Email Composer Walkthrough

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This walkthrough shows how to build a complete marketing email using Act-On’s Email Composer. You’ll create a simple campaign email with branded styling, a clear call to action, and personalized content, then prepare it for testing and sending.

This article focuses on building the email content. For recipient selection and delivery options, see Review, Test, and Send Your Email .

Quick Reference (Advanced Users) - Click to Expand
  1. Create a new blank email.
  2. Complete required Settings fields.
  3. Set Global styles.
  4. Build layout with rows.
  5. Add content, CTA, and personalization.
  6. Preview desktop, mobile, and dark mode.
Try it like this: Build a campaign email announcing a new resource. Include a logo header, short introduction, primary call-to-action button, and a short supporting section below.

Start a new email

  1. Go to Outbound > New Message.
  2. Select Blank message to open the Email Composer.

Create a new email using the Blank message option

A new email opens with three tabs on the left: Settings, Design, and Send Details.

Complete required settings

Before designing the email, complete the required fields in the Settings tab. These values affect how the email appears in inboxes.

  • Internal email title – For internal identification only.
  • Subject line – Write a short, benefit-focused subject.
  • Preheader – Add supporting text that complements the subject.
  • Sender and Reply-to – Confirm these are correct.

Email settings showing autosave status

Act-On saves changes automatically. Use the save indicator to confirm your work is captured.

Establish the design foundation

Switch to the Design tab to begin building the email layout and content.

Email Composer design tab overview

Set Global styles

Global styles define default fonts, colors, and backgrounds that rows and content blocks inherit.

  1. Open Global styles.
  2. Set background and content area colors.
  3. Choose a default font and link color.

Global styles panel in the Email Composer

Build the email layout

Rows define the structure of your email and control how content stacks on mobile.

  1. Add a single-column row for the header.
  2. Add a single-column row for the main message and CTA.
  3. Add an additional row for supporting content.

Row layout options in the Email Composer

Add and refine content

Add header content

  1. Add an Image block to the header row.
  2. Insert your logo and adjust alignment and padding.

Add the main message

  1. Add a Title block for the headline.
  2. Add a Paragraph block for the introduction.

Add a call-to-action button

  1. Add a Button block below the introduction.
  2. Use clear, action-oriented button text.
  3. Link the button to a Landing Page or tracked URL.

Email content blocks placed on the canvas

Add personalization

Personalization makes emails more relevant, but should always include fallback text.

  1. Select a text block.
  2. Insert a personalization field.
  3. Add fallback text so the email reads naturally for all recipients.

Adding personalization with fallback text

Preview and review

Preview the email to confirm layout, readability, and contrast before sending.

  • Review the email in Desktop view.
  • Switch to Mobile view and check spacing.
  • Use Dark mode to confirm contrast.
  • Preview personalization using sample data.

Email preview showing desktop, mobile, and dark mode options

 

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