Formatting

[RLCNY]

I've noticed the  formatting rules can be restrictive. I would appreciate more flexibility to place elements precisely where I want them. A less rigid formatting structure would allow for more creative and personalized email designs.

Lastly, I'd love the ability to create custom sign-up forms with functional form fields. Having the freedom to tailor these forms to my specific needs would greatly enhance my ability to gather the information relevant to my campaigns.

[William_A]

Hello @RLCNY ,

Can you please elaborate on your ideas?

What flexibility are you looking for regarding the placement rules? What exactly are you looking to do, or can you provide examples? Would you be able to use an image editing program to make your more custom layouts (including background), then include those as part of the email body with an inner/outer background color to match?

What freedom are you looking for in regards to the sign up forms that isn't currently available with custom fields? If you're needing larger character responses, have you tried including surveys as part of the confirm-opt-in email or welcome automation (if applicable)?

[RLCNY]

Hi!

My main concern is the inability to place images where I want them, like at the top of my newsletter I have my organizations logo, and I'd like to add photos to either side of the logo. The only way I can do that is by using the three column feature, but the size restriction on those images makes it unusable (for my purposes). I'd like to be able to treat images like a sticker, where I can post it wherever on the newsletter I want. For example, in my upcoming newsletter I have a "Winter Recap" area, and I would like to be able to add a little snowflake or a snowman or something next to the words 'Winter Recap,' without it messing up the formatting.

For the sign up forms, I would like a drop-down menu available. I have a volunteer sign up form, but one of the form fields is Type of Volunteer (legal professional, law student, or community member). The character limit prevents me from writing out the types, and it would be helpful to have form fields with a drop-down menu so volunteers can pick from the list. It would also be helpful to be able to add a sign up form into a newsletter, instead of including a link to the sign-up page.

I'm relatively new to Constant Contact, so if these features already exist, sorry!

[William_A · Accepted solution]

For the images, you would need to do this within a dedicated photo editing program, if you're wanting something like overlapping graphics or images on top of your logo (or other images), or some other particularly advanced image techniques. Then you'd take that new image, upload it into your account, and then add it to the email. The system ultimately isn't really built for that kind of image editing. It's meant for a more simplistic block layout to ensure better delivery and automatic mobile restructuring. It's part of the reason we chose to integrate with Canva as well, since that's more dedicated to graphic design.

Regarding the sign up form requests, there's currently existing threads for these. You're welcome to vote and voice use cases on them.:

• Create dropdown fields for sign up forms
• Increase Character Limit for Custom Field content

Based on the industry at this time, sign up forms are very unlikely to ever be embeddable into emails. This is due to how the coded forms function in HTML, how impressions and other metrics need to work for the landing page forms, and to avoid some of the more aggressive anti-spam and malware firewalls typically used by email clients against email marketing services. 

Based on what you're describing, it may be more advisable to develop your own sign up form and connect it with our API, if you're needing to treat it like a "Contact Us" type form some sites have. If you choose to go this route, you'll need to speak with our Web Services / Developer team via their website or their Community board. Keep in mind this is particularly advanced, so if you don't know how to code certain elements on your site, or how designing your own sign up form would work (or have someone on your team you could ask to assist), then this would be a moot point.

[RLCNY]

Thank you!