The Content Management (Email) feature gives you full control over the underlying HTML code of your email messages and templates. Access to the code allows you to create your templates, blocks, and frameworks from scratch.

If you are not familiar with HTML code, you can purchase the email HTML from our experts or an external supplier. Usually, you can select from a wide range of HTML templates that are designed to display perfectly in the most common email clients.

CMS Message and Content Management (Email) are separate features. Content elements are not interchangeable between the features. To transfer CMS Message elements to the new feature, contact your customer representative.

Use the following tips to create your first elements in the new feature.

1. Create Email HTML​

To start working with the feature, you need the email HTML code upon which you can build your email message.

You can obtain email HTML that is unique and individually designed for your company in two ways:

  • Create the email HTML code on your own.

  • Have a professional create the customized email HTML for you.

If you know how to write email HTML code, you can create your own email HTML easily.

If you know how to write HTML code for email, you can easily create your own email HTML. If you are unfamiliar with HTML for email, you can purchase the email HTML from our professional services or an external supplier.

2. Test Email HTML​

Use the Message Check functionality in Mapp Engage to verify that your HTML looks great on all required email clients and devices. Message Check shows you how the message displays in the inbox of your contact.

Message Check has four parts:

  • A rendering preview at over 50 clients and devices.

  • Verification that your email passes the most common spam checks.

  • Sender identity checks (DMARC, DKIM, and SPF).

  • Tests for subject line length, a valid list-unsubscribe header, and functioning links.

Adapt your email HTML according to the Message Check results and repeat the Message Check.

Use the statistics area in Mapp Engage to determine which email clients and devices generate the most opens and clicks. Verify that your message renders properly for your target audience.

3. Create Email HTML Components​

After you test the HTML, split the email HTML into a framework and blocks to create reusable elements for your email templates and messages.

Element

Description

Method

​Framework​

Create a block area in the framework body.

When you create your email templates and email messages, you can add one or more blocks to the block area.

  • tplBlockArea.begin(parameters)

  • tplBlockArea.end()

​Block​

Create the blocks that you need based on the email HTML of your framework.

  • tplPlaceholder.element(parameters)

Add Block Area to Framework

  1. Paste your email HTML into the ​Edit​ tab of the ​Compose Framework​ window.
  2. Remove the HTML content tables from the framework body.
  3. Insert a block area placeholder into the framework body.


Example

This example adds a block area to the framework body.

<body>
$tplBlockArea.begin('"id" : "1","name":"blockarea"')
$tplBlockArea.end()
</body>
CODE

Do not add HTML code or content between the block-area begin and end tags.

Create Blocks from Existing Email HTML

  1. Identify the blocks that you want to create.

    For example, a block with a text input field and a block with two image placeholders.

  2. Copy the HTML code of the relevant table element from the email HTML into the ​Edit​ tab of the ​Compose Block​ window.
  3. Replace elements and areas that are editable with the appropriate placeholders.


Example

This example creates a block for a headline.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="660" class="NoMob" align="center" bgcolor="#F6B500" style="width:660px;max-width:660px;">
    <tr>    
        <td width="660" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:normal; font-size:13px; line-height: 15px; color: #faac01; text-align: center;">
            <a href="http://www.example.com/myexample" target="_blank" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:normal; font-size:13px; line-height: 15px; color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;">
${tplPlaceholder.element('"id": 1, "name":"headline", "type":"text", "value":"Enter the headline here."')}</a>
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>
CODE

4. Create Email Templates​

Once you create a framework and the blocks that you need, you can start building your email templates.

You can create as many email templates as you need. Based on these templates your message creators can create and send email messages. To make it easier for your message creators to select the right email templates, enter unique descriptions for each template.

Related Topics​