Initiate Screen - Test Links/Non-Tracked links preventing initiation
When clicking to "Save & Initiate", there are a couple of common errors that can display with regards to your links. They are explained below, along with how to troubleshoot the issue yourselves.
The error relating to "Test Links" in your email design points to there being URL's within that have been used previously in other initiated campaigns. This means that the link will have the tracking information of the previous campaign included, which the system will not allow. Tracking information needs to be unique to the campaign.
This is the error that will appear on your initiate screen to warn you that it will not initiate until you find and remove the offending link. It is most likely to be a View Online link, or another one of the links that the system creates for you.
How do I remove?
The easiest way of resolving this error is to replace the View Online link in your email. Do this by simply highlighting your "View Online" text in your email design, and generating a new View Online link using the icon below. Save and close, and try to initiate again.
If you are wanting to include the View Online for a previous email design on purpose, such as to include last months newsletter, then we recommend to convert the URL to a bitly link.
If the above doesn't work for you, please contact [email protected].
Something else that the system will pick up on is non-tracked links in your text email. Non-Tracked links means that despite how many times the link has been clicked on by your audience, no results will be visible for it in your campaign results.
When creating a Text Version of your email, generally speaking you will be copying the HTML version already built while using GatorCreator. As GatorCreator links are automatically tracked, copying the html version will ensure that the links included are also tracked in your Text Version email.
However if you have entered in any links manually, then they will not be tracked. You will not be prevented from initiating with this, as it is only a warning not an error; it is just letting you know so that you can choose to resolve first if you wish.
Please note that in the Text version of your email, tracked links will have the tracking code visible, making them look longer and more bulky. We recommend to make the Text Version of your email short and sweet because of this, and only include essential links, such as the View Online.