You’re just getting started with ActiveCampaign and feeling a bit nervous…
Or maybe you already poked around and could do with a quick “Am I doing this right?” check.
You are in exactly the right place.
Kay Peacey ActiveCampaign expert has this rapid-fire rundown of the five essential things you need to know when you first dive in to ActiveCampaign.
This will save you hours of angst and overwhelm – winner!
To send the right Emails to the right people at the right time using ActiveCampaign without the stress, read on.
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Learn why you should stick to just a few Lists in ActiveCampaign
There are definite don’ts, and then there’s the right way to use Lists in ActiveCampaign!
The big things to know is: Don’t go List crazy!
When you start using ActiveCampaign, it’s tempting to create a lot of Lists and use them as way to group Contacts.
But having a lot of Lists in ActiveCampaign is a recipe for trouble with subscribes and unsubscribes.
Keep your ActiveCampaign Lists under control – as few Lists as possible
- Have one or two Lists
One master List is perfect.
If you must, add a second for customers only. - Avoid lots of Lists
Don’t set up individual Lists for every lead magnet, product or group – this will come back to bite you one day – trust me!
Lists are about permission to email. Start simple, and you’ll thank yourself later. Read our blog here for more on what Lists really do in ActiveCampaign.
Or come see how we do it in our FREE Accelerated ActiveCampaign training!
Using ActiveCampaign already, or thinking about getting it?
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Understand when to use a Field vs when to use a Tag in ActiveCampaign
This is lightbulb moment that’s super important when you get started using ActiveCampaign!
Tags and Fields have totally different roles in ActiveCampaign – read this to really get when to use Tags vs when to use Fields
ActiveCampaign Tag vs ActiveCampaign Field
- Tags = sticky labels
Good for quickly spotting and grouping people – on or off, nothing fancy.
Example: everyone registered for your webinar gets a REG: webinar tag. - Fields = info containers
Holds actual values – things like dates, choices, text.
Fields can be used to display info in emails, and used to search sort or filter contacts.
Tags are great for quick checks, and for defining groups of contacts.
Fields are your go-to if you need detail the tech can “read” or want to show info to your subscribers within emails.
FREE Checklist – 5 tips to start strong with ActiveCampaign
from ActiveCampaign Consultant Kay Peacey
Get insider tips on how to name things in ActiveCampaign for an easy life
Using good, sensible naming when you start using ActiveCampaign will save you hours of trouble and stress later on – trust me!
Each time you create a List, Tag, Field, Form, Automation or Email in ActiveCampaign, it needs a name.
Sounds harmless… until you realise how many things need a name – and that long names can become unreadable inside ActiveCampaign.
I’ve spent a lot of time cleaning up messes caused by not-so-great naming in ActiveCampaign, and it gets really costly to fix – so prevention is better than cure on this one.
The golden rules for naming things when you start using ActiveCampaign
- Keep names Meaningful
Your human brain will deal faster and get into less confusion if names are easily understood - Keep it short and Front-load the meaning
Put the important bit right at the start, so it’s visible even if the rest is cut off - Be consistent
Develop a system and stick to it, rigorously
eg – REG: webinar is a better tag than Webinar – Registration for the May 24th 2024 Masterclass
We teach a full course with a system for Naming things in ActiveCampaign in our Academy, with plenty of examples, clear explainers, and a fast easy way to document everything to keep track of what’s what.
Learn more about our Slick Business Academy
Fast effective Email & Automation training & support from Kay Peacey
Let go of fancy templates with fast easy & effective email design in ActiveCampaign
When you first start using ActiveCampaign to make emails it’s tempting to get into fancy layouts and AI designs – but it can me more trouble than it’s worth, and actively make your emails harder to work with.
But for speed, ease of working, and better email deliverability, it’s better to go simple with mostly-text emails.
Quick-start your email design when you start using ActiveCampaign
- Stick with text-based layouts with a few images
This speeds up building, lands better into inboxes, and is more readable than fancy layouts - Use Global Settings
Set your fonts, sizing, spacing, button colours and more one time – then every new text block will look good automatically. - Focus on info, not style
Email recipients want quick, clear information, not a design spectacle (sorry not sorry!)
When you start using ActiveCampaign, it’s more imporant to get emails sent, delivered, read, and clicked than to have them win design awards.
We teach a full course on the ActiveCampaign Email Designer in the Slick Business Academy, with all the support and help you need to get every email you send looking fabulous with minimal time and effort from you. I’d love to see you in there and share more of the great things the Email Designer (and those Global Settings) can do!
FREE Checklist – 5 tips to start strong with ActiveCampaign
from ActiveCampaign Consultant Kay Peacey
Tackle the scary but vital bits – it’s time to authenticate your email domain
Now don’t panic – but I’m here to tell you, email authentication is a must when you start using ActiveCampaign.
Skip it and risk your email deliverability being harmed so that your emails wind up not getting delivered at all.
And no one wants that!
Critical steps for email authentication when you start using ActiveCampaign
- Look for Settings > Advanced > Sending Domain
- You will need the login credentials for your DNS records
- Enter your sending domain then hit Configure Domain and follow instructions
ActiveCampaign will guide you through to set up DKIM, SPF and DMARC. - Do NOT skip this
If you do this, your emails won’t make it to inboxes reliably
Take a breath – it’s not as bad as it looks, and it only takes a few minutes.
In most cases ActiveCampaign can do it all for you once you have given it permission to edit your DNS records. But some DNS tech needs manual attention to get authentication in place.
If you run into issues, seek help – don’t ignore it. We teach a full course on deliverability for ActiveCampaign in our Academy, with all the support and help you need to make sure every email you send gets delivered.
FREE Checklist – 5 tips to start strong with ActiveCampaign
from ActiveCampaign Consultant Kay Peacey
FAQ on what you really need to know to start using ActiveCampaign
Do I really need email authentication right from the start of using ActiveCampaign?
- Yes, you really do
If you skip it, your emails will struggle to get delivered
Should I have separate ActiveCampaign Lists for every freebie or customer type?
- Nope, please don’t
Use one, maybe two Lists to make it easier to handle unsubscribes
Use Tags and Fields for organising contacts instead.
What’s the difference between ActiveCampaign Tags and Fields?
- Tags are for grouping
Use Tags for a quick “has this person done XYZ?” check. They’re good for seeing who registered for something. - Fields are for storing info
Need to display a value (like a webinar date) in an email, or need more detailed info? That’s what Fields are for.
Is there a free way to learn ActiveCampaign basics with Kay?
- Absolutely – you’re in luck!
Kay Peacey offers free Accelerated ActiveCampaign training with step by step help
Using ActiveCampaign already, or thinking about getting it?
Get our FREE Accelerated ActiveCampaign training now
Get more help with getting started with ActiveCampaign
Kay Peacey runs the Slick Business Academy, where you can access live consults, a supportive community, a resource library and step-by-step courses, whether you’re a beginner or moving on to advanced features.
We’re expert in helping businesses get quickly into ActiveCampaign without losing their minds or crumbling with the overwhelm.
If you want a quick catch-up, grab her Accelerated ActiveCampaign free training and printable five-things checklist (links in the video and at slickbusiness.co/5things).
Learn more about our Slick Business Academy
Fast effective Email & Automation training & support from Kay Peacey