Creating and editing a newsletter (Custom Editor)

Creating a drag-and-drop newsletter is done by adding images and text into designated sections. You can drag new sections into the desired position in the newsletter using your mouse. Sections can also be removed.

When designing the layout of a newsletter, it is important to consider the limitations of HTML email formatting.

• Images must be in JPG, GIF, or PNG format

• LianaMailer automatically optimizes newsletter image sizes to improve deliverability and reduce the risk of emails being caught by spam filters. If an image is already very large before optimization and still exceeds 150 KB afterward, the system will notify you that the image is too large. If you want to use larger images, we recommend sending them as linked images so recipients can choose whether to load them while reading the email. In this case, select the Images as links setting during step 4 of the sending process.

  Alternatively, you can reduce the image size. If the image is in PNG format, you can often reduce its size easily by converting it to JPG format. If the system still reports that the image is too large even after resizing, send yourself a preview of the newsletter. Once the image size is acceptable, the warning will no longer appear.
  
  

Editing content

Browser preview and sending a preview message

Adding a PDF file to a message

A PDF attachment is added to the message under the Additional settings section, located below the headline.

Please note the size of the attachment, as a large PDF increases the overall size of the newsletter and may affect its loading time.

We recommend including a short text summary of the attachment’s content in the message body, along with a call to action encouraging readers to view the PDF for more details. This improves accessibility and ensures that key information is available even without opening the attachment.

How to copy and paste the text

It is advisable to paste the text into LianaMailer without any formatting and apply the formatting using LianaMailer's editor. This ensures that the text adopts the default font of the newsletter template and that no formatting is carried over that cannot be used in newsletters.

When you want to paste text without formatting, use the following shortcuts:

• PC: Ctrl + Shift + v
• Mac: Option + Command + Shift + v

Another option is to utilize a different tool for removing text formatting. For instance, Notepad is commonly employed to paste text, remove formatting, and paste the text into LianaMailer.

In LianaMailer's text editor, you can also find a "Remove format" button, which allows you to remove the formatting of the text already added to the newsletter.

AI assistant

With LianaMailer’s AI assistant, you can create content more quickly and efficiently. AI assistant can be used, if you have Business or Enterprise license.

Generate text

• First, click on the text element and then the 'Generate text' button that appears at the bottom of the page

  

• Write a prompt and choose the desired length, tone, and language settings
• Click 'Generate text'
• If you are satisfied with the text generated by artificial intelligence, select ‘Insert’

Generate images

• To generate an image, select "Generate image with AI" from the menu of an image or text block.
  
• Enter a prompt and choose the desired image size and style.
• Click "Generate" to create the image.
• You can add the generated image to the newsletter by clicking "Add image". You can also select another image block in the newsletter to insert the newly generated image into it. If you are not satisfied with the generated image, you can modify the prompt, image size, or style and generate the image again. If desired, you can also clear your previous selections by clicking "Reset".

Adding/changing an image

You can add an image by moving your cursor over an image in the newsletter, which will open a window on top of the image. The image can either be selected from images already uploaded to the Files page, uploaded directly from your computer, or generated with AI if desired. Before adding a new image to LianaMailer, make sure it has the same width as the original image.

If the image is a background image (text displayed on top of the image), it can be changed using the "Set background image" button. Click the section to activate it, select "Set background image" from the toolbar, and then choose the desired image either from your computer or from the LianaMailer files.

If you experience problems when adding an image, please check that the image filename is not too long. If the filename is reasonably short (a few words), it should work without issues. If it resembles a full sentence, it is recommended to shorten it before uploading. Also avoid using the characters å, ä, and ö in filenames, as they are converted into long encoded strings in URLs.

LianaMailer optimizes the image sizes in the newsletter automatically, so that the newsletter reaches the recipients and is not caught in spam filters. If an image has been very large before optimization and its size is still more than 150 kb after optimization, the program will report an image that is too large when you upload it from Files. If you want to use larger images, you can send them as links. In this case, the recipient downloads the images while reading your newsletter. If you want to do this, choose Images as links setting in one of the delivery stages.

Alternatively, you can minimize an image. If your image is in png format, you can easily make it smaller by converting it to jpg. A good tool for making jpg images smaller can be found here, for example. If the program still reports an image that is too large even after reducing the image, send a preview of the letter, after which the notification will no longer be received if the image is the correct size.

If you are using sRGB color profiles or metadata, you need to upload images through the Files section.

Adding a video to a newsletter

LianaMailer's video feature allows you to add a video from YouTube to a newsletter using the video's URL. The video feature block appears in your block library when this additional feature has been added to your contract.

Add the video block from the block library to the section where you want the video to be. The video feature works just like adding an image to a newsletter. Take the cursor on the video feature and press Add video.

A window opens which allows you to enter a YouTube video's URL and LianaMailer automatically retrieves the preview picture of the video and the link to the video from YouTube and shows the preview of this video.

After adding the video, press Save and the video scales automatically to the video block of the template. When the newsletter is sent, the video section has a preview image of the video and a link that directs the recipient to the browser version of the newsletter and automatically to the part where the video is and the video starts to play automatically.

LianaMailer's video feature supports also DreamBroker, Vimeo, and Kunta.tv videos in newsletters. The service can also be extended to other video services that support the oEmbed interface.

If you are interested in the video functionality, we'd love to tell you more. Contact our team!

Adding an RSS feed to a newsletter

With an embedded RSS section, you can fetch content from external sources to the newsletter. This imported content can be, for example, discount items on a website, news, or weather forecasts.

Once the RSS block has been installed on your account, you can drag it anywhere in the newsletter, just as any other section.

You can choose whether the RSS feeds are fetched immediately or automatically when sending. 

Choose whether you want the RSS feed items to be organized according to the publishing date or should the original order remain. You can also modify the order at a later stage. 

Choose how many items of news you want to be fetched.

Click Fetch.

You can modify the order in the feed like this: 

Adding a gallup module to a newsletter

Gallup modules can be utilized for simple surveys or polls in newsletters. The answer options work as links and LianaMailer registers gallup results as link clicks. The Link tracking setting must therefore be enabled in the draft’s Settings for click data to be recorded in the report.

In LianaMailer's editor, add a link to answer options and # sign after the link. As per the example, the first link could be http://answers.customer.com/#cat, and the second link http://answers.customer.com/#dog. These texts after the # sign can be anything that help you recognize them as certain answers. 

The results of the gallup can be seen on the Reports page, in link clicks. You can see a listing and a preview image of all the link clicks of the newsletter and you can compare the results. After this, you can manually add them to your next newsletter if you want to.

Answer page in English is https://polls.lianamailer.com/?uid=en, so the link is for example https://polls.lianamailer.com/?uid=en#yes

Answer page in Swedish is https://polls.lianamailer.com/?uid=sv, the link could be for example https://polls.lianamailer.com/?uid=sv#ja

The thank-you message can be customized if needed. If you would like to use your own text or add, for example, a logo to the thank-you message, please contact our technical support team — we’ll be happy to help.

Adding a background image

You can add different backgrounds to different sections of the newsletter. To add a background, click Set background image icon in the editor and add the background image in the window that opens from the files in LianaMailer or directly from your computer.

Adding a GIF animation

It is possible to add GIF animations, i.e. short video clips that play on loop. GIF animations are added to the newsletter in the same way as normal images. When using GIF animations, you should keep in mind that they increase the size of the newsletter. GIF animations are not displayed on all email clients. 

The width of the GIF can be a maximum of the width of the image placeholder in the newsletter template. For example, if the width of the image placeholder is 600px, the width of the GIF can be a maximum of 600px. If the GIF is wider than the image placeholder in pixels, it can break the newsletter.

Note: When using a GIF animation in a newsletter, it is recommended to use the "Images as links" option in the 4th step of the newsletter sending Settings.

Changing the background color of a block

Text and image blocks have a feature available that enables you to change the background color. When the feature is attached to the template, you can change a block's color by clicking the cogwheel icon on the side of the block and choosing a color from the menu that opens. 

If you got interested in this feature, contact our experts. We're happy to help.

A/B testing the subject

You can easily compare the effect of two or more alternative subjects with A/B testing. LianaMailer sends a test batch of messages with different subjects to 10% of list recipients and after a certain period of time, the rest of the list will receive the version that got the best opening percentage.

Click the green plus sign next to the subject field and write the alternative subjects in the fields.

In the settings of the delivery stage, you can choose the A/B testing waiting period when the opening percentages are compared before the main delivery takes place.

Insert link, unlink, email link

Insert link

Insert a link by highlighting the text and pressing the Link button, insert the link URL: e.g. http://www.address.com.

If you wish, you can enter a title for the link in the Link title field. The title is intended to provide additional information for the link. It appears in most browsers in the information bubble when the cursor is over the link.

If you want a new window for the link content to open for the link clicker, check Open in new window.

Select the Link as a button if you want the link to be a button that matches your layout.
You can adjust the positioning of the button as follows: Right-click the button and then select Table Properties. Next, in the Alignment field, choose how you want to position the button (left, center, or right).

Link as a button feature might not be visible for older templates.

Delete link

If you want to delete a link, highlight the text and click the Unlink icon.

Add email link

You can add an email link with pre-filled email content to newsletters. You can utilize this function, for example, when collecting contact requests. In this case the recipient can click the link that results in their email program opening with a new email draft that has the pre-filled information you have given, such as recipient, title and body of text.

Choose the part where you want to add the link in the newsletter editor. 

Click the Add link / Edit link icon in the editor and after this choose the Email tab.

Fill in the form with the information that you want as the pre-filled content of the email when a reader clicks the email (mailto) link.

An email client may automatically interpret an email address as a link and change its color. We therefore recommend always adding a link to the email address, following the instructions above. If you prefer the email address not to stand out from the surrounding text, you can adjust the link color to match the body text color.

Anchor links

Anchors are like bookmarks at a certain spot of an individual website. If you create a link and refer to an anchor link on the same page, the page will automatically jump to the spot where the anchor has been set.

Insert an anchor to the part of the text where you want the link to lead:

1. Paint the text with your mouse
2. Click the Insert anchor/Edit anchor button on the toolbar
3. Give a name to the anchor. Make note that umlauts, spaces or special characters cannot appear in the name.

A created anchor is displayed as a red flag icon in the editor. On the page itself, the anchor is invisible and only starts to work when an actual link is directed to it.

Create a link to the part from which you want to jump to the anchor:

1. Paint the text with your mouse
2. Click the link tool and open the Anchor tab in the window
3. Choose the anchor you previously created from the dropdown menu
4. Click add link

Building Mobile-Friendly Message Templates Using Blocks

When designing a message template that includes images or multi-column texts, it is important to use the appropriate blocks from the block library. This ensures that your message scales well on mobile devices too.

Adding Images to the Correct Blocks

If you add images directly through the editor’s “image tool” without using dedicated image blocks, the images won’t receive the responsive classes required for mobile view. As a result, images may appear too small on mobile devices, and the text can also become difficult to read.

Therefore, we recommend using specifically defined image and text blocks in your message templates. These blocks are designed to adapt to the screen size, ensuring that images and texts display clearly and legibly on both desktop and mobile devices.