How do I create a drag-and-drop email template?

Templates are a key resource for any active and results driven email marketer. They save time and keep your branding and content consistent. You can save your own templates or your account offers many free stock templates from simple layouts to complex themed templates. 

How-To

You will create your own templates in the Assets dashboard. Your email templates library will be seen as soon as you enter Assets. To create a new template, click on the "Create Template" button  in the top-right corner.

1. In step 1, the only required component is the template name. Assign a name and then click "Save and Next".
   
   
2. In step 2, choose how to start the template design: Start from Blank, Start from Paste, Start from Upload, Start from Template.
   • To create a template that is drag-and-drop editor friendly, you must choose either Start from Blank or Start from Template. For this example, we will start from a stock template.
     
     
3. In the pop-up, click "Drag-and-Drop Stock Template" button at the top to see our stock template library. You can start with one of our designs and make it your own.
   
   
   
4. Hover over a template thumbnail and click the "Use" button to choose it.
   
   
5. You'll be dropped into our drag-and-drop email designer. Use the design tools to change colors, layout, images, text, etc. When you're done, click the "Save and Next" button.
   
   
   
6. In step 3, you can preview how the email generally appears. It's important to note that Preview is using your browser's rendering rules, which can be different from an email client's rules. Click the "Next" button.
   
   
7. In step 4, you can test the email template to your email address to see it as an email. It's important to note that it is required that you test a template one time before being able to save it as your own custom email template.
   
   
8. After testing, click the "Exit" button to return to email templates library. If you did not place your template in a folder, you will see it at the top of the library list. Hover over the file name to expose an "Edit" button.
   
   
   
9. Click the down arrow on the Edit button. Choose "Complete" from the menu.
   
   
10. In the pop-up provide a name for your new template. It's OK to use the same name used when creating the file originally. Optionally, place the file in a folder to keep the library organized.
11. Click the "Ok" button.

Voila! You now have your very own custom template design to use in the campaigns that you send. See this article for steps to create a campaign with a custom template.

Requirements

1. If you would like to use a template you created in the Assets > Email Templates section be sure to "complete" that template by hovering over the file, choosing the drop-down edit menu, selecting "Complete" and naming your completed template.
2. Only "completed" templates are available in the Create a Campaign Workflow. 

Notes

If you are a multi-account client you have the ability to create a Customer Template Repository to share the same templates with all sub-accounts. Learn more about template repositories here.

Resources

Visit our e-Learning hub for online modules to learn more about email templates, our drag-and-drop email designer, & other Delivra features.