Multi-language Subscription Management

  • Updated

This feature allows you to create different versions of the current subscription management page. Here’s how it works and what you need to know:

1. No Impact on Core Functionality: 

The core functionality of the subscription management (SM) system remains unchanged. This feature simply allows you to create multiple versions of the SM page. Learn more about Act-On’s subscription management functionality here.

2. Customization and Translation: 

You can translate or customize versions for specific use cases. This is ideal for accommodating different languages or tailoring the page to specific audiences.

3. Managing Subscription Categories: 

  • Adding/Deleting Categories: Categories can only be added or deleted in the system default version. This ensures a clean mapping to the subscription management list.
  • Visibility Control: In each version, categories can be made visible or hidden. This means you can choose which categories to display in different versions.

4. Category Mapping: 

  • Only categories from the system default version map to the subscription management list. Learn more about the subscription management list here.
  • Categories shown in versions are simply translations of the category names from the default version.

5. Unique URLs for Each Version: 

Every created version has a unique URL, allowing easy access and identification.

6. Smart Redirect URL: 

This can be used to automatically redirect recipients to the version that matches their browser language.

7. Enabling/Disabling Versions:

  • Versions can be enabled or disabled individually.
  • If the system default version is disabled, all associated versions are automatically disabled as well.

8. Using URLs in Emails: 

You will be able to insert either the version URL or the Smart Redirect URL into the email footer or within the email body, just like any other URL. Read more on how to do this in the Using version URLs section. This feature provides flexibility in managing how your subscription management page is presented to different user groups without altering the underlying functionality.

Creating or Editing a Language Version

  1. In Act-On, go to Contacts > Subscription Management
  2. We recommend first reviewing the system default version and ensuring it includes all of the subscription categories you want to use in language versions.
    • Hover over Subscription Management (system default) & click the pen icon to review and edit the system default version.
  3. To begin creating a language version, at the top right corner of the page, click Create language version.
  4. Enter a Version name and a Description, and select a Version language from the dropdown.
    • If a language is already used by a version, it will not be available in the dropdown.
  5. Click Create to enter the subscription management configuration page
  6. The page will initially be a copy of the system default page. You’ll translate each section of the page as appropriate, and customize it to your liking.
    • If you want the email recipient to be able to change the language version while on the SM page, check the Enable language preference selector box.
  7. After translating category names, select to make them visible or to keep them hidden.
  8. Select if categories should be pre-checked when a recipient enters the page.
  9. Make sure confirmation pages are translated appropriately.
  10. Preview the version to ensure it looks good.

Creating a Custom (non-language) Version

Follow the steps above but don’t select a language from the dropdown. Then customize the subscription management page to meet your needs. Remember that categories are added or deleted only from the system default page.

Using Version URLs

Once a subscription management version has been created, you’ll be able to use a version-specific URL that will always direct to the specific version. The full version URL can be entered into email footers or directly into the email body just like any other URL.

To get the version URL:

  1. Go to Contacts > Subscription Management, hover over the version you want to use, and click on the URL icon.
  2. In the Get public URL dialog, click Copy URL to copy the Version URL or Smart Redirect URL:

We recommend using the URL in email footers. To do so:

  1. Go to Content > Email Footers and add a new footer for the language version.
  2. In the footer editor, click  to expand the menu, & open the URL editor:

 

  1. In the URL field, paste the Version URL (copied in step 2 above), and in Text to display enter translated text appropriate for your language version:

You now have an email footer in your version language that you can use in any email sent in a specific language. The footer contains a link to the subscription management page that matches the language of the email.

  • Example language version URL (French):
    https://yourdomain/acton/rif/{{Env.AccountId}}/{{Env.MsgId}}/-/{{Env.RecId}}/{{Env.SrcId}}/zout?sid={{Env.Code}}&languageVersion=fr
  • Example non-language version URL (SM page for a specific audience):
    https://yourdomain/acton/rif/{{Env.AccountId}}/{{Env.MsgId}}/-/{{Env.RecId}}/{{Env.SrcId}}/zout?sid={{Env.Code}}&languageVersion=audience1

Note that due to the personalization parameters used in the URL, the URL will only work once it’s been sent in an Act-On email. Be sure to send a test email and check that the subscription management link works as intended. 

Using Smart Redirect URL

Once a subscription management version has been created, you can also direct email recipients to it using a Smart Redirect URL. This URL identifies the email recipient’s browser language and redirects to the subscription management version that matches the browser language. If the recipient’s browser language does not match any version, they will be directed to the system default version. This URL cannot be used with non-language versions.

  • Example smart redirect URL:
    https://yourdomain/acton/rif/{{Env.AccountId}}/{{Env.MsgId}}/-/{{Env.RecId}}/{{Env.SrcId}}/zout?sid={{Env.Code}}&smartRedirect

This URL will also not work until sent in an Act-On email.

Collecting Subscription Management Choices

Subscription management choices from all versions map to the Subscription Management list. Learn more about the list and how to use it here.

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