Content: New/Edit Content: Text Message

 For a step-by-step guide to content, see Creating Content -- Overview.

Text Message

The plain-text contents of this message.

Text copied and pasted into a text message from word processing programs such as Word may include extra characters, so it should be pasted into a plain-text editor first before being copied into the Text Message box.

If your content also includes an HTML message, your message will be sent out with both text and HTML. This kind of message is called multipart-alternative format, and it ensures that recipients who can read HTML see only HTML, but those who can't see the plain text message.

Additional message header and footer information may be added to the message if enabled in Utilities: List Settings: Web Created Content: Insert Headers and Footers.

Button Options

Show More

Click to increase the number of lines visible in the message body.

Show Less

When visible, click to decrease the number of lines visible in the message body.

Import File

Imports a text file into the body of your text message. You can import files only of text/plain type.

TIP:   To attach documents to a message, use New Attachment, not Import File

HTML to Text

Converts an HTML message into text. Any formatting that was applied in the HTML Message tab is lost in the Text Message tab; however, special characters will appear before and after text to indicate that it was formatted. For example:

   *Text that had Bold formatting will have asterisks before and after it, like this.*

   _Text that was in Italics will have underscores before and after it, like this._

NOTE:  If you already have a text body, converting the HTML to text will overwrite the preexisting text body.

Insert Field

Insert Field gives you the option to insert:

• Mail merge fields (e.g., email address, first name)
• Database fields
• Email unsubscribe instructions
• Autoresponder addresses

Insert URL

Insert URL gives you the option to insert:

• A single clickthrough tracking URL
• Trackable text
• A URL to confirm membership (used in a confirmation document)
• Unsubscribe URL
• Member profile URL
• Survey URL
• Referral form URL
• The URL to a web page to insert (web fetch)

NOTE: To personalize the message, click on Insert Field to add a mail merge tag.

Insert Condition

Insert Condition lets you insert conditional (dynamic) content; this lets you send recipients customized messages.

The Tools button lets you:

• Convert your content so that it is AOL-compliant.
• Validate URLs, and check for scripts, including those AOL-incompatible
• Reformat text to be word-wrapped, or to make the HTML section AOL-compliant

Preview

Shows you what your content will look like.

Learn about saving and testing content.