This article...

• Details how to create a campaign using a blank template and using a pre-built starter kit.
• Describes how to customize campaign steps and connections to create the campaign flow.
• Explains how to access the editing options: cut, copy, paste, undo, redo, and delete.
• Describes the importance of reviewing the campaign for errors and verifying that all steps are properly configured and connected.
• Details how to set campaign properties.

Before you begin...

If you've never created campaigns in Higher Logic Thrive Marketing Professional, you might not be aware of all of the options that are available to you. Before you create a campaign, review the following questions. Your answer to one or more of them might be helpful in guiding you to the ideal campaign for your purposes.

• Are you creating a campaign "from scratch" or using a Campaign Starter Kit?
• Have you reviewed the various types of pre-populated, purpose-built Campaign Starter Kits and decided on one?
• Are you familiar with Advanced Starter Kits?
• Are you planning to import content into the campaign?
• Are you eligible for the distinct set of Thrive Platform-specific starter kits for Higher Logic Thrive Platform customers?

Watch the video

Click the image to link to a HUG Education Library video that is related to the content in this article.

Access the Campaigns list

In order to create any campaign, you have to access the Campaigns list page.

To access the Campaigns list:

1. Access the Admin interface.
2. Navigate to Campaigns > List.

3. To the right of the page title, click Create.

The Campaign Starter Kit selection dialog opens.

4. Make a selection in the dialog and use the appropriate link below to jump to the section of this article to create your campaign!

• If you select Blank Campaign, refer to Create and customize a blank campaign.
• If you select one of the starter kits, refer to Customize a starter kit campaign.

NOTE: Due to the customizability and complexity of campaigns, the sections that follow provide high-level instructions to get you started building a campaign. Ultimately, you'll customize the campaign (add, configure, position, and connect the various steps) to suit your individual campaign's purpose.

Customize a Blank campaign

This section offers an introductory look at how to build a campaign by using the Blank Campaign option.

NOTE: This is the most customizable campaign; it is pre-populated with only two campaign elements: the Start and Stop steps.

Editing options

When you are building a campaign, you can:

• Select a step and press the Delete button on your keyboard to delete that step.
• Right-click on a step for: cut, copy, paste, undo, and redo options.

Resend campaign messages

As you add messages to the campaign, consider which messages you might want to have re-sent to participants who did not open the original message. To learn more, see Resend Campaign Messages.

Create a campaign

1. Click and drag steps from the palette on the left onto the campaign canvas and drop them into place.

TIP: You can manage the placement and settings of campaign steps after you've added them. It might be helpful to add a few to lay out the flow, and then return to the steps to configure and position them.

2. Click a step (e.g., Send Message) to open its configuration dialog, such as Send Mail Options shown below, and:

• Use the fields, dropdowns, etc. on the dialog to configure the step.
• Each step should have a unique name.
• Click Close to save the settings.

3. Click the round connector from the (right or left) side of one step and drag it to the connector of another step; this creates a connection between these two steps in the campaign flow.

NOTE: Connectors always flow from left-to-right, regardless of how the connection was established.

4. Continue adding steps until the campaign flow is complete (that is, the steps are in place, configured, and connected).
5. Click Save and set the campaign properties as described below.
6. Return to the Campaigns list and verify that your campaign is listed and is on the correct tab/list (In Progress; or Active if you activated the campaign).

Check your work

Be sure to review the campaign to ensure that:

• it has all the necessary steps;
• the steps are properly configured; and
• the steps are properly connected.

Errors

Campaigns have a red ERRORS tab that displays on the right side of the browser if there are any errors.

• Click the tab to open it and review the errors.
• See Campaign Errors to learn more.

Customize a Starter Kit campaign

This section offers a high-level look at how to build a campaign by using one of the pre-loaded "starter kit" campaigns.

NOTE: These campaigns have the purpose-specific steps already in place and with the necessary configurations, messages, and connections. However, you can customize them in order to suit the objective and goal of your unique campaign.

Thrive Platform-specific starter kits

Higher Logic Thrive Platform customers have additional "starter kit" campaigns that are designed exclusively for online community campaigns, such as welcoming a new member to a community.

These starter kits:

• display — for Thrive Platform customer accounts only — alongside the standard starter kits in the Campaign Starter Kit selection dialog.
• are described in Thrive Platform-specific starter kits in Campaign Starter Kits & Importing Content.

Editing options

When you are customizing any starter kit campaign, you can:

• Select a step and press the Delete button on your keyboard to delete that step.
• Right-click on a step for: cut, copy, paste, undo, and redo options.

Customize a starter kit campaign

1. Review:

• • the information in the gray Comment box that summarizes the campaign,

• • the flow of the steps and the connections, and
  • the configurations of the steps (click on a step) to confirm that they suit your intended campaign.

2. Click a step (e.g., 60 Day Notice) to open its configuration dialog, such as Send Mail Options shown below, and:

• Use the fields, dropdowns, etc. on the dialog to configure the step.
• You can accept the assigned name for a step or customize it (e.g., you could change 60 Day Notice to 2-Month Reminder).
• Click Close to save the settings.

3. If you find it necessary to add and/or remove steps and/or connectors, you can, but make sure that the campaign flow remains intact (e.g., properly connect any deleted connections).
4. Click Save and set the campaign properties as described below.
5. Return to the Campaigns list and verify that your campaign is listed and is on the correct tab/list (In Progress; or Active if you activated the campaign).

Check your work

Be sure to review the campaign to ensure that:

• it has all the necessary steps;
• the steps are properly configured; and
• the steps are properly connected.

Errors

Campaigns have a red ERRORS tab that displays on the right side of the browser if there are any errors.

• Click the tab to open it and review the errors.
• See Campaign Errors to learn more.

Campaign properties

Each campaign has to have distinct properties in order to make it unique. These properties are set when the campaign is created; they can be changed later to reflect the intent and use of the campaign.

• When the Save button above the designer canvas is clicked to save a campaign for the first time, the Save Campaign dialog opens.
  • The gear icon in the upper right does not display until after the initial save.
• After the initial save (and when editing a campaign), click the gear icon to access the Save Campaign dialog to manage the properties.
  • At this time, clicking Save only saves changes you make to the campaign steps and flow.

In the dialog, you can configure several properties, as described in the table that follows.

Property	Description
Name	Specify a unique name for the campaign. Be sure to adhere to any naming conventions and/or standards that are used in your account.
Type	Click the dropdown to select a type if your account categorizes its campaigns via this method. The more common method of organizing campaigns is to use Folders.
Folder	Accept the default, Main Folder, or click the dropdown to select a different folder in which to store the campaign.
Contact Email	Specify the email address of the person who should be sent the campaign messages that are configured in the campaign's Notify steps.
Description	You can (optionally) provide a description of the campaign. This description displays only on this Properties dialog and helps other Admins understand the campaign's purpose.
Goal Settings	Click to expand the section and set whether the campaign has a goal. See Campaign Goals to learn about goals and how to configure one for your campaign. If Yes, set a Conversion Rate Goal and select a target group (under Conversion Target Group) in which to add the "converts."
Re-entry Settings	Click to expand the section and set whether contacts can go through the campaign more than once. If Yes, set a minimum wait time (in days, weeks, or months) and the maximum number of times contacts can re-enter the campaign.