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ms-studio/newsletter-setup.md

Last active January 15, 2016 21:14
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A checklist of the required steps when creating a Newsletter using the MailPoet WP plugin and ElasticEmail.
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newsletter-setup.md

Preparations

  • Determine from which email address the newsletter will be sent (and who will receive replies).
  • Set up a dedicated email address used for Bounce Handling (retours@..., bounces@...).

Elastic Email (EE)

  1. Create a new EE account (use the link provided by MailPoet for extra credits)
  2. Charge the account with some cash (*EE defaults to 100$, but you can change it to any amount, like 5$)
  3. Check this link to see what SPF/DKIM info you need to enter.
  4. Go into your hosting admin, into the DNS settings.
  • Set up a TXT record for SPF. Start by testing if some SPF already exists.
  • Set up a TXT record for DKIM.
  • Set up a CNAME for the tracking domain (tracking.yourdomain.com)
  • If your hosting admin panel doesn't allow that, send a request to your hosting provider.
  1. Back into the EE panel – verify SPF, DKIM and Tracking server.
  2. Enter bounce email.

MailPoet (MP)

  1. Install and activate MP plugin.
  2. Add domain to MP user account, activate, install the Pro Extensions.
  3. Enter SMTP Configuration (username/password provided by EE) - SMTP: smtp.elasticemail.com / Port: 2525
  4. Test the configuration by sending an email to yourself.
  5. Set the sending rate. Default is 200/hr. For big lists, you can increase it to 500 / 15 min.
  6. Define the sender Name / Address at the following locations:
  • Basics > Email notifications
  • Basics > Sender of notifications
  • Settings > Advanced : Reply-to name & email
  1. Create Subscription form
  2. Enter newsletter footer info (physical address), under Settings > Basics.
  3. Upload custom newsletter theme.
  4. Delete the default MP newsletter theme.
  5. Test again by sending yourself a newsletter.
  • If the tracking links are still pointing to api.elasticemail.com, complain to EE support.
  1. Import subscribers list.
  • Open the CSV in LibreOffice.
  • Check that all fields are correct. Typically, you need First Name, Last Name, Email, and can delete the rest.
  • Import into MP.
  1. Create a "Problems" list, into which bounced subscribers will be transferred.
  2. Go into the bounce settings.
  3. (* not for premium users!) Setup a Cronjob, to make sure the newsletter is triggered.

Testing

  1. Check if subscribing works, by subscribing through the MP form.
  2. Check if the Signup Confirmation page looks fine.
  3. Send yourself a test newsletter.
  4. Verify that the unsubscribe link works, and that the Unsubscribe page looks fine.
  5. If there are unwanted comment forms, disable them with this method: http://goo.gl/xLHP0K

Congratulations, you're done :)

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