Create a custom HTML email

As well as the visual email builder, EcoSend lets you send emails you've crafted yourself in HTML.

Use the custom HTML editor when you already have a coded template, you're migrating a design from another tool, or you need full control over the markup.

Create your email

1. Start a new campaign or open an existing draft.
2. From the email builder’s empty screen, hit “Browse Templates…”
3. Choose the “Code your own” option from the list of templates.
4. This will take you to the custom HTML editor rather than the visual drag-and-drop email builder.
5. Paste in your HTML, or write it directly in the editor.
6. Save your draft as you go.

You can still personalise messages with variables such as a recipient's name. Include them in your HTML the same way you would in the visual builder — for example {{ first_name }}.

Add images by dragging or pasting

You don't need to host images elsewhere before using them in a custom HTML email.

In the custom HTML editor, you can upload an image by doing either of the following:

• Drag an image file into the editor.
• Copy and paste an image file into the editor.

In both situations, the image will be inserted wherever your cursor is within the document.

EcoSend uploads the image for you and adds it to your HTML, so it's ready to send as part of the email.

If you already have images hosted at a public URL, you can still use a regular <img> tag and point src at that URL.

After adding images, be sure to set the alt text so that your email is accessible and readable for recipients on slower connections and with assistive technologies.

Add an unsubscribe link

Every email must contain an unsubscribe link, giving the recipient control over emails they receive.

EcoSend will not allow you to send a campaign without a valid unsubscribe link in the email content.

To add an unsubscribe link to your HTML emails, include the following in your HTML:

<a href="{{ unsubscribe_url }}">Unsubscribe</a>

{{ unsubscribe_url }} will automatically convert into the correct URL when the email is sent.

Before you send

If you’re used to the email builder in EcoSend, you might find features like Review Mode, image editing, and automatic image optimisation helpful. Just to be clear — these features are not available in the custom HTML editor, so ensure you size your images appropriately before uploading, and give your work a thorough check before sending.

You might also want to do the following:

• Send a test email to check how the design looks in a few inboxes.
• Check the HTML size so Gmail doesn't clip the message.
• Confirm the unsubscribe link is present in both the HTML and the plain-text version.