Act-On's Subscription Management allows you to create Categories for sending out email messages. Categories provide your contacts with more control over their contact preferences. They are less likely to opt out if they can choose what types of messages they receive. Read on to learn how to use this feature.
Essentials to Get Started
- Only Act-On Administrators can make changes to Subscription Management.
- Defined Subscription Categories that your contacts can subscribe to. These define the subject matter of the content in your marketing emails. You could include topics like:
- Newsletters
- Promotions and Offers
- Product Updates
Instructions
The Subscription Management configuration page allows you to toggle this feature on and off. You can customize your categories and appearance while still keeping the on/off switch in the off position. This allows you to configure everything before using the page completely.
Step 1: Customize Page Styling
Go to Contacts > Subscription Management. At the top of the Subscription Management page, there are four drop-down menus. Use these to style the page.
Options include:
- Custom Stationery to update the page styling
- Use a Company Logo (upload to Content > Branding > Logos)
- Choose a default font and font size for paragraph text
Step 2: Customize the Page Content
There are several places with generic text that you can customize.
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Page Introduction Use the Rich Text Editor to update the page introduction to match your company's voice and style. |
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Opt-Out Introduction Describe the impact of checking the opt-out box. This box functions as a re-subscribe when the contact de-selects the box and submits the form. |
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Opt-Out Option This displays next to the checkbox for opting out. |
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Page Footer Use the Rich Text Editor to update the page footer as needed. |
Step 3: Add Subscription Categories
Add a Name and Description for each category.
To check a category by default when the form loads, check the box next to it.
Optional: Additional Settings
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Response Format This allows your contacts to control whether they receive a Plain Text or HTML version of your messages. By default, Act-On sends both versions, and most mail providers will display the HTML version. |
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Settings and Opt-Out Response Type This controls the page behavior with a contact who makes their selection and clicks the Update Settings button. We provide two different options so you can customize messaging for contacts who are subscribing to categories and for those contacts who are opting out. Options include:
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Step 4: Preview and Enable the Page
Once you have finished customizing, click Preview at the top right corner to view the page.
When you are done, click the toggle to turn on the feature: 
Next Steps
Update your Email Footers
Now that you have enabled Subscription Management, you will need to distribute the preferences form. The best place to do this is in your Email Footer. Act-On provides three different options to customize your Email Footer links when using Subscription Management. See our article here for more information on each of these links and how to use them: How to Add an Opt-Out Link.
Send Messages to Each Category
Once you have contacts who have subscribed to your categories, you can send email messages based on subscriptions. See Using Subscription Management in Emails for more information.
