Adding Launch Stages

Within the automation program builder, use the launches menu to send an email campaign or send SMS (if enabled) to contacts that land on this stage. For more complex automation, you can also send a campaign that waits for events, such as a click, to progress a contact through the program.

Note: numbers need to be in international format, e.g. +44 or 44. to use them in Automation SMS journeys.

Adding a send campaign stage

Drag the send campaign stage from the launches menu to the canvas.
Select the stage on the canvas to open the editor pane.
In the editor pane, press the select campaign button to open a popup window with a list of available campaigns.
Select a campaign and press the okay button to add it to your automation program.

Note: any applied filters within this campaign will be in effect.
Press the save draft button to save without publishing your automation program.
When you are ready to publish your program, press the publish program button.

Note: the campaign must be published for the stage to be valid.

Tip: should you wish to change your campaign you can do so without having to pause the program. All you need to do is edit the campaign and re-publish it.

When you are on the campaign overview you will be notified that it is linked to an automation program.

After editing a campaign you will be given a second notification, this acts as a second warning but also as a prompt to publish the campaign again so the changes take affect.

The campaign will change immediately within the program but visual changes to the thumbnail in the APB Canvas may take a while.

Split test campaigns in automation

A split test campaign in an automation program runs as a campaign with variants. Each variant will be launched to by the program, so the campaign only needs to be published — though the criteria for its performance must be applied, i.e. opens, clicks, etc. The program will then continuously send your variants when active.

To make sure the variants are split between recipients it will:

Share the variants if the number of contacts due to be sent the campaign at any point is 100 or more (if you were importing a list to the Program, for example).
Send the variant launched least if the number of contacts due to be sent the campaign is less than 100.

Note: If a variant is edited, the launch count that keeps a note of how many times a variant is sent will be reset.

Sending the Best Variant

If one variant is clearly more successful you may want to just send this campaign. The best way to do so is to copy the desired campaign and then assign that copied campaign to the automation program, in the place of the split test campaign.

Split Test Reporting

The reporting of the split test will notify you of the most successful variant at that point. As new contacts are added to the program this could change.

As the Program continues, the variant launches will balance out, however each variant's reporting is separate and so the percentages of their performance are based on their individual launches.

Adding a send SMS stage

Note: there is a default cap of 1000 messages per month, though this can be changed.

Drag the send SMS stage from the launches menu to the canvas.
Select the stage on the canvas to open the editor pane.
On the editor pane, press the set SMS options button to open the options popup window.
Enter a message name to help identify in reporting and exports.
Enter the contact number field, i.e. the table field you hold contact phone numbers in.
Enter the SMS Identity, i.e. the identity, or sender information, to be applied with the message.

Tip: refer to the ICO Direct Marketing guide for the appropriate use of mobile contact data.
On the editor pane, press the create message button to open the message creation window.
Compose your SMS message (personalisation is available).
Press the save draft button to save without publishing your automation program.
When you are ready to publish your program, press the publish program button.

Note: the program must be published for the stage to be valid.

Adding a send campaign and wait for events stage

The send campaign and wait for events stage allows you to add event triggers and branches to your automation to group contacts based on their response to a campaign, e.g. send a follow up campaign to people who read the initial campaign.

Drag the send campaign and wait for events stage from the launches menu to the canvas.
Select the stage on the canvas to open the editor pane.
In the editor pane, press the select campaign button to open a popup window.
Select a campaign and press the okay button to add it to your automation program.

Note: any filters applied to this campaign will be in effect.
By default, your stage includes a timeout branch with a 2 day timeout period. Press the select timeout period button and enter a new value to change the timeout period. Any contacts still on the stage when the timeout period elapses will move along this branch.
Press the add branch button to add a second branch.
In the new branch, press the add event button to open a popup window with a list of events.
Select the events you wish to add to the branch and press the okay button, e.g. select click to move anyone who clicks a link in your campaign along this branch.
Continue adding branches and events as required.
Each branch will need a follow-up action. Drag and drop additional stages onto the canvas, e.g. add a launch stage, add a delay stage, add a list stage, add a program stage, add a filter stage, add a split stage.
Continue adding stages until each branch is closed.
Press the save draft button to save without publishing your automation program.
When you are ready to publish your program, press the publish program button.

Note: the program must be published for the stage to be valid.