If you’re using ActiveCampaign and you want more bang for buck from what you spend, this post is for you.
The Email Designer in ActiveCampaign has some seriously great features you probably don’t know about – and they will help you drive more clicks, which equals more sales. Happy days!
And if you’re shopping around for a new email platform, this will help you know if the grass is greener over in ActiveCampaign for email design that’s fast, fluent and effective.
I’m Kay Peacey – Certified ActiveCampaign Consultant, Customer Advisory Board member, and creator of the Slick Business Academy.
And I’m here to show you exactly how to make your emails more engaging, clickable and profitable, using some of the most powerful (and often overlooked) features in ActiveCampaign’s Email Designer.
Then when you’re ready to see it all step by step, and get the imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real.
Try ActiveCampaign now with a two week free trial
Follow these steps to get more clicks from ActiveCampaign emails
Try ActiveCampaign now with a two week free trial
Watch Kay Peacey explain how to unlock Email Designer gold in ActiveCampaign (13 mins)
From playful design elements to powerful logic tools, this video walks you through 5 advanced features in the ActiveCampaign Email Designer that will help you get more clicks – and more revenue – from every email you send.
Try ActiveCampaign now with a two week free trial
What’s special about the ActiveCampaign Email Designer?
Unlike many other platforms, ActiveCampaign brings together powerful logic tools (like Link Actions and Conditional Content) inside the drag-and-drop email designer.
- Make your emails dynamic and responsive so they’re engaging to read
- Build advanced logic without writing code – so each contact see relatable relevant content
- Stay on-brand and on-message without duplicating work
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re ready to use ActiveCampaign at a higher level, these features can help you get more from every email you send. Let’s start with one of the most fun things you can do…
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Discover Rollover image magic in the ActiveCampaign Email Designer
Rollovers Effect let you swap one image for another when someone hovers over it. It’s a playful, interactive way to add delight and drive clicks.
Whether it’s a cheeky signature image or a compelling call to action, adding a Rollover draws attention and gets people to engage.
Set up is easy:
- Add an image block
- Toggle on Rollover Effect in the settings
- Upload your second image
You can use this to create visual surprises, add movement, or even hide an Easter egg for your readers.
Engagement means clicks, and clicks mean money – Rollovers are a brilliant tool for both.
To see this step by step, and get all the imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real – those clicks (and sales!) are waiting for you to take action on this!
Using ActiveCampaign already, or thinking about getting it?
Get our FREE Accelerated ActiveCampaign training now
Use internal menus for smooth navigation in ActiveCampaign emails
If you send long-form emails or newsletters, you can make life easier for your readers by adding a menu block.
Menus in ActiveCampaign support internal anchor links so readers can jump straight to the part they want – just like a contents section on a web page.
Menus are perfect for mobile users who might lose their place while scrolling, or for any email that needs structure. Add a menu at the top, include anchor points in your email, and your readers will be able to navigate with ease.
To see this step by step, and get all the imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real – those clicks (and sales!) are waiting for you to take action on this!
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Optimise your email for mobile vs desktop in ActiveCampaign
Your readers are checking emails on both mobile and desktop, and they expect a seamless experience. In ActiveCampaign, you can control which blocks display on which devices using visibility settings.
Why this matters:
- You can show “Tap to play” vs “Click to play” based on device
- You can hide large images on mobile to keep your content focused
- You can create device-specific layouts in the same email
To use it, just click on the block, then use the eye icon to toggle visibility for mobile or desktop. This is one of the easiest ways to improve your click-through rate.
It may sound obvious, but humans really like it when stuff is presented to them without them having to think about it. So the ability to show different things depending on what device someone is looking at your email on is an easy win!
To see this step by step, and get all the imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real – those clicks (and sales!) are waiting for you to take action on this!
Learn more about our Slick Business Academy
Fast effective Email & Automation training & support from Kay Peacey
Use Conditional Content in ActiveCampaign emails to boost conversions
Conditional Content is one of the most powerful features in the ActiveCampaign Email Designer – we love it! It allows you to tailor content that speaks directly to your reader by showing them content that is directly relevant to them, based on what you know.
It’s only available on Pro and Enterprise plans. If you’re on one of those, it lets you dynamically show or hide content blocks based on Tags, Lists, Custom Field values, and more.
This means you can:
- Hide sales CTAs from people who already bought it
- Show re-activation offers to lapsed members
- Tailor messaging to specific audience segments
The possibilities are endless.
Instead of sending five different emails, you can build one smart email that adapts itself for each person.
Personalised, strategic, and scalable – what’s not to like about this!?
To see this step by step, and get all the imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real – those clicks (and sales!) are waiting for you to take action on this!
Learn more about our Slick Business Academy
Fast effective Email & Automation training & support from Kay Peacey
Trigger follow-up with Link Actions in the ActiveCampaign Email Designer
When someone clicks a link in your email, what happens next?
With ActiveCampaign’s Link Actions, you can trigger Automations, add Tags, or update Contact records based on that click – with zero extra setup in the Automation itself.
For example:
- Add a Tag when someone clicks a link to your 1:1 service
- Start a nurture sequence based on topic interest
- Let subscribers opt out of specific content topics
Just select the link in the Email Designer, go to Link Actions, and choose what should happen. This is a goldmine for creating personalised, behaviour-driven journeys. Go have an explore – it’s such a simple but effective feature that we’d definitely recommend using.
To learn how to do basic but brilliant things in ActiveCampaign – including designing emails using templates – go and do our FREE Accelerated ActiveCampaign mini-course – it’s unique to ActiveCampaign and SO worth having.
To see all this step by step, and get imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real – those clicks (and sales!) are waiting for you to take action on this!
Using ActiveCampaign already, or thinking about getting it?
Get our FREE Accelerated ActiveCampaign training now
FAQs about hidden gold features in the ActiveCampaign Email Designer
What is a rollover image and how do I use it in ActiveCampaign emails?
A rollover swaps one image for another on hover. Turn it on in the image block settings and upload a second image.
Can I hide ActiveCampaign email blocks for mobile or desktop?
Yes! Use the visibility toggle (eye icon) on any block to show or hide it based on the device.
How do menus work in ActiveCampaign emails?
The menu block can include internal links (anchor links) to different parts of the same email. Great for long emails.
What ActiveCampaign plan do I need for Conditional Content?
Conditional content is only available on Pro or Enterprise plans.
How do I set up a link action in ActiveCampaign emails?
Select your link, go to Link Actions, and choose what should happen (e.g. add a Tag, start an Automation).
To see all this step by step, and get imports, templates, workflows and sneaky expert tips, take a look at our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course and get ready to level up for real – those clicks (and sales!) are waiting for you to take action on this!
Learn more about our Slick Business Academy
Fast effective Email & Automation training & support from Kay Peacey
Get more help with the ActiveCampaign Email Designer
Want to go deeper with these powerful ActiveCampaign email designer features? Sure you do!
Join me inside the Academy where I teach the Email Designer in full detail – including strategic tips and step-by-step guidance to make your emails really shine. Go check out our ActiveCampaign Email Designer course outline – it’s SO good and will massively improve your designs and workflows to get those clicks and sales.
So come on in to the Academy, and you’ll have Kay Peacey and the Slick Business team, and all your lovely fellow members, to guide you every step of the way to fabulousness with ActiveCampaign.
Learn more about our Slick Business Academy
Fast effective Email & Automation training & support from Kay Peacey