Checklist for getting started with "Newsletters & campaigns"

This checklist shows you the most important points you need to check and consider before sending your first mailing in Newsletters & campaigns. Detailed descriptions can be found in the linked articles.

You can also watch our intro videos to get started.

Preparation

Create users based on default roles or custom roles.
Create a style set based on your corporate design specifications (e.g., color and font specifications)
Create custom containers if the Inxmail containers are not sufficient for your needs.
Add all important media to your media folders (e.g. logos or other corporate design images).

Optional: If you wish, you can also connect your own SFTP server.

Optional: Set up interfaces to third-party systems

Use integrations and import external content.

Note: Contact your Inxmail contact person or Care-Consulting@inxmail.de for more information.

Sending domains

Add the domains you are sending your emails from to the Sending domains agent in Inxmail Professional. This way, you create the best conditions for your emails to actually reach your recipients and not be classified as spam. These settings are mandatory.

Technical settings for best deliverability
Optional: BIMI

List settings

Define your list concept: When working out your list and distribution concept, it's best to ask yourself questions like:
- Which target groups and personas do I want to address?
- Are there any special features for specific countries or languages?
- Which distribution lists do I want to address with which mailing formats?
- Are there any third-party systems that I need to take into account when setting up my list concept? (e.g. CRM or campaign management tools)
Create lists based on your list concept.
Make sure that the sender address of your lists is based on your mailing domain.
Select a GDPR-compliant implementation scenario based on our GDPR checklist.
Import recipient attributes and create additional attributes if required.
Optional: Define access rights
- In the Synchronization navigation item in Newsletter & Campaigns: Specify which lists should be available in your campaign space.
- In the access rights agent in XPRO: Specify which lists should be hidden for all users except those with the XPRO Main user role.

Setup subscription process

When subscribing via Inxmail:

Create a subscription form (custom HTML form, subscription by email or dynamic "Subscription" website via Inxmail Professional); remember to obtain your subscribers' tracking permission. Link the landing page for successful transmission of subscription data in your subscription form.
List: Add a subscription process. We recommend that you use Double-Opt-In (DOI). Add the following landing pages to your list's subscription process:
- Subscription deadline expired
- Subscription already confirmed
You create the landing pages in your own system, e.g., in the web content management system that you also use to maintain your company website.
Mailings: Create the following mailings:
- Confirmation mailing: Insert a subscription confirmation link. Enter the landing page for successful subscription directly in the link dialog.
- Welcome mailing (optional)
- Timeout mailing

Setup unsubscription process

When unsubscribing via Inxmail:

List: Add an unsubscription process.
Mailings:
- All mailings: Add an unsubscribe link to all your mailings. Enter the landing page for successful unsubscription directly in the link dialog.
  
  You create the landing pages in your own system, e.g., in the web content management system that you also use to maintain your company website.
- Optionally, create a farewell mailing.

Mailing editing and dispatch

Synchronization

Have you synchronized your mailing with a list?

Editing

Use the Inxmail template: We recommend the Inxmail template for a quick start.

Mailing settings

Have you customized the mailing name?

You can do this for existing mailings by double-clicking on the mailing name in the edit view.
Have you adjusted subject line and pre-header?

This can be done via Mailing Settings for existing mailings.

Images

Are your header image and mobile header linked correctly?
Have you applied the right size to your images?

Depending on your container dimensions, you may need to convert the specifications from our Smart Guide.
Have you added alt attributes to your images?

Mobile display

Have you also customized your mobile header?

Customize it by adjusting the mobile alternative image
How does your mailing look like on mobile display?

Check mobile images, spacing and wrapping.

Also check

Do your images match your texts?
Does your button text match your landing pages?
Are your links (text links, buttons links and links on images) correct?
Have you personalized your texts and images? You can use modules, attributes, and target groups to customize your mailings for different recipients.
Optional: Save your mailing as a template for future mailings.

Links & tracking

Have you enabled tracking for your links?

Data protection: Find out how tracking works at Inxmail and make sure that you comply with the applicable data protection guidelines. Your tracking settings have an impact on reporting and your recipient reactions, which you can use as a basis for your actions or target groups, for example.

How does tracking work in Inxmail?

Tracking of openings: By default, mailing openings are tracked in Newsletter & Campaigns. You can change this default setting in the mailing settings and disable tracking of openings.

Tracking of clicks: It depends on the following settings whether or not and how your links in Newsletter & Campaigns are being tracked.

Link tracking: Whenever you insert a link, you define whether the link is tracked or not. By default, it is tracked. Whether this tracking is anonymous or personal depends on “Tracking Permission” attribute value.

Note for existing customers

Have you been using Inxmail Professional and are you used to the link types in Inxmail Professional? Then this comparison will help you:

Inxmail Professional	Newsletters & campaigns
Unique count	Track link
No count	Do not track link
Total count	(does not exist in "Newsletters & campaigns")

Tracking permission: The "Tracking permission" attribute indicates whether the current recipient has given consent to personal tracking or not. Depending on this, clicks and openings by this person will be tracked either personally or anonymously – which is relevant for the functionality of actions and target groups.

What does this mean?

Target groups: Some target groups only work in combination with personalized tracking, see: Interplay between recipient reactions and tracking permission.

Actions: By default, the "Click a specific link" trigger only works for recipients who have given their consent to personal tracking. For more information, see: Actions.

For more details and background information on tracking, see Guide – Tracking compliance within the framework of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Special link types

Did you insert an unsubscription link?
Have you inserted a link to web view?
If you are tracking clicks, you must insert a tracking permission revocation link.

Web tracking

Optional: Add web tracking parameters (e.g. for Google Analytics or Dymatrix)

Testing

Check the Tips & troubleshooting panel to find out how to improve your mailing.
Take a look at your mailing preview and send yourself a test mail.
Perform a display test, spam test and link test in Newsletters & campaigns.
Perform a quality test in Inxmail Profesisonal.

Personalization & external content

(Optional).

Create target groups and test profiles.
Use modules for personalization (e.g. for salutation or legal notice)
Set up data sources for external content

External content is integrated into your mailing from third-party systems (e.g. CMS, eShop) via interfaces and transformations, e.g. for recommendations, product information from the store or Next Best Offers.