an email from the conception to the sending, including tests.
Prerequisites
Templates
It is strongly recommended to create an email template to use as a starting point for new messages. This will help you save time and effort. If you don't create any, you can use those provided by DI. It is not recommended to duplicate an email as a starting point. If you use an old template, it is possible that recently added features will not be available in this template.
Be careful with using templates created some time ago Sometimes, we add new features and Element blocks in the email editor. These additions are only available in templates created after the feature release. So, if you created a template before we added a new block, this block won't be available in the edition interface for that template. If you duplicate an email, the template used for that email won't have the new features added after the creation of the original template. Please consult the version history for the templates released by DI to help you decide if it is better to create an email from a new template and to verify if your version is sufficiently up-to-date for your use.→ See the Email Template Version History |
Consents
To use opt-in and communication types in the email, you must have created them.
→ Setting Up the Consent Centre
Step 1: Choose a Starting Template
Go to Communications -> Emails (left menu) and click Create an Email:
| Warning! If you have a CDP structure, make sure to create the email in the right project. Generally, it's in the unified project that you will create emails, since it's the project that contains unified contact profiles and the data you need for targeting. In some cases, you could create an email in a secondary project. For example, for a transaction confirmation, you could create the email in the secondary project that contains transaction data. |
Fill in the required information, make your selection and indicate the required information and click on Create:
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Another option would be to duplicate an existing email in the list:
Step 2: Define the Delivery Information
In the Inbox step, fill in the required information and click on Save:
Resources → Generating a Subject Line Using AI→ Predefine Authorized Senders of Reply-to Addresses |
What is a preheader? The preheader is used to generate a text preview in the recipient's inbox. The preheader text can be a summary of the message or a call to action (to encourage opening the message). It is recommended to use about 35 characters if your audience uses mainly a computer (desktop) or between 40 and 50 for mobile. |
Step 3: Configure Additional Options
You can modify the additional options if you want (it is not required). These configurations are hidden in the Additional options.
To access these options, click the 3 dots in the upper right:
| Link tracking | Link tracking Check the Log clicks option to get statistics on the clicked links in your message. In the account configuration, it is possible to automate this function so that when a message is saved all links are automatically followed. When a link is followed, its destination in the message is replaced by a tag specific to Dialog Insight. If injection rules have been created for the project and for the type of communication associated with the message, these will be displayed under this section and you will be able to activate them if needed. Note that if you are in a new project or if the related project has no injection rules, a Google Analytics rule will be available by default. Check the links in your message or use the Analyze links button to check if your message contains broken links (identified by a red X). Several functions can be performed on the links:
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| Publication | Publish a web archive of your email to get a link to share it. In order to use the web archive, you must create a preview and a web archive profile. → See the guide on validation and tests |
| Reviews | Check the review notes of people who send or receive a test message or add them to track changes made to the message, or to inform other users on how it was created. You can define the users to be notified in the communication types configuration. When a note is added, the recipient can also comment on the message, in particular, to indicate whether the test message has been sent or whether it has any anomalies. |
| Communication type | Change the communication type selected when creating the message. The types of communications offered depend on which ones have been configured for the project. → Configuring a Communication Type. |
| Versions (HTML editor only) | Create multiple versions of the same HTML message to send a single message to contacts who have slightly different profiles (see Creating a Multi-Version Message). Versions will be sent to the right contact, based on conditions on the recipient's profile. |
| Data source | Use relational data to personalize the message. The query is executed just before the message is sent, as well as the resulting customization. Note that a query execution can affect the contacts who would otherwise be entitled to receive this message. |
| Parameters | Customize the message by adding settings that let you get information outside of the application. The use of parameters is possible when the message is sent via Web services, is used in an automated campaign, or uses a query on relational data. You can also add emojis to the message (see Adding an Emoji to a Message). |
| Administrative | Get information about who created the email and who last modified it or add internal comments or security attributes to the message. |
| Send log tag | Add tags to the message. These tags will be included in the send logs. After 60 days, the tags are removed from the send logs. If you want to keep a record, you can export the logs. |
- To open the link
- To edit the name or URL of the link, or to assign categories
- To exclude links that you do not want to track. If needed, you can include them back by clicking on the 
icon.Step 4: Add Content
To add content, you must use structure blocks in which you will insert content blocks. The editor uses a drag-and-drop system. For more details on how the editor works, see the article on how to add content. When you edit a block, you can add personalization by clicking the person icon when it is available: 
Other recommended actions |
Step 5: Fix the Errors
To get details on errors and warnings, hover the icon in the upper right:
You can also see review notes, depending on the additional options you configured.
To continue to the Test or Send interfaces, you must fix the errors (e.g. missing information for sending). The warnings do not need to be fixed to send the message, however, it is recommended that they be verified to make sure everything is in order.
Step 6: Test the Email
For a generic view (without personalization), you can preview the message by clicking the eye in the upper right:
On the left of the eye, you can choose the view for desktop or mobile.
To validate your personalization and test the rendering, it is strongly recommended to use the testing tools that are available in the test interface.
→ See the Guide on Email Validation and Tests
→ Create a Preview and Web Archive Profiles
Step 7: Send the Email
When your email is ready to send, it is time to select recipients, plan the mailing and prepare it.
→ See how to send an email