Send your first campaign
Create an email, choose the list, test it, then send or schedule your newsletter and track its results.
·3 min read
To send your first campaign, open Email in your Campaigns workspace and create a campaign. Choose the list or segment, write the message from a template, then fill in the subject and sender. Send yourself a test email, then send the campaign right away or schedule it, and track opens, clicks and unsubscribes in its report.
Your list is ready and your domain is authenticated: time for your first newsletter. This guide walks you from creating the campaign to reading the statistics, with the tips that make a difference (subject line, preview text, test, sending time). It is for beginners and for people moving from another email marketing tool.
Before you start
- Your contacts are imported into a list, see Import your contacts.
- Your sending domain is verified, see Authenticate your sending domain. It is not just a formality: it is what gets your emails into the inbox.
- Your content is ready: a main message, an image if needed and a link to the action you expect (read an article, see an offer, book).
Send your campaign step by step
- In your Campaigns workspace, open Email and create a campaign.
- Choose the list or segment of recipients.
- Write your message from a template with the drag-and-drop editor.
- Fill in the subject and the sender (display name and an address on your authenticated domain).
- Send yourself a test email and check it on desktop and on mobile.
- Send the campaign right away or schedule it for the date and time you want.
- Track opens, clicks and unsubscribes in the campaign report.
How do you write a good email subject line?
The subject line largely decides whether people open. A few simple rules:
- Keep it short: around forty characters display in full on most phones.
- Be specific: "3 ways to get your garden ready for winter" rather than "Newsletter #12".
- Avoid capitals, strings of exclamation marks and over-the-top promises, which spam filters notice.
- Also write the preview text, the line shown under the subject in the inbox.
To compare two subject lines, A/B tests send each version to part of the list and then the winner to the rest.
Why send a test email?
The test shows you the message as your contacts will receive it. Check:
- typos, personalised first names and dates;
- that every link goes to the right page;
- how it looks on mobile, where most emails are read today;
- that the unsubscribe link is there, as it is added to every email.
Send the test to several mail providers (for example a Gmail and an Outlook address): rendering varies from one app to another.
When should you send your newsletter?
There is no universal best time. In B2B, weekday mornings often work well; for consumers, evenings or weekends may suit better. Schedule your sends and compare results from one campaign to the next to find what works for your audience. A regular rhythm (weekly, monthly) matters more than the exact hour.
Understand the campaign report
- Opens: a trend, because some mail apps block or preload tracking images.
- Clicks: the most reliable sign of your readers' interest.
- Unsubscribes: a spike after a campaign often points to off-topic content or too many emails.
- Bounces: invalid addresses are removed from your sends automatically.
The main figures also appear on the Email campaigns page of your client area, in the latest campaigns table.
What if the campaign does not go out?
- Domain not verified: complete the Verify step in Sending domains.
- Monthly limit reached: sending pauses until next month. You can upgrade anytime with Change plan, see Change plan.
- Slow send on a large list: sending is spread over time to protect your reputation. That is normal.
Support is available 24/7 by ticket or at support@upkyo.com.
Frequently asked questions
How do I schedule a newsletter?
When sending, choose to schedule the campaign instead of sending it now, then set the date and time. You can prepare several campaigns in advance.
Why does my newsletter go to spam?
The most common causes are an unauthenticated domain, an old or purchased list and content that looks like spam. See Improve the deliverability of your email campaigns to fix them.
Can I send to only part of my list?
Yes, by choosing a segment instead of the whole list. A segment filters your contacts by their details or activity.
How many emails can I send per month?
It depends on your plan: the number of emails included per month is shown on the service page in your client area. Beyond that, sending resumes the following month or after a plan change.