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A Guide to Campaigns

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Campaigns are part of the core of Optinize, but our options are more robust than your basic email marketing platform. So, let’s dive into the types of campaigns you can leverage with Optinize.

There are five different types of Campaigns available in Optinize: Email, SMS, Web push notifications, Auto Responder, and Split Testing.

All of our examples will be based on the five campaign types in the Campaigns tab. The “Campaigns Sent” screen is where you track the progress of your campaigns sending and performance.

 

Email Campaigns

The Email Campaign is a standard, “sends a regular, one-time email” campaign”. Let’s say you want to send a last-minute email blast to all of your shoppers about a 50% off sale. This isn’t the type of campaign you’ll run regularly, so no need for an automation. You just need to get your message out quickly.

The very first step when you are beginning any email campaign is to provide the email name, sender name and email address, as well as the email subject line and pre-header and also select the list/segment of people to whom you are sending your email. You can always change this later, if you’d like.

Email Wizard Step1

Just in case you are not familiar with the terms (if you are, feel free to skip this part):

  • Email Name is for you to easily understand what’s the email about.
  • Sender Name is the from name that appears on the email so that customers can understand who is this email from.
  • Sender Email address is the from email address that your customers can reply to. If you wish to use a different reply email address, click the icon next to the sender email and insert the reply email address you wish to use.

Note: sender email must be verified in order to be used on an email campaign. To verify your sender email address, type your email address and click “add new email”. An email will be sent to that email address, click on the verification link and you are Good-to-Go.

  • Email subject line is where you type in your subject line, you can add emojis and personalization fields like customer’s name to increase open rate.
  • Pre-header is the short summary text that follows the subject line when viewing an email from the inbox. Many mobile, desktop and web email clients provide email preheaders to tip you off on what the message contains before you open it.
  • List/segment is where you set to whom this email campaign will be sent. You can easily target a subset of contacts within your larger list if you’d like to send a particular message pertinent to their interests.

Note: All pre-existing segments will display via the drop down by default. These segments are created using the Advanced Search under the Contacts page.

Once finished, click on the “next” button at the bottom of the screen.

On the second step, you’ll reach the Templates screen. Here you can select from the many pre-designed emails from Optinize, labelled by how they can be best used. From a welcome email to a webinar, or a contest to a discount, there are many templates you can quickly personalize to meet your needs. You can also easily build an email from scratch, using your own images.

Email Wizard Step2

Once in the email builder, it’s easy to create an email for your contacts. After it’s complete, you’ll be able to review the Campaign Summary, including your subject line, selected lists, and other options as relevant. You can also send a test email, or preview the email in an email client or desktop preview.

 

Email Wizard Step3

 

The Campaign Summary will let you know if you have any last-minute issues to resolve. You can select “Save & Exit” if you’d like to return to your campaign later, Or, simply click “Send Now” to send your email campaign!

Email Wizard Step4
Email Wizard Step4

Email main screen

On the main email screen, you can see the email campaigns you previously created. Clicking on the 3 dots next to an email allows you to send or schedule the campaign, edit, preview, copy, organize in folders (“move to category”) or send a test email to see how it looks before sending.

Email Main Screen Menu

SMS Campaigns

SMS is a very personal way to communicate with your contacts. Sending a message to someone’s phone is, potentially, very impactful, and may be the closest automation comes to personal touch.

The SMS feature in Optinize, wielded carefully, can help you reach out to contacts at the most opportune moments, or empower them to subscribe on the fly. We’ll review how to set up SMS messaging, and share some powerful use cases.

The first step to create SMS campaign is to provide the SMS title, sender name and to select the list/segment of people to would like to send the SMS to. You can always change this later, if you’d like.

Sms Wizard Step1

  • SMS title is for you to easily understand what the SMS is about.
  • Sender name is the from name that appears on the SMS message so that customers can understand who is it from.
  • List/segment is where you set to whom this SMS campaign will be sent. You can easily target a subset of contacts within your larger list if you’d like to send a particular message pertinent to their interests.

Note: All pre-existing segments will display via the drop down by default. These segments are created using the Advanced Search under the Contacts page.

Tip: If you’re just getting started with SMS, it is best to create a new segment to keep these contacts separate. Creating a fresh segment will enable you to quickly see how many people are utilizing your SMS option.

Once set, click next to proceed to step 2.

On this screen you can type in the text message you would like to send. Same as on email campaign you can add emojis and personalization to increase customer engagement.

Sms Wizard Step2

It’s important to remember that SMS through Optinize is a broadcast option. This means SMS responses are NOT saved. It’s important you’ll add an unsubscribe link to allow customers to unsubscribe.

The bottom of the SMS customization screen will tell you how many available credits you have on your account, as well as detail how many credits messages cost based on location and SMS length.

If you need more credits, simply click through the “Purchase” button to add more.

Last step, the Campaign Summary will let you know if you have any last-minute issues to resolve. You can select “Save & Exit” if you’d like to return to your campaign later, Or, simply click “Send Now” to send your sms campaign!

Sms Wizard Step3

SMS main screen

On the main SMS screen, you can see the SMS campaigns you previously created. Clicking on the 3 dots next to your SMS message allows you to send or schedule the campaign, edit, preview, copy, organize in folders (“move to category”) or send a test SMS to see how it looks before sending.

Sms Main Screen Menu

 

Web Push notifications

Finally, a way to speak directly to your web visitors. This is such a great tool in your marketing toolbox!

Web push are short notifications that appear at the top right corner of your screen. Use Optinize to share breaking news, promotions, and more with your web push subscribers (even when they’re not on your site).

You can send Web push blast or bring your customers back to your website with automation (see automation screen).

Let’s get this ball rolling, first step after clicking “create new webpush” button is to provide the Web push title and to select the list/segment of people to would like to send the Web push to. You can always change this later, if you’d like.

Tip: If you’re just getting started with Web push, it is best to create a new segment to keep these contacts separate. Creating a fresh segment will enable you to quickly see how many people are utilizing your Web push option.

Webpush Wizard Step1

  • Web push title is for you to easily understand what the Web push is about.
  • List/segment is where you set to whom this Web push campaign will be sent. You can easily target a subset of contacts within your larger list if you’d like to send a particular message pertinent to their interests.

Note: All pre-existing segments will display via the drop down by default. These segments are created using the Advanced Search under the Contacts page.

Once set, click next to proceed to step 2.

On this step you create your web push message.

Webpush Wizard Step2

  • Web push type is where you set the type of the Web push. There are 3 available options:
    • Regular is used for web push blasts regardless to the customer behavior.
    • Last product added to cart is used to display the last product added to cart by the customer and will varies from customer to customer. Use this option if you want to use the web push as part of an automation and not as a stand-alone web push campaign.
    • Last visited product is used to display the last product viewed by the customer and will varies from customer to customer. Use this option if you want to use the web push as part of an automation and not as a stand-alone web push campaign.
  • Direction is to set the text direction of the web push
  • Logo type is where you select if you wish to upload a logo or use a URL to capture your logo.
  • Add logo is where you can upload your logo size 150X150.
  • Title is the main headline of the web push, consider it as the web push “subject line” as its main purpose is to state the offer.
  • Message is where you give more details about the web push topic. This is where you give your customers reason to click.
  • URL is the page where you want your customer to go to. Web push URL is used for customer that click on any place of the web push aside from the web push buttons.
  • Add big image is where you turn your web push to a rich message. Upload an eye-catching image to grab your customer’s attention. Image size 1200X600.
  • Add button one is where you can add a button to the web push with a call to action. Once clicked, add the call-to-action text and URL. Yes, this URL can be different from the web push main URL.
  • Add button two is where you can point customers to different pages on your website.

Buttons and URL example.

The main web push URL can direct customers to the homepage, button one can point customers to your “on sale” page and button two can direct customers to a product page.

While adding your web push details you can see how it looks on the preview option to the right. You can switch between devices to better understand how different customers will see your message.

Once you’re happy with your web push settings, click “next” to go to the summary page.

The Campaign Summary will let you know if you have any last-minute issues to resolve. You can select “Save & Exit” if you’d like to return to your campaign later, Or, simply click “Send Now” to send your web push campaign!

Testing web push before sending is super easy. Once clicked on the “send test” a pop up will appear on the top left corner of your screen, click “allow” to get your test web push. Don’t worry, you only need to do it once.

Webpush Wizard Step3

Web Push main screen

On the main Web push screen, you can see the Web push campaigns you previously created. Clicking on the 3 dots next to your Web push message allows you to send or schedule the campaign, edit, preview, copy, organize in folders (“move to category”) or send a test Web push to see how it looks before sending.

Webpush Main Screen Menu

Auto Responder Campaign

An Auto Responder campaign is “an automated campaign that will send after someone subscribes.” The Auto Responder is a straight forward email, SMS message or web push notification, and does not have any additional automation capabilities; it’s an easy way to respond to anyone who is subscribed to a particular list (and segment, if applicable).

Here’s an example: you have a catering business, and you want everyone who wants to download your catering menu to give you their email address. First, you can create a list in the List tab for “Catering Menu.”

Then, you can create a form for people to request your menu. When they complete the form, they will be automatically added to the list “Catering Menu.”

Now we can create an Auto Responder that will send anyone who completes the form “Catering Menu” to the list “Catering Menu.”

Auto Responder Step1

From here, you click on the “create new auto responder” button and provide the following:

  • Auto-responder name is for you to understand what’s the auto-responder is about.
  • Auto-responder type is the type of message you would like to send. You can select to send an email, SMS message or a web push notification.
  • Select a message is where you select the message you would like to send. Note that you need to create the message on the relevant screen before you can set it as an auto-responder.
  • Trigger auto-responder when is the event that will trigger the auto-responder. There are 3 options available:
    • Entered a list will send your auto-responder when a contact subscribes to a list.
    • Fired an event will send your auto-responder when a contact triggers an event like product view, category view, add to cart or completed a purchase. You can add custom events on settingsà tracking à custom events.
    • Website / page visit will send your auto-responder when a contact visits a specific URL or any URL on your website.
  • Trigger object varies based on your “Trigger auto-responder when” selection. This is where you set the exact trigger for your auto-responder.

There are no additional automations to create, as this campaign just responds after a contact meets the conditions of being on a particular list or a segment. Perhaps you’ll want to reach out to the group of people who have requested your menu if you have a seasonal update in the future, but for today, you just want to be sure they will get your email/SMS/web push immediately. The Auto Responder is the choice for you.

Auto-Responder main screen

On the main auto-responder screen, you can see the auto-responder campaigns you previously created. You can pause or resume your auto responders and delete inactive auto-responders.

Auto Responder Main Screen

A/B split campaigns

A/B Split Testing campaign is a powerful tool, allowing you to “compare multiple messages to test which works best.” This is where you can get creative, and try multiple approaches to your content and channels. If you’re an online shoe retailer, and you are wondering if people will open emails with an informative subject line, or a funny subject line. We’ll pick the Split Testing campaign to give it a shot. You can also compare if people react better to SMS vs email or Web push notification.

Ab Testing Step1

When clicking on the “create new split campaign” button, your options are:

  • Campaign Name is for you to understand what is the campaign about
  • List/ Segment is where you select your test group. It can be an entire list or a segment for more targeted testing.
  • Percentage A and B, allows you to set how many people from the list/segment will get the different messages. We highly recommend to keep it at 50-50 ratio for more accurate results.
  • Sending type, A and B is where you set the type of message each of your test group will receive. You can compare different email subjects, from information, and/or email contents as well as communication channels like SMS vs email or web push.
  • Sending element, A and B is where you set the message each of your test group will receive. Note, you’ll need to create the message first on the relevant screen before using it for A/B split campaign.

Best practices indicate that testing one change at a time is the best way to see how your contacts respond. If you send several split test messages, all from different people, with different subject lines, and different content, you may be unable to determine what contacts respond to, positively or negatively.

In our Split Testing, we’re sticking to testing one message at a time to determine the winner. When the A/B testing campaign is finished you can see the results on the reports and pick your winner.

How to identify your winner?

  • “Best Click Rate” – Message where the most contacts click on a link in your message
  • “Best Open Rate” – Message with the best open/read rate
  • “Best Conversion Rate” – Message with the best conversion rate

After you’re A/B split campaign is finished, you can use determine the winner and use it for future campaigns.

Ab Testing Main Screen

Summary

Optinize has created several Campaign types to simplify your marketing automation. Using Email, SMS, Web push notifications, Auto Responder, and Split Testing campaigns offer a variety of specialized options. What types of campaigns do you use the most? Let us know in the comments below.

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