The Chainlink Marketing Platform is an easy to use marketing platform that can help you customize, automate, and analyze all of your important marketing efforts. Using Chainlink’s Marketing Platform, you will be able to upload and organize Data Sources/Marketing Targets and create a wide range of custom marketing programs including Automated Emails, Sophisticated Landing Pages and Lead Generation Forms. If you ever get stuck on any page/feature within the platform, there is a help button in the bottom right corner of every page that provides tips and explanations for that platform feature. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, or you’re running into issues with the platform, please take a look at our Support Site or Submit a Support Ticket and a Chainlink Marketing Platform Admin will resolve the problem as soon as possible.
This guide will cover our recommended first steps after setting up your account default settings. Take a look at our Default Settings Setup Knowledge Base for more information on setting up your account default settings.
1. Dummy/Placeholder Data
When you login to your Chainlink Marketing Platform Account for the first time, you might notice that the platform is populated with some “Dummy Data”. We do this so you can see what some of the platform pages will look like once you’ve added your own custom data. Before you are allowed to add any of your own data to the platform or create any new marketing programs, you will first have to remove the Dummy/Placeholder Data so you are starting with a clean slate.
- To delete the dummy data from the platform, navigate to Data Warehouse > Data Sources
- Click Create New in the top right corner and you will see a notification telling you to delete the dummy data before you can create a new data source
- Click the highlighted Delete Dummy Data link and you will be redirected to the Marketing Dashboard where you will see a notification letting you know that you can begin adding data and creating marketing programs
2. Data Sources
In order to start sending Email Programs through the platform and reaching your Marketing Targets, you should start by creating your first Data Source. Chainlink makes it easy to manage your Targets’ data by separating your data into Data Sources. To begin sending emails, you only need to have one Data Source, but some accounts might find it useful to create multiple sources to keep their data organized. Every Data Source is completely separate, meaning you can customize each Data Source based on profile fields, marketing interactions, and more. Follow the instructions below to create your first Data Source:
- To access your Data Sources, navigate to Data Warehouse > Data Sources
- The navigation menu on the left side of your screen will be accessible from every page within the Chainlink Marketing Platform
- From the Data Sources page, click the Create New button in the top right corner
- Enter the general information for your new Data Source: Name, Description, Opt In / Opt Out settings, and your default sending information
- Single Opt-In: Subscription process where a new email address is added to your list without requiring the owner of the email address to confirm that they have definitively opted in
- Double Opt-In: Subscription process where a new email address is only added to your mailing list after they click a confirmation link in a subscription email
- Click Next and set up your notification settings: Decide if you want to be sent subscribe/unsubscribe email notifications
- Click Next and fill out your company details: basic information about your company
- Click Finish when you’re done filling out the company information and your first Data Source will be added to the platform
- You can then move on to the next step: Adding Targets
For more information on Data Sources, please take a look at our Data Sources Knowledge Base.
3. Targets
Once you have created your first Data Source, it’s time to start adding your marketing Targets to the platform. Targets are the end recipients and contacts that are the “marketing targets” of every single marketing effort. You can either add Targets directly from the Targets page, or from the Data Sources page in the platform. Below we will explain how to add Targets from both the Data Sources and Targets areas:
Data Sources:
- To add Targets from the Data Sources page, navigate to Data Warehouse > Data Sources
- From this page, you will now be able to see the Data Source you created in the previous step
- You can either import a list of Targets from outside of the platform, or individually add Targets to your Data Source
- To import a list of Targets, click the Import Targets icon under the Tools column
- You will then be able to select which file type you want to import (we recommend selecting the standard CSV option)
- A pop-up will appear instructing you to choose a file from your computer along with some import instructions and a link to download a sample CSV file (so you can see an example of how to properly format your CSV file for importing)
- Once you have formatted your file correctly, choose the file from your computer and click Upload File
- You will then be instructed to choose which fields you want to upload from the file to the platform. Your Targets will then begin to be automatically added to the platform and to your Data Source (you might need to wait a few minutes for the platform to register your new Targets)
- To add Targets individually, click the + icon under the Tools column and fill out the Target Profile with all of the information you have available
- Note: If you are adding an individual Target, be sure to change the Status from Unconfirmed to Confirmed (if you do not change the status, the Target will not be added to the platform)
Targets:
- To add Targets from the Targets page, first navigate to Data Warehouse > Targets
- From this page you will be able to see a list of all of the Targets currently in your platform account
- Adding Targets on this page is very similar to adding Targets from the Data Sources page
- On this page, you will also have the option of importing a list of Targets from outside of the platform or adding individual Targets
- Choose which way you want to add your Targets with the buttons at the top of the page and simply follow the same steps from the Data Sources instructions
Once you have created your first Data Source and have added Targets to the platform, you can move on to creating your first Segment.
For more information on Targets, please take a look at our Targets Knowledge Base.
4. Segments
A Segment is essentially a live “list” of Targets that can update in real time based on a set of conditions. These conditions can be based on profile data, marketing interactions, and much more. Your Segments can simply be a static list of Targets (Static Segment), or they can get as sophisticated as you want by updating in real time based on a number of set conditions (Dynamic Segment). Below we will explain the steps to create your first Segment:
- To access your Segments, navigate to Data Warehouse > Segments
- From this page you will be able to see a list of any Segments you’ve created in the platform
- To build your first Segment, click the Create New Segment button in the top right corner
- You will then be redirected to a new page where you can enter your basic Segment information:
- Segment Name
- Group (not required)
- Type – Dynamic or Static
- Below the required fields, you will be able to add any custom conditions based on:
- Profile
- Behavior
- Source/Segment
- Suppression
- Social (Under Development)
- Conditions make it possible to further segment a group of Targets for specific programming
- Note: If you are using a Forever Free Account, you will only be able to add one condition, whereas the paid accounts allow up to three degrees of segmentation
- Click Save Changes in the bottom right corner and your Segment will be added to the platform
- Once you’ve created your first Segment, you can create your first Email Broadcast Program to send to your new Segment
For more information on Segments, please take a look at our Segments Knowledge Base.
5. Email Broadcasts
Email Broadcast Programs are the most common “one-time” offers or marketing updates that are meant to be sent to your Marketing Targets.
- To access your Email Broadcasts, navigate to Marketing > Outbound Programs > Email Broadcast
- This page is titled “Broadcast Program Index” and is a list of any Broadcast Programs you’ve created within the platform
- To create your first Email Broadcast, click the Create New button in the top right corner
- You will then be brought to a page where you can enter the basic Email Program details:
- Program Name
- Group (not required)
- Segment/Segments
- Click Save And Next to move on to the Setup page where you can enter information about your to/from emails and names, subject, tracking options, set up dynamic mapping conditions, and add any program attachments
- Click Save And Next to move on to the Template page where you will be able to design your Email Broadcast
- You can select any of your saved email templates by clicking the Change/Select Template button
- Unless you have experience building email using HTML code, click the Drag & Drop Editor button to switch to Chainlink’s easy to use Email Builder
- On this page you will be able to drag any elements from the Tools menu on the left side of your screen and drop them on the empty canvas
- Once an element has been added to the canvas, click on it to edit any text and open its styling options on the right side of your screen
- Note: To proceed from the Drag & Drop Editor, there must be an unsubscribe link somewhere in the body of the email (you can add an unsubscribe link by adding the footer element, or you can copy and paste the [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] from the Available Tags)
- When you are happy with your Email Broadcast design, click Save Changes in the top left corner, then Back and you will return to the Template section
- Next, you should send out a test email and check that everything looks good across all email clients and devices by clicking the Test Template button
- A pop-up will appear where you can add the test recipients
- Once you’ve tested your Email Broadcast and are sure everything looks good and is working properly, click Save And Next and you will be brought to the final step in creating your Email Broadcast: Confirmation
- The confirmation tab is where you can confirm all of the information you input in the previous steps, as well as decide when the Program will be sent and add some additional conditions if you want
- When you are sure all of the details and conditions are correct, click Send Program in the bottom right corner and your Email Broadcast will be sent immediately or at the scheduled time
- You will now be able to find the Email Broadcast you sent at the top of the Broadcast Program Index where you can view the live reporting by clicking the “i” icon un the options column
- Once you’ve figured out how to use Chainlink’s Drag & Drop editor, you can begin building Email Templates to save in “Your Emails” so you don’t have to create Email Broadcasts from scratch every time you want to send out a new email
For more information on Email Broadcasts, please take a look at our Email Broadcasts Overview Knowledge Base.
For step by step instructions explaining exactly how to create/design Email Broadcasts, please take a look at our Creating Email Broadcasts Knowledge Base.
6. Your Emails/Email Templates
When creating new Email Programs, you will probably want to use good looking Email Templates rather than building every Email from scratch whenever you want to send out a new offer or company update. You can create your own Email Templates or import one of the many free Email Templates provided by Chainlink from the Chainlink Email Template Library. To import one of Chainlink’s free Email Templates, first navigate to Marketing > Marketing Templates > Chainlink Template Library > Emails. Find a template you want to use and click the Import button for that Template. That Email Template will then be added to “Your Emails” where you can further edit it to fit your marketing needs. See the instructions below explaining how to create a new Email Template from scratch and edit Chainlink’s free Email Templates.
- To access Your Email Templates, navigate to Marketing > Marketing Templates > Your Templates > Emails
- From this page you will see a list of any Email Templates you have created or any free templates you have added from Chainlink’s free Template Library
- To create a new Email Template from scratch, click the Create New button at the top of the page
- You will then be brought to a new page and given the option of using the HTML Code Editor or the Drag & Drop Editor
- Select the Drag & Drop Editor unless you are experienced in building emails using HTML code
- Follow the same Drag & Drop steps from the Email Broadcast instructions above
- Once you’re happy with the Email Template you’ve created, click Save Changes then Back
- From this page you can add a Name, Category, and Tag for your new Template, as well as preview your Template and send out a test email using the new Template
- Click Save Changes when you are completely finished editing the Template design and details and your new Email Template can be found at the top of the “Your Emails” page
- You will now be able to use this Email Template as a starting point for any of your future Email Programs
- You can also edit or duplicate the Template if you want to create a similar Template while preserving the original Template
- To edit one of Chainlink’s free Email Templates, you must first Import the Template from Chainlink’s Template Library and it will be added to “Your Emails” where you can customize the Template however you’d like
For more information on Your Emails, please take a look at the Your Emails Knowledge Base.
For more information on Email Templates, please take a look at our Email Templates Knowledge Base.
7. Next Steps
Those are the basic first steps you should take when logging in to your Chainlink Marketing Platform Account for the first time. You now know how to create a Data Source, add Targets to the platform, create Segments based on a variety of conditions, and create custom emails using Chainlink’s Drag & Drop Editor. The Chainlink Marketing Platform has many more unique features that can assist with any of your Marketing Efforts. You will be able to build custom Landing Pages, Forms, Automation Programs, Events, as well as Analyze your overall Marketing Performance and Attribution statistics.
If you have any questions about a page or feature in the platform, please take a look at our Support Site or Submit a Support Ticket from the platform and a Chainlink Marketing Platform Admin will get back to you as soon as possible.