HomeMy WebLinkAboutADM 140-005 eNewsletter ProcedureCie/
DICKERING
Procedure
Procedure Title: eNewsietter Procedure
Procedure Number
ADM 140-005
Reference
Communications Policy 140
Date Originated (mldly)
September 21, 2012
Date Revised (mldly)
September 15, 2017
Pages
2
Approval: Chief Administrative
Procedure Objective
Point of Contact
Division Head, Corporate Communications &
Public Relations
This procedure defines the criteria and application process for developing and managing
eNewsletters. eNewsletters provide a platform to effectively share information within the
Corporation of the City of Pickering (the "City"), as well as share information to the greater
community. It is the intent with eNewsletters to keep the content provided as concise as
possible, with the ability to link out to external sources for more detail. This procedure applies to
any staff responsible for the creation and distribution of a City eNewsietter.
Index
01 Definitions
02 Roles & Responsibilities
03 Appendix 1 — Standard Operating Procedure
01 Definitions
01.01 eNewsietter — a publication distributed electronically on a regular basis,
usually focusing on one specific topic
01.02 Association Suite this is the mailing list application where staff will connect
to Constant Contact, which is the eNewsietter system
01.03 Constant Contact — this is the eNewsietter system. Constant Contact is an
American Service Provider that follows the legal requirements of US Spam
Law. The system will not allow you to send an eNewsletter to the same email
address more than once
02 Roles & Responsibilities
02,01 Chief Administrative Officer to:
a) support and approve this procedure
02,02 Directors to:
a) receive and approve staff requests for new eNewsletters
02.03 Managers/Supervisors to:
a) develop and manage a distribution schedule of their area specific
eNewsletter, if applicable;
b) designate appropriate staff to the development of their area eNewsletter;
and
c) approve staff requests for additional eNewsletter categories
02.04 Integrated Marketing Team to:
a) monitor the effectiveness of the City's eNewsletter efforts
b) recommend implementation of the eNewsletter tool to the appropriate
Director where they see fit
02.05 Website Coordinator to:
a) assist staff in the development and distribution of their eNewsietter as
required
monitor and collect data from the reports tracking feature in the
eNewsietter system
c) create new accounts for staff as requested by Managers/Supervisors
d) add new categories to the eNewsletter sign up page as required; and
e) provide eNewsletter training as required
Appendices
Appendix 1 eNewsletter SOP
Procedure Title: eNewsletter Procedure Page 2 of 2
Procedure Number: ADM 140-005
PICKERING
Standard Operating Procedure
Procedure: eNewsietter
Department/Division
Office of the CAO
Section Date Originated (mid/0
Corporate Communications February 28, 2013
Approval
Approval Date Revised (mldly)
August 2, 2017
nce Pages: 9
Communications Policy ADM 140
Chief Administrative Officer Approval
icodoo
Index
Section!
Subsection
01
02
Appendix 1
Overview
Section/Subsection Title
Overview
Required Competencies
Definitions
Procedures
Consent Required
To identify the steps required to prepare an eNewsletter for distribution to one of our
corporate mailing lists, using the eSolutions Group Association Suite and Constant
Contact. The City has one Constant Contact account, registered through eSolutions.
Our contact for support is Jayson Smith at eSolutions.
Required Competencies
A user account is required to access the Association Suite. The Website Coordinator
will create new accounts.
01 Definitions
01.01 Association Suite - the eSolutions Group online system where we log
on and where the mailing lists are maintained.
01.02 Constant Contact - the online system where eNewsletters are
prepared.
01.03 Canada's Anti -Spam Legislation (CASL) - Canada's Anti -Spam
Legislation establishes rules for the sending of commercial electronic
messages (CEMs) and the installation of computer programs. CASL
also prohibits the unauthorized alteration of transmission data. The
rules that apply to CEMs came into force on July 1, 2014 while the
rules governing computer programs took effect on January 15, 2015,
followed by the private right of action on July 1, 2017.
01.04 Commercial Electronic Message (CEM) - CASL defines a CEM as a
message that encourages participation in a commercial activity. This
includes advertisements and information about promotions, offers,
business opportunities, events, etc.
02 Procedures
Log on to the Association Suite
02.01 Open your web browser
02.02 Go to https:/lservices.pickerino.ca
02.03 Log on with your email address and Association Suite password
02.04 Select Contacts or Mailing Lists under the Manage Users & Groups
menu, then select the Launch Constant Contact button
Create an eNewsletter
eNewsletters are listed as campaigns. Constant Contact will display the most
recent campaigns on the first screen. To view more, select View All Campaigns.
There are 2 ways to create an eNewsletter. Either copy an existing campaign or
create one from scratch.
02.05 Copy an existing eNewsletter
SOP Title: eNewsletter
Page 2 of 9
a) If the eNewsletter you wish to copy is displayed, select the More
button beside the campaign name, and then select Copy.
b) If the eNewsletter is not displayed on the first screen, select the
View all campaigns button, find the eNewsletter, select the More
button beside the campaign name, and then select Copy.
c) The new campaign will open.
d) See step 02.07 for editing instructions.
02.06 Create an eNewsletter from scratch
a) Select the Campaigns tab.
b) Select the Create button.
c) Select Email.
d) Do not use templates from the Standard Templates screen, and do
not use the original blue template or the 2"d custom template on the
My Templates screen: We are no longer using these 2 templates.
e) Select Template 3 from the Saved Templates screen to create any
eNewsletter, or select a custom template from Saved Templates.
f) Continue at step 02.07.
Temp
Edit the eNewsletter
02.07 Edit the text shown below Customize
Your Campaign to rename the
campaign, and then press Enter.
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02.08 Select the header area to open Header Options and edit the From
and Re•l Email Addresses, and the Sub'ect line.
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Municipa Matters
SOP Title: eNewsletter
Page 3 of 9
02.09 Replace the From email address with the appropriate email address.
02.10 Select the checkbox beside Webpage Version to create an additional
view o•tion, and select OK to close Header Options.
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02.11 Edit the Title and Social Media icons. Adjust hyperlink on each icon, if
necessa
02.12 Select the orange Save button on the right side of the screen, and
save often as you edit the eNewsletter.
A new eNewsletter has dummy text and photo spaces laid out in blocks. Styles
include Heading Text, Sub -Heading Text, Main Text, and Links. Type directly in
each formatted area, or copy and paste from Word. It may be necessary to use
the `clear styles' tool if you paste formatted text from a word document, or from
email.
If you created a copy of a previous eNewsletter, you will have the entire content
of the original eNewsletter, and each block will require editing. Some blocks may
need to be deleted, and you can insert additional blocks.
02.13 Select any block to begin editing the area. The template controls font
type, size and colour of regular text, link text, and headings. Use the
tool bar positioned across the top of the article block to format
headings and text, add hyperlinks etc.
SOP Title: eNewsletter Page 4 of 9
02.14 Use the Main Text drop box to apply formatting for Headings, Sub
Headin•s, Main Text, Link Text, etc.
02.15 The title shown in the drop box will change depending on what feature
is bein• edited at that time.
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02.16 To add a new block, first save and close any open
block. Select the Blocks button to view available
blocks. To add new blocks, point to any item under
Blocks, then select the [-I-] icon to insert that block.
New blocks are placed at the bottom of the
eNewsietter. Use the move icon in the upper right
corner of any block to adjust its location.
02.17 A Spacer can be inserted between content blocks
to visually add blank space between articles.
Save Often
02.18 Save in blocks: This Save option only saves the
block of content ou are workin+ in
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02.19 Save to Server: Select the orange Save button at the top right of the
screen to update the server version and hold your server connection.
SOP Title: eNewsietter
Page 5 of 9
Insert Images
02.20 Size all images appropriately before uploading (see list below).
Request assistance from the Website Coordinator if necessary.
Use a standard prefix in your file names, so they can be easily found in
our library. For example: AS for Animal Services images and MPR for
Mayor's Progress Report images.
Do not use images from Pro Stock Image gallery, they are not free.
Only use your own images uploaded into My Library.
Ensure that image descriptions are included for accessibility.
02.21 Social media icons
Masthead image
Full width header
Left or right image
Triple Content area
Link to External Resources
27 pixels wide by 27 pixels high
450 pixels wide by 152 pixels high
700 pixels wide by 270 pixels high
193 pixels wide by 137 pixels high
190 pixels wide by 125 pixels high
The intent of an eNewsletter is to provide concise messaging, with links to
additional information.
02.22 Provide links to email addresses, the City website, and external
websites. Web content can be edited any time, but an eNewsletter
can't be changed after it is sent out. When extensive content needs to
be shared, consider having full content on the City website, and link
from shorter messages in the eNewsletter.
Preview, Test and Approve
Always preview and test the eNewsletter before sending it to your mailing list.
02.23 Select the Preview button beside the Save button.
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02.24 Send a test version of the eNewsletter to yourself, to the Manager or
Supervisor responsible for approval, and to any staff designated as
proof readers.
Enter up to 5 email addresses at a time in the Email Address(es) field
at the top left of the page. Separate each address with a comma, and
no spaces. If you are not able to type in the Email Address(es) space,
SOP Title: eNewsletter Page 6 of 9
save the eNewsletter, lo • out, and lo • back in to try again.
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02.25 Copy and paste the entire preview email message into MS Word for
spell check and review. You can also print a final copy to proof read.
Schedule Delivery
02.26 If you are still in edit mode on the eNewsletter, select the orange
Continue button to schedule delivery, and it will open the Scheduling
screen.
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02.27 If you are viewing the list of eNewsletters, select the More button
beside your eNewsletter and select Schedule to open the Scheduling
screen.
02.28 Adjust the Subject field if necessary.
02.29 Select the appropriate mailing list(s) for your eNewsletter. If the
eNewsletter is for staff distribution only:
a) On the scheduling screen, select the mailing list Pickering Test
from the Send to Lists field. Only the webmaster email account and
the social media account will receive the email message.
b) Continue with the following steps to send the eNewsletter and
obtain a web link (step 02.38) that can be shared to staff via email.
02.30 Select Send later if you want to schedule delivery for a later date.
02.31 Always uncheck the box beside Send me Early Results.
02.32 Do not select the Google Analytics check box.
02.33 Select the orange Schedule button to complete the process.
SOP Title: eNewsletter Page 7 of 9
02.34 Adjust the From and Reply To Email fields if necessary.
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02.35 There is a ten minute grace period after scheduling. You have the
option to Unschedule (grab it back), or select I'm Done.
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02.36 The folder list under All Campaigns will show you eNewsletters by
status. Initially your message will be in the Scheduled folder, and then
it will move to the Sent folder.
02.37 After a message has been sent, a web link can be obtained for sharing
to staff or on the City website. Select the eNewsletter name, select the
More Actions button on the campaign page, then select Share URL.
Select the View button to confirm the link, then copy and share the
short URL.
03 Mailing Lists
03.01 Mailing list contacts must consent to be included on a mailing list.
See Appendix 1 regarding express and implied consent.
Mailing lists contain the contact information of eNewsletter recipients.
The lists are populated when a person subscribes through the signup
page on the City's website at https://www.pickerinq.ca/subscribe.
SOP Title: eNewsletter Page 8 of 9
Since January 2017, the integrated sign up form on the website
includes news, alerts, and events, in addition to all of our eNewsletters.
New mailing lists can be added by the Website Coordinator when
approved by the Manager of the requesting Department.
04 Statistics & Reporting
Statistics are based on clicked links. Links can be on words within content blocks,
and also on images.
04.01 To track image clicks (e.g. a Facebook icon linking to the actual
Facebook account), paste the URL into the `clickable link' box in the
image editor screen, and ensure the `Track' box is selected.
04.02 Select the Reporting tab to monitor open rates, click through rates,
bounce rates and unsubscribe rates in the reporting section.
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SOP Title: eNewsletter Page 9 of 9
Appendix I
Consent Required
Staff and Members of Council must adhere to Canada's Anti -Spam Legislation when
creating and distributing eNewsletters. Specifically the following:
a) under CASL, consent is required before sending a CEM. Yet an electronic
message that is sent to obtain consent to send a message for commercial
purposes is also considered a CEM
b) consent can either be express or implied
express consent means someone actively gave you permission to send
him/her a CEM
ii implied consent means it would be reasonable to conclude you have
someone's permission to send him/her a CEM based on prior relationships.
Implied consent could also apply to someone who has conspicuously
published his/her email address, say on a website
c) to obtain consent, you must:
i, clearly describe the purposes for requesting consent
ii. provide the name of the person seeking consent and identify on whose behalf
consent is sought, if different
provide contact information (mailing address and either a phone number or an
email address) of those parties seeking consent
iv. indicate the recipient can unsubscribe
d) under CASL, you must be able to prove you have consent
e) you must include the following in every CEM:
i. the name of the person sending the message, and identify on whose behalf
the message is sent, if different
ii. contact. information (mailing address and either a phone number or an email
address) of the senders
iii. a mechanism that allows the recipient to easily unsubscribe at no cost