Move "This is a test" message on test sends up to top of email

[MiriamC31]

It would be extremely helpful to move the red text indicating the email is a test to the top of the email. We've had countless situations where a test email was forwarded thinking it was real. You have to scroll all the way to the bottom to see it's a test, and most people just don't do that! This would be a very intuitive move for Constant Contact.

[SandraT415]

We send test emails out all the time before we sent the real one but sometimes the test email gets forwarded because the "Test Only Notification" is at the very bottom and people don't usually tend to scroll to the very bottom. I myself have missed it and end up forwarding the wrong email, because of this I do tend to scroll all the way to the bottom but it would be such a huge improvement to have it at the very top where you can't miss it at all, especially for people who are not familiar with Constant Contact or don't use it as frequently.

[Kyle_R]

Great feedback, thanks for sharing @SandraT415 ! We do try to keep the test notification at the bottom of the email so that it doesn't interfere with the preheader text (should you choose to add a preheader). That way you are also test and see how the preheader will look in your email client. However, that doesn't mean we can't do something to make it more obvious that this is not the final version of the email.

I don't know if this will help you, but if you choose to add an optional note when you send a test that will appear at the top of the email. Since that text doesn't have any color it could be easily overlooked as well.

[Frankie_P]

Hi @MiriamC31 would you want this test warning to only display on the top of your email? Or have the option to choose between your header or footer?

[MiriamC31]

Only at the top. I can't imagine a scenario where we'd want it at the bottom, so it seems an unnecessary choice. 

[Frankie_P]

Hi @MiriamC31  thanks for following up with this detail! We have opened up your idea so other users can weigh in as well.

[LonnieT43]

Often, campaigns must be sent through an approval process before sending to appropriate contact lists. When I send a test to those who need to approve a particular communication, I always have to include in BOLDED LARGE FONT that the email is ONLY A TEST. You should move the red font warning that shows at the bottom of test email to the top to save those of us who create the communications from having to go the extra distance to help those who approve them that it's ONLY A TEST and not the actual newsletter. Thank you.

[MelS73]

Can we please put TEST in the subject line when sending test messages? They are often overlooked when sending drafts/tests. Having at the footer makes it invisible and even at the top of the email/in the header won't get people to open it. It needs to be very visible. MailChimp and Vertical Response do this and it's extremely useful.

[JulieL34]

I believe this issue has been under "discussion" for at least 3 years. During that time there have been quite a few "updates" to various parts of the mail interface. It seems to me that Constant Contact has already made a decision not to add "TEST" anywhere near the top of the email, let alone at the start of the subject line.

Maybe one of the CC employees can report to us on the real status of this, rather than thanking us for comments that have been made over and over again.

[DarylL97]

I always send a test prior to scheduling the "real" campaign. Having the red text at the TOP where it will actually be seen and read would be far superior to burying it at the bottom of the newsletter where it is going to be easily overlooked. I always have to add the word TEST which now appears in the header image where it is less apparent than previously.

[JulieL34]

This has been discussed for years, oddly since it seems a no-brainer and doesn't even seem like something that would be hard to adjust in the coding! Everybody be sure to vote the idea up. It only has 5 votes since it was  opened in 2020, but many more comments.