Quick Start
This is the fastest path from a blank workspace to a live campaign. If you want to understand all the options and features, start with [Welcome to...
This is the fastest path from a blank workspace to a live campaign. If you want to understand all the options and features, start with Welcome to Owlat instead.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- An active Owlat workspace with your organization set up
- A verified sending domain in Settings > Domains (see Deliverability if you haven't done this yet)
- At least a few contacts to send to — you can import from CSV or create them manually in Audience > Contacts
1. Create a marketing template
- Open Mail > Marketing.
- Click New Template and give it a name.
- Build your email using slash commands in the editor:
| Command | What it adds |
|---|---|
/text | A paragraph of body text |
/h1, /h2, /h3 | Headings at different sizes |
/image | An image block |
/button | A call-to-action button |
/columns | A multi-column layout |
/social | Social media icon links |
/var | A personalization variable (like first name) |
/block | A saved, reusable block |
- Save your template when you're happy with the design.
Don't worry about perfection on your first template. You can always edit it later, or duplicate it as a starting point for future emails. See Email Editor for all available blocks and features.
2. Create your campaign
- Open Campaigns > All Campaigns.
- Click New Campaign.
- Fill in the basics:
- Subject line — what recipients see in their inbox
- Preview text — the snippet that appears next to the subject
- Select the template you just created.
- Choose your audience — pick specific Mailing Lists, Segments, or send to all subscribers.
3. Validate before launch
Before hitting send, take a moment to verify:
- Send a test email — deliver the email to your own inbox first. Check the layout on both desktop and mobile.
- Review the subject and preview text — typos in the subject line are forever.
- Confirm the sender — make sure your domain is verified and the "from" address looks professional.
- Check recipient count — is the audience size what you expected? Too many or too few contacts might signal a targeting issue.
Always send a test email before your first real campaign. It takes 30 seconds and can save you from sending a broken layout or wrong content to your entire list.
4. Send or schedule
You have two options:
- Send now — delivery begins immediately after you confirm
- Schedule — pick a date and time for delivery. Consider when your audience is most likely to check their email.
5. Review your results
After sending, check how your campaign performed:
- Open rate — what percentage of recipients opened your email
- Click rate — what percentage clicked a link
- Bounces — emails that couldn't be delivered
- Unsubscribes — recipients who opted out
Find these metrics in the campaign detail page (click into your campaign from Campaigns > All Campaigns) or in the aggregate view at Campaigns > Reports.
What to do next
Now that you've sent your first campaign, explore the features that will make your next one even better:
- A/B Testing — test different subject lines to improve open rates
- Segments — target specific groups for more relevant content
- Automations — set up emails that send themselves
- Saved Blocks — build a library of reusable content
- Contact Properties — personalize emails with custom data