Email Content Environment: Advanced Setup

Setting up advanced email content development and testing environments is critical for maximizing the effectiveness and deliverability of your campaigns. A well-configured environment ensures your team can efficiently create, test, and optimize email content while catching issues before they impact real subscribers. This comprehensive guide walks through the key components, best practices, and step-by-step implementation of a robust email content environment.

Key Components of an Email Content Environment

An effective email content environment consists of several core elements that enable seamless development, testing, and collaboration:

Email Editor

A WYSIWYG or HTML email builder for crafting responsive, on-brand email content.

Testing Tools

Automated and manual QA checks for rendering, links, spelling, accessibility and more.

Staging Environment

A separate space mimicking production for safely building and testing email content.

Content Repository

Central storage for email assets like templates, snippets, images, and past campaigns.

The diagram below provides a high-level overview of how these components fit together in an optimized email content workflow:

Setting Up Your Email Content Tech Stack

Choosing the right tools is the first step in building out your email content environment. Key considerations include:

Ease of use for your team's skill levels
Compatibility with your email service provider (ESP) and other marketing tech
Customization options to match your brand and process requirements
Scalability to grow with your email program

Selecting an Email Editor

Your email editor is the heart of your content creation process. Popular options include:

Editor	Type	Pros	Cons
BEE Pro	WYSIWYG	Easy to use, extensive template library	Limited HTML access
Taxi for Email	HTML	Complete control, reusable partials	Requires HTML knowledge
Litmus Builder	Hybrid	Visual building and HTML editing, ESP syncing	Higher learning curve

For teams with strong HTML skills, a code-based editor offers the most flexibility and control. Otherwise, a WYSIWYG is better for quick, visual building by marketers and designers.

Tip: Some ESPs have built-in editors that may be sufficient, especially if deep integration is a priority. However, a specialized tool typically offers a better creation experience.

Implementing Testing Processes

Thorough testing is vital for catching embarrassing mistakes and technical issues before an email reaches subscribers. A combination of manual and automated checks works best:

This chart breaks down an ideal email testing workflow:

Manual Testing Checklist

Proofread for spelling, grammar, tone, and brand voice consistency
Check links for proper URLs and tracking parameters
Confirm sender name, subject line, and preview text are correct
Review images for rendering, alt text, legal disclaimers
Verify responsiveness across screen sizes
Validate dynamic content like merge tags and personalization
Test interactivity such as accordions, carousels, tooltips

Best Practice: Create a standardized testing checklist for your team and require sign-off from multiple stakeholders (content, design, legal, etc.) before approving an email.

Automated Testing Tools

Automated testing supplements manual reviews by checking technical factors like:

Inbox Rendering Spam Scores Broken Links Blacklist Checks Accessibility

Popular testing tools include:

Provides comprehensive testing for rendering, deliverability, accessibility, and more. Integrates with many ESPs for seamless review.

Offers rendering, link and image validation, plus dynamic content testing. Also supports live collaboration and reviews.

Test email sending and deliverability with a virtual SMTP server and detailed inspection of content and infrastructure.

Building a Staging Environment

A staging environment is a replica of your live email setup used for safely building and testing content changes. It allows you to validate emails and integrations without risking subscriber impact.

Key aspects of an effective staging environment include:

Segmented from production with no real data
ESP integration for complete campaign building
Sample data that mimics your actual audience
Triggered automation paths for fully testing flows
Ability to fully review and QA emails before deployment

This diagram illustrates the flow between staging and production:

Common Pitfall: Not having a completely separate staging environment. Trying to test in production risks mistakes getting sent to real subscribers.

Most ESPs support creating a staging or testing instance, often with a shared login to your production account. Seeding the staging environment with anonymized sample data that reflects the diversity of your real list allows for accurate QA.

Example: Pardot Staging Environment

Here's how to configure a staging environment in Salesforce Pardot:

Navigate to Pardot Settings and click Create Sandbox Account
Map sandbox fields to production, then click Create Sandbox
Find the staging login URL under Pardot Settings
Sync sample prospect data from production using Anonymize & Copy Prospects
Build and test as needed in the staging account before deploying live

Note: Be sure to deactivate any live integrations, DNS settings, paid media, etc. in your staging environment to avoid unintended sends or charges.

Organizing Email Content Assets

A well-organized email content repository saves significant time and ensures consistent, on-brand messaging across campaigns. Key items to store include:

Asset Type	Examples
Templates	Headers, footers, content blocks, layout frameworks
Images	Logos, icons, photos, illustrations, infographics
Copy	Subject lines, headings, body copy, CTAs, disclaimers
Metadata	ALT text, character counts, links, tracking parameters

Storing assets within your email editor or ESP is convenient for quick access. However, a cloud storage solution like Google Drive or Dropbox is better for organization and sharing across teams.

An effective email asset storage framework might look like:

Best Practice: Use clear, descriptive file names and a logical folder structure for easy browsing. Creating a standardized naming convention ensures consistency as your repository grows.

Collaborative Email Workflow

With your core email content environment set up, it's critical to define workflows that maximize quality and efficiency. This involves:

Identifying key stakeholders and their roles
Setting content standards and brand guidelines
Documenting your end-to-end campaign process
Implementing content approval and sign-off stages
Establishing timelines and production SLAs

Example Email Workflow

Here's an example of an optimized, collaborative workflow for creating an email campaign:

Stakeholders align on campaign brief, goals, timeline
Copywriter drafts email content in Google Doc
Designer creates graphics and visual layouts
Developer codes email template in staging environment
Stakeholders review and provide feedback, iterating as needed
QA team tests email rendering, links, personalization, etc.
Manager approves final email for deployment
Marketer schedules and launches campaign to production

Mapping out each step clarifies responsibilities and keeps everyone aligned. Using collaborative tools like Google Docs and Figma makes feedback and iteration much easier than endless email chains.

Brief

Copy

Design

Build

Test

Deploy

Clearly communicating timelines and staging work helps avoid last-minute rushes and keeps campaigns on track. Visualizing progress is also motivating for the team.

Optimizing Your Email Environment Over Time

Your email content engine should evolve as your program matures and goals change. Some ways to continually optimize include:

Regularly audit and prune your asset library to keep it lean and current
Upgrade your tools and integrations as new capabilities become available
Collect feedback from your team on pain points and improvement ideas
Stay on top of email industry trends and adopt new best practices
Look for opportunities to further automate and streamline your workflow