Important note: LiveTracker is only supported for the US.
A LiveTracker is a dynamic, time-saving element that gives you the advantage of sending live shipping information that updates as the status changes. It allows you to set expectations, reduce customer calls and avert missed deliveries by providing real-time tracking information and delivery status, always updated each time they open.
Examples are transactional and shipping information, order status, delivery progress.
In this topic, we will discuss the different configuration options specific for the LiveTracker as well as the preview and embed codes. Check out the topic Create a new campaign, for more information on how to create a campaign.
Once a LiveTracker campaign is created , a series of steps need to be followed:
2. Preview and test the LiveTracker
1. Configure the LiveTracker
Note: To benefit from the full functionality of the LiveTracker element, ensure the LiveTracker custom fields are set up in the Account Settings.
Configure basic settings
The settings configured in the Basic settings section apply to all the different versions of the element, if these exist.
Linking — Define if a clickthrough URL is required, a clickthrough to a provider's site, or only the embedded image, without the possibility to click through.
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Clickthrough URL — The actual URL is configured further down in the settings of the element itself.
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Clickthrough to tracking information on a chosen provider's site — This is the default option and ensures the recipient will be taken to the chosen provider's site that will feature the tracking info. When this option is selected, a clickthrough URL is generated automatically.
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Embed image only — No clickthrough URL is configured and only an image is shown.
Note: It is recommended to always set a clickthrough URL to drive engagement.
Shipping Service — Select the shipping service from the drop-down. You can choose a fixed shipping provider from one of the supported providers (USPS, UPS, Fedex, DHL (US only), Ontrac, Canada Post, Globegistics, Newgistics). Or, you can use auto-detect to determine the shipping provider.
Important note: With auto-detect, you set up a LiveTracker without specifying the shipping service, allowing you to use one LiveTracker to render shipment tracking information for multiple carriers. However, auto-detect is only supported for UPS, USPS, Fedex, DHL, onTrac and TNT. If your shipping provider is not listed, the auto-detect feature should not be used.
When using auto-detect, you need to have LiveTracker custom fields configured for your environment. Liveclicker will then use the shipping provider custom field to deliver the correct shipping provider's information. If the shipping provider cannot be retrieved, Liveclicker will try to detect the provider using the opener's tracking number. If no provider can still be detected, the fallback image is served.
Alt text — This is the text that will be displayed when the LiveTracker cannot be rendered. It is recommended to always set an alt text in case openers have disabled image rendering in their email clients or for openers that use screen readers. The alt text is appended to the embed code of the element.
Click Save and Next to save the changes to the basic settings and move on to the next configuration section.
Further LiveTracker configuration
When a LiveTracker campaign is created, there is always a default LiveTracker that will be the fallback image when the targeting rules do not apply to the opener of the email or when no targeting rules have been defined.
Start by configuring the default LiveTracker.
1. First, select the appearance of your LiveTracker element. You can choose between standard (all shipping information) and minimal (one-sentence summary). Or, you can apply a custom appearance from the drop-down. If you do not a custom appearance yet, click the Gear icon next to the Appearance field to configure a new one.
2. Set the width of the element. The height is always dynamic for all LiveTrackers.
3. Configure some styling options, such as fonts and background colors for the progress bar, table header and table body.
4. A preview of the LiveTracker is displayed. Make the necessary changes to your settings until you are happy with the result. In the Preview, you can choose between different delivery states: Package delivered, Package in transit, Package pre-shipping. The preview is slightly different depending on the selected status.
5. If you selected in the Basic settings to implement a clickthrough URL, you can set that here now. This will allow viewers of the image to click it and go straight to the set URL.
Note: You can use a regular clickthrough link or a mobile deeplink. Mobile deeplinks are URLs that the mobile device will interpret as an instruction to open the app if it is installed, and go to a specific location in the app. If the app does not exist, in general it will take the opener to the location where the app can be downloaded.
Note 2: Clickthrough URLs can be personalized with ESP tags. Please check out our dedicated topic on this subject if this is something you consider doing.
6. Next, define a fallback image in case the element cannot be displayed because of tracking information being unavailable, or in case the account runs out of credits and no overages are permitted.
Simply click the Upload Image button in the Fallback Image section and upload an image.
Note: The image cannot be wider or higher than 2500px as it will produce undesirable results in the email. Make sure your image is smaller than 2500px.
7. Once the fallback image has been uploaded, you need to define a fallback URL as well.
8. Now you have finished the configuration of your first LiveClicker.
Click Next to go to the next step and define the targeting rules.
Or, if additional versions of the LiveTracker element are required, click Add alternate Tracker and repeat the steps 1 to 7.
An alternative version can be used when targeting rules are implemented, presenting some of the viewers with one version, and others with another version.
Define targeting Rules and AB est
1. In this last step, you can decide which subscriber should get a specific version of the LiveTracker through the use of targeting rules. A targeting rule will split up the audience and only target a segment of the audience. There are 2 options:
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Define targeting rules from scratch.
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When you have already defined targeting rules for a different element in this campaign, you can re-use these targeting rules for the current element.
For more details on targeting rules, please check out the dedicated topic.
2. In addition, you can also set up AB testing for this element. With A/B testing the final version of the image shown to the remainder of the audience, is determined by the A/B test.
3. When done, click Continue. You are taken to the next element to configure, if any. Otherwise, you are taken to the Preview.
2. Preview
The Preview tab for your campaign becomes available when all elements in your campaign have been configured. It provides you with the ability to test the look and rendering of the elements in your campaign, either as a static preview or as a dynamic preview, simulating an opener. You can also send yourself or others an email preview.
For more details on how to test your elements using preview, please read the corresponding topic.
3. Retrieve embed codes
In this last step, you need to provide some estimated campaign details, such as expected opens, launch date and Expiration date, as well as the Subscriber ID field.
All this information will be used by Liveclicker to optimize resources but also to create the embed code.
For more details on the Embed codes, check out this topic.
