Introducing the Voodoo QuickTips Blog

11. April 2014

The Voodoo team always looks for new ways to reach out to share information and resources with our users, and to get your feedback. 

We hope you find our bi-weekly New Features and QuickTips emails valuable. We will keep sending them, but we've also wanted an additional resource for users—one that would allow us to produce new content more frequently and archive past content for easy reference.


We are excited to announce the new Voodoo QuickTips Blog.  The goal of this blog is to turn every user into a Voodoo Superuser.  This will be a resource for all things Voodoo including:

  • Learning about New Voodoo Features
  • Getting QuickTips to help you leverage all the features of Voodoo
  • Informing yourself about tools to use with Voodoo to maximize  results
  • Discovering creative ways to use Voodoo— including ones you've never thought of!

 

We've "seeded" the blog by posting the conteht of all previous New Features and QuickTips emails along with other resources previously available in the QuickTips Vault.

Campaign Manager Users can access the QuickTips Blog by logging into their account and clicking the Voodoo QuickTips link towards the lower right.  The blog will replace the previous vault.  All the same content will still be available to you, plus many new items.

QuickTips Blog Link

eVideo Launcher Users can access the QuickTips Blog by logging into their account and clicking the Voodoo QuickTips Blog link in the blue bar towards the bottom.

Voodoo QuickTips Blog Link

All Users  - Get the most from every Voodoo feature by following Voodoo Viral Support on twitter: @VoodooQuickTips.  This library of tips and tricks incudes helpful marketing advice and will help you get the most from Voodoo with links to each new blog post and more.  Click on this icon to visit twitter, then click Follow.  

 

Business Builder, eVideo Launcher, Quick Tip , ,

Mass Email Throttling. What it is and Why it Matters to your Email Delivery Rates

9. April 2014

Like all commercial email providers, Voodoo's servers utilize an outgoing Throttling Rate to slow the sending process. 

This is a built-in anti-spam measure, to prevent Voodoo and our clients from being perceived as email spammers by receiving servers—and potentially getting blacklisted as a result.There are notable benefits of a slower throttling rate.

1) Higher Deliverability—Slower broadcast speeds almost always result in higher deliverability rates and fewer problems with receiving ISPs' and companies' spam filters and firewalls.

2) Manageable Customer Service—Another benefit involves your ability to provide improved customer service and response. A slower-paced email broadcast helps you control how quickly people respond to a given offer, so your staff is not overwhelmed by the need for immediate personal follow - up. For cases like this, Voodoo allows clients to dial back the send rate all the way down to 10 emails per hour—a trickle by commercial email standards. With email throttling, the best choice is always the slowest choice you are comfortable with.

 

Voodoo Default Send Rates

Voodoo clients have a maximum send rate of 600 emails per hour, so calculate your delivery times accordingly. For example, at a send rate of 600 emails per hour, a broadcast to 1800 contacts will take just over 3 hours to complete. Any Voodoo client can apply for approval and installation of a doubled throttling rate for an additional fee. Approval is at Voodoo’s sole discretion, and based on certified assurances that the client adheres to strict anti-spam emailing policies and utilizes only "clean" double-opt-in lists in their Voodoo accounts.

Build Campaigns, Business Builder, Deliverability, eVideo Launcher, Quick Tip , ,

Exporting Your LinkedIn Connections to Import into Voodoo

8. April 2014

 

Note:  this post was updated on 7/15/14 to reflect changes to the LinkedIn export connections process.  

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network. According to CMO.com, LinkedIn's user base now stands at more than 259 million people and counting, up 38 percent year-over-year. It's a great tool for professional networking and I hope you are taking advantage of it.

But did you know you can use LinkedIn and Voodoo together to enhance your success? It's easy to export your LinkedIn connections as a CSV file, then import them into your Voodoo system.

Here's how:

Quick-Tip:  Export Your LinkedIn Connections and Import into Voodoo

From LinkedIn, you can export connections from the Contact Settings page. Only the full name, email address, current employer, and position are exported. To export your connections list:

   

1) Login to your LinkedIn account and move your cursor over and select Connections.

 

2) Click the Settings icon near the top right that looks like a gear. 

3) Under Advanced Settings on the right, click Export LinkedIn Connections

 

 

4) Enter the security text if prompted.

5) Click Export.

6) Save the file somewhere you can easily find it, like your computer's desktop. 

Note: If you're using Internet Explorer and you see a yellow pop-up blocker across the top of the page, click the yellow bar and then select Download File.

Now you have a CSV file that you can import into your Voodoo account.  Always review your list to comply with anti-spam law and to be sure you are emailing people who have a legitimate interest in your content, company, or what you offer.

Need some help importing the CSV file into your Voodoo account? Click to watch this video Quick Tip.     

Business Builder, Contact / Database Lists, eVideo Launcher, Quick Tip , ,

Adding Voodoo to Safe Sender List

7. April 2014

A powerful feature of Voodoo is its Automated Action Alerts.  They're the automated way to know which leads are showing interest in your campaign right NOW. You can choose to be notified in real-time when a recipient:

  1. opens your email 
  2. views your video 
  3. clicks a trackable link  


This allows you to follow up with hot leads when they're still hot. 

Wouldn't you hate to miss receiving these alerts because the notifications were going into your Junk or Spam folders?  Since so much of Voodoo's power lies in this feature, we want to make sure you receive all the notifications you select.  So today's tip is more of a reminder. 

The easiest way to ensure Automated Action Alerts get delivered to your inbox is to add Voodoo to your safe sender list.   Here's how:

Quick Tip - Adding Voodoo to Safe Sender List

Every email client is a little different. Below we'll walk you through the steps to add an email address to the safe sender list of the most common email clients:

Outlook 2013:

  1. Click on Home tab
  2. In the Delete group, click on the Junk icon
  3. Select Junk Email Options from the drop-down list
  4. Select the Safe Senders tab
  5. Click Add and then enter Support@Voodooviral.com in the text box.
  6. Click OK.


Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003:
 

  1. Go to Actions on your email menu bar.
  2. Select Junk Email from the drop-down menu.
  3. Select Add Sender to Safe Senders List.
  4. Right-click in the message and select Add the Sender to Safe Senders List.


Or you have another option:

  1. Go to Tools on the menu bar.
  2. Select Options in the drop-down menu.
  3. Under Preferences, select Junk Email.
  4. Click on the Safe Sender tab.
  5. Click Add button and then enter Support@Voodooviral.com in the text box.
  6. Click OK.


Outlook Express: 

  1. Go to Actions on your email menu bar.
  2. Select Junk E-mail from your drop-down menu.
  3. Select Add Sender to Safe Senders List.
  4. Right-click in the message and select Add the Sender to Safe Senders List.


Or you have another option:

  1. Go to Tools on the menu bar.
  2. Select Options in the drop-down menu.
  3. Under Preferences, select Junk Email.
  4. Then click on the Safe Sender tab.
  5. Click the Add button and then add Support@Voodooviral.com in the text box.
  6. Click OK.


Gmail:

  1. Open the email
  2. Click More Options in the email header.
  3. Click Add Sender to Contact List.


Apple Mail:

  1. Add the email address to your address book.
  2. In Training mode, emails will arrive in the INBOX highlighted in brown.  In Automatic mode, junk emails will arrive in the Junk box.  
  3. To add an email that arrived in the JUNK folder, highlight the email message.
  4. Choose Message  >  Mark  >  As Not Junk Mail

Build Campaigns, Business Builder, Deliverability, eVideo Launcher, Quick Tip ,

Voodoo's Built-In Help

6. April 2014

Are you taking full advantage of your Voodoo features?  Voodoo gives you instant access to many built-in help features.  So let's take a look at the training and help resources so you can maximize results from whichever version of Voodoo you have.

Voodoo Feature #115 - Voodoo's Built-In Help


eVideo Launcher Users:
 

 

1) More Detail on this Step - As you progress through each eVideo Launcher step, you will see an icon for More Detail on this Step. Just click this link to watch a Video Tutorial for that step, including written instructions in the right column.  The main dashboard includes a complete overview, while subsequent pages cover each step in detail.

2) Contact Us - Located at the bottom of Voodoo you have access to a Contact Us link. Here you can submit a support center request and someone from our support team will contact you to address any questions or technical issues.


Campaign Manager Users:

Each time you login Voodoo, you're greeted by the My Dashboard page with a list of buttons in the left column showing the main features of the system. There are several important learning aids built right into the interface: 

1) Campaign Building Guide - At the bottom of the navigation bar on the left, in the Success Tools section, you’ll find a Building Guide link. This downloadable document explains many features of your Campaign Manager in detail and answers most questions that may arise while you build Voodoo Campaigns and create re-usable email templates to save you lots of time. You can also access the guide here: 

Click to download the Voodoo Campaign Building Guide.
 

2) Campaign Manager Complete Tutorial -  Also in the Success Tools section, is a button labeled Video Tutorial.  This is a 3-minute video tutorial that will demonstrate the basic features of your Campaign Manager.  While the tutorial doesn't cover some of Voodoo's newer features, it still provides a good sense of the system’s core.


3)
Feature Page Overviews - Toward the upper left corner of each feature page, you’ll see a Click Here to Learn How to Use This Feature link with a small arrow and the little “Magic Man” icon.  Click to reveal complete instructions.  We regularly update these, so please use them!


4) Support Center - Located at the top right of the Voodoo interface, you'll see a clickable Support Center link. Use this to submit a support center request and someone from our support team will contact you to address any questions or technical issues.

 

More Resources Available to All Voodoo Users: 

 

1) Voodoo Viral Support twitter feed – This library of tips and tricks will help you get the most from Voodoo and always be up on the latest feature news.  On Twitter, go to @VoodooQuickTips and then follow  

 

2) Contact Support directly - If you can't find the answer to your question with the resources provided above, you are welcome to call or email our support team and they will connect you to the assistance you need.


Voodoo Support
support@voodooviral.com
949.309.2847 option 4 

Business Builder, eVideo Launcher, New Feature, Team Member Management , ,

Using Customized Video on Your Website

5. April 2014

Want to magnify results from your Voodoo account?  As your video library grows, you will have additional opportunities to attract prospects using targeted, interactive content.

Another way to take advantage of Voodoo is to post these videos on your company website.  The most flexible way is to place a small thumbnail image from the video on your website.  Link the thumbnail to one of your Voodoo videos.  When visitors click-through, they'll see a full-size version in your company's custom frame. 

Take a look at how one Voodoo customer uses Voodoo videos linked to thumbnails on their website:


You have powerful videos in your Voodoo account, why not use them to engage more visitors (and generate more leads) on your website.  Here's how:

Voodoo Feature #289 - Using Customized Videos on Your Website

Work with your web designer to create a thumbnail image that is the ideal size for your website/webpage. 

Next, link this thumbnail to your video (from your Voodoo video library). Follow these steps to obtain the URL for the video you wish to post:


eVideo Launcher Users: 

 

1) Login to your eVideo Launcher account and click Start a New Campaign.

2) Your list of campaigns will appear, find the campaign that contains the video you would like to post and click the Preview Email icon to the right.


3) In the preview window for the email, click the link to access the video.

4) Copy the entire link from the URL bar at the top of your web browser window.

5) Since the URLs are oftenlong we recommend you use the Google Link Shortener or any number of other free services to make it short. 

6) Use this URL as the link from your thumbnail image that is displayed on your website.

7)  If you would like to use Voodoo's trackable links to track the link clicks on your website, please click here to read how to post Voodoo links on social media to learn how to set it up.

Business Builder Users:

1)  Login and access My Videos.

2)  Click the green play arrow for the video you want to post.
 


3) Copy the entire link from the URL bar at the top of your web browser window.

4) Since the URLs are often long we recommend you use the Google Link Shortener or any number of other free services to make it short. 

5) Use this URL as the link from your thumbnail image that is displayed on your website.

6)  If you would like to use Voodoo's trackable links to track the link clicks on your website, please click here to read how to post Voodoo links on social media to learn how to set that up.

eVideo Launcher, New Feature, Video Library & Trackable Links, Business Builder ,

Updated HMTL Editor

4. April 2014

We've updated our HTML Editor. Clear your cache to load the new version.

If you build your own email templates in Voodoo, you'll love the subtle but important improvement we rolled out today.  The HTML editing toolbar has been updated for
greater stability and to produce cleaner HTML5 code behind the scenes.  It looks and feels familiar but will perform more predictably across all kinds of browsers. 

To see the newest toolbar, simply refresh your browser.   This will force the new icon images to download.  In most cases, simply pressing the F5 key does the trick. 
(If not, you'll want to clear your browser cache manually.  Check your browser's Help menu and search under "clear cache" or "clear browser cache").

Click here to log in, clear your cache and make some magic.

Business Builder, Email Templates & Image Library, eVideo Launcher, New Feature ,