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ocPortal Tutorial: Running a newsletter

Written by Chris Graham, ocProducts
{!DOC_NEWSLETTER}


Table of contents

  1. ocPortal Tutorial: Running a newsletter
    1. ocPortal newsletters
    2. Sending newsletters
    3. Sent newsletters
    4. What's new ("new content")
    5. See also

ocPortal newsletters

Important note

Newsletter subscription is distinct from membership, in that a subscription is solely tied to an e-mail address, and there is no tie between a subscription and a member account, and vice versa. This said, the newsletter subscription has special support for sending out newsletters to usergroup members regardless of whether they have specifically subscribed to a newsletter.
ocPortal newsletters support a concept of 'interest levels', which you can use to control sending of information, such that only subscribers with sufficient interest in your site get the most trivial newsletters, and all subscribers get the most critical newsletters. You may have multiple newsletters in ocPortal, for each of which members may choose to subscribe with an interest level of their choosing.



Thumbnail: Subscribing to the newsletter

Subscribing to the newsletter
Newsletter subscribers may use a password, chosen at subscription, to control their subscription settings. They may change their interest level for all newsletters, as well as remove interest totally. They may also have their password reset for the event that they lost it: this is only possible via confirmation of a reset, received via a link sent to the subscription e-mail address.

Sending newsletters

Newsletters are created using Comcode, and sent out in a dual format, of both text and HTML. Most users will be able to read the HTML variant, as this is now by far the standard for common e-mail messages; however if they have this disabled, or an unusual e-mail client that cannot read HTML mails, then they will see the plain text version, which is your original Comcode.

Important note

You can use the WYSIWYG editor for making newsletters if you wish, but it is not advisable because plain-text readers will get some really ugly plain-text from it. If you make the newsletter using manual Comcode, the plain-text readers will see the Comcode, which is intrinsicly easy to read.
In order to change the newsletter appearance, to something more pleasing, you may wish to edit the 'NEWSLETTER_DEFAULT' template. This is a template that defines the default newsletter, and hence you may fill it with Comcode to surround your actual newsletter text, such as to format your newsletter mails in an attractive manner.

On the "compose newsletter" screen there is a link to view newsletter subscribers. This will show all newsletter subscribers at all subscription levels.

When composing your newsletter you will be given a choice to send it out at a scheduled time. This is particularly useful for companies that need to coordinate a marketing plan.

Before your newsletter is sent, you have an opportunity to preview it, so you can ensure it is correct. Look at your preview carefully, as it is easy to make minor typographical or layout mistakes that would affect the professionalism portrayed in these bulk e-mails. You will also be e-mailed the newsletter during the preview stage so that you can perform the ultimate check.

Sent newsletters

There is a newsletter archive available, so that you may browse through past newsletters, to make sure you present a consistent image, and generally keep track of what has been sent out in bulk for professional reasons.

What's new ("new content")

Thumbnail: Sending a

Sending a

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In similar a vein, you may create newsletters from news. To do this, just visit the view page for the news that you wish to use and click the appropriate link. You will then be given the choice to refine the newsletter before it is sent.



See also