How to Send a Test Email for Your Email Marketing Campaign in Zibster
Overview
Before sending an email marketing campaign to your full contact list, you can send a test email from your Zibster Marketing Dashboard. A test email lets you review your subject line, images, buttons, links, layout, and message content from your recipient’s point of view.
A test email is only used for review. Because it is not the live email campaign, the test email will not display the unsubscribe option at the bottom of the message.
When you send the live email marketing campaign, Zibster automatically includes an unsubscribe option at the bottom of the email. This helps keep your email marketing compliant with spam and bulk email rules and requirements.
This guide walks you through how to send a test email from an existing email marketing campaign in Zibster.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have an email campaign created in your Zibster Marketing Dashboard.
The campaign does not need to be sent to your full contact list before you send a test email.
STEP ONE
Log in to your Zibster account and click MARKETING in the left-side menu.
This opens your Marketing Dashboard, where you can create email campaigns, manage contacts, and review campaign activity.
STEP TWO
Click EMAIL CAMPAIGNS at the top of your Marketing Dashboard.
This opens your list of email marketing campaigns.
STEP THREE
Select the campaign you want to test, or create a new campaign if you have not started one yet.
If you have several campaigns, you can use the search tool to quickly find the campaign you want to review.
Before sending your test email, review the campaign content in the campaign editor. This is a good time to check your text, images, links, buttons, subject line, and overall layout.
STEP FOUR
Click the SEND button in the top-right corner of the campaign editor.
A menu will open on the right side of your screen with the available sending options for your campaign.
STEP FIVE
Click EMAIL TEST in the right-side menu.
This option allows you to send a test version of the campaign without sending it to your full contact list.
STEP SIX
In the Send a test to field, enter the email address where you want to receive the test campaign.
You can send the test email to yourself or enter additional email addresses separated by commas if you want other people to review the campaign.
You can send a test email to up to 5 email addresses at a time.
After the email address or addresses are entered, click SEND.
Test emails sent through Zibster Marketing do not count toward your monthly marketing email limit.
FINAL STEP
A confirmation message will appear letting you know the test email was sent successfully.
Check the inbox for the email address you entered. The test email will show how your campaign content, images, buttons, and links will appear to recipients when you send the final version.
The test email will not include the unsubscribe option because it is not the live email campaign. The unsubscribe option is automatically included when you send the final email marketing campaign to your selected recipients.
Additional Options and Helpful Notes
Sending a test email is recommended before every email campaign. It helps you catch small issues before your full audience receives the message.
When reviewing your test email, check the following:
- The subject line displays correctly.
- Images load as expected.
- Buttons and links go to the correct pages.
- Text is easy to read on desktop and mobile.
- Contact details, dates, pricing, or promotion information are accurate.
- The email looks complete and ready to send.
For the best review, send your test email to more than one type of inbox when possible, such as Gmail, Apple Mail, or Outlook. You may also want to check the test email on both desktop and mobile devices. This helps you confirm that your campaign design, formatting, buttons, and links look correct for different recipients.
The unsubscribe option will not display in test emails. This is expected behavior. Zibster automatically adds the unsubscribe option to the bottom of live email marketing campaigns to help keep your messages compliant with spam and bulk email requirements.
If you send the test email to other people for feedback, make any needed edits in the campaign editor before sending the final campaign to your contact list.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Why does my test email not show an unsubscribe option?
The unsubscribe option does not appear in test emails because a test email is only used for review. It is not the live campaign being sent to your marketing audience.
When you send the live email marketing campaign, Zibster automatically includes the unsubscribe option at the bottom of the email.
Will my live campaign include an unsubscribe option?
Yes. Zibster automatically includes the unsubscribe option at the bottom of live email marketing campaigns. This helps keep your email marketing compliant with spam and bulk email rules and requirements.
I did not receive my test email. What should I check?
If the test email does not arrive, check your spam or junk folder first.
You should also confirm that the email address was typed correctly in the Send a test to field.
If you are sending the test to multiple people, ask each recipient to check their spam or junk folder as well.
Can I send more than one test email?
Yes. You can send a test email as many times as needed while reviewing and editing your campaign.
Does sending a test email send the campaign to my full list?
No. The EMAIL TEST option only sends the campaign to the email address or addresses entered in the test field. Your campaign will not be sent to your full contact list until you complete the regular sending process.
Do test emails count toward my monthly marketing email limit?
No. Test emails sent through Zibster Marketing do not count toward your monthly marketing email limit.
