FAQ

Below are answers to frequent questions from the Google group and monthly meetings.

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Why aren’t my links working in older emails?

Links expire after 60 days by default. This is a setting on the business unit level that can be navigating to the Admin menu and choosing URL Expiration under Send Management.

Where do replies go if a reply is not set up in the sender profile?

Your business unit has a default email address for replies that was configured when the business unit was created. In Classic Content, replies to your test sends automatically get sent to that address. Replies to real sends will also go to that address unless the Custom Reply Mail Management Settings are configured for the sender profile used for this send.

What’s the difference between Default Commercial and Default Transactional?

Transactional emails are mandatory mailings, like tax receipts. Transactional emails go to recipients even if they are unsubscribed from your business unit. Commercial mailings are optional, like newsletters. Recipients must be allowed to opt-out from commercial mailings.

How to I send to a listserv or Google Group?

You would send to a data extension or list with only one entry, the list or group's email address. Your from address must be authorized to post to the group if it is private. All sends of this type should be sent with a Default Transactional classification without an unsubscribe. This is because unsubscribes and opt-outs are handled through the listserv or group.

What are the footer requirements for my email?

Mass email content requirements can be found in the Mass Email Requirements section of the University Relations website.

How do I add the opt out link?

  • Use branded footer, “SHARED > Shared Content > UREL > Footers > Footer Commercial”
  • In HTML Editor, add snippet ‘</>’, “Unsubscribe Center”

What are Bounces and Holds and how do I fix or prevent them?

Soft bounces are a temporary condition, like an email server is down, or a recipient’s mailbox is full. A hard bounce is permanent, like the recipient’s account no longer exists. After a number of bounces, SMC will “hold” that email address. When an email address is held, no business units can send an email to that address. Only an admin can clear a hold. Email [email protected] to inquire about holds.

Unsubscribe from a particular type of message instead of ‘All Subscribers?”

Use publication list(s).

What are Publication Lists and how do they work?

A Publication List can be used for a reoccuring send of a particular message (Communication Blog, Monthly Newsletter, etc.) or to a specific audience (people who filled out a form at an event, notifying residents of a neighborhood about traffic or event impacts, etc.). Publication Lists should only be used for Commercial emails and only one Publication List can be selected when sending. When a recipient unsubscribes from a message that uses a Publication List, they are filtered out of future messages that use the same Publication List.

If someone unsubscribes to a message that does not use a Publication List, they have unsubscribed from your entire business unit and will not receive any Commercial messages from you.

Is it possible to create a new publication list and automatically mark certain emails as opt-outs?

No, publication lists cannot be directly edited. Best recommendation would be to create an exclusion data extension that you would use for these 3 or 4 new publication lists.

I have ### people in a Data Extension. Why did it send to a lot fewer?

People have either unsubscribed to your Publication List or they have unsubscribed to your business unit, or they are in a Bounce or Hold status. Also, check to make sure the email address field in your data extension is set to the data type of EmailAddress.

How do you make SMC emails scale so they are mobile friendly? Image resizing in different browsers.

  • Use templates, and branded content.
  • Always test Mobile View.
  • Should also test in Outlook.
  • Litmus now available to test your templates.

Is there a way to add or delete one person from a data extension without clearing the entire list and re-importing?

Adding or deleting one record from a data extension can be done outside of Email Studio, in Audience Builder > Contact Builder. Select the Data Extensions tab.