Archive for the ‘Email Marketing’ Category

Gmail signatures  are slightly different than outlook signatures because Gmail is a web-based rather than a desktop application.  

In Gmail, you will find the Signature settings in the General tab of the Settings Page.
Settings is at the top right and the default tab is General. Scroll down to find Signature.  

If you click the Image icon in the signature box, you will find a request for a web URL, the address of the image on the web instead of the normal opportunity to insert an image.  So, if you want to add social media icons to your gmail signature, you must first upload them to your website hosting server. Do not link to social media icons that are stored on someone else’s web server.  

For example,  on my website Contact page, you see this information:  

Michelle Cullison, President
Daystar New Media, Inc.
info@daystarnewmedia.com
504-324-1058   

 Michelle’s Blog:  SocialMediaExplained.com  

 Michelle’s Facebook Page:  Social Media Explained   

Michelle on YouTube   

Michelle on Twitter   

Michelle on LinkedIn   

   

If you right click on any of the icons and examine the properties, you will find the direct URL to each. For example, the rss feed icon is stored here: http://www.daystarnewmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/feed.png.  Now, you can copy each URL and insert it in the web URL code and then association each icon with your profile by inserting the link for each icon.  

I took a different approach.  To create my fancy gmail signature I did this:  

1. I copied the code from my contact us page into the Gmail Signature form.  

2. Then, I deleted the text to the right of each icon to create a horizontal row of icons you see here:  

     

3. Because I already configured each icon to link to my profile, I didn’t have to insert web URL or profile links on the icons over in gmail.   

Beware that the settings box may not display/load the icons–mine didn’t, but don’t worry and think it isn’t working.  

 Here’s proof that it is.  When I send a message from Gmail to Outlook, the images load just fine.    

 

So, now Gmail users, you too can have a fancy, schmancy email signature!

I want a fancy, schmancy email signature.
How did you do that?

Since I recently updated my outlook signature file to include 5 social media icons (see image below), people keep saying,  ”I want one of those!” and asking, ”How did you do that?”

Today, I’ll show you how to make your email signature look like this:
 

Before heading over to Outlook to edit your signature, perform a search for social media icons. There are literally thousands of styles to choose from grunge to glowing neon to everything in-between.  Search for “Free social media icons” on a search site like google.com or bing.com.  

Or, you may want to check out this simple set of vector icons called buddycons located here: http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/08/buddycons-vector-social-media-icons/.  Click the Download File button at the bottom of the page and unzip the images to a folder on your computer.

Next, make a list of the social profile or page URLs (web addresses) that you want to link to from the new icons.

Like this:
http://facebook.com/socialmediaexplained.com
http://LinkedIn.com/in/michellecullison
http://www.SocialMediaExplained.com
http://twitter.com/mcullison
http://youtube.com/mcullison
   and    

Now it is time to head over to Outlook and customize your signature.  Here’s how:

1. Open a New Mail Message.
2. Click the Signature icon and then select Signatures, the last menu option on drop-down menu.
3. Type in the signature text.
4. Then, click the Picture icon (the left icon highlighted in yellow below) and insert the icons.
5. Next, while the image file is selected, click the Hyperlink icon (the right icon highlighted in yellow below) and enter the URL/address of your social profile or page. You can copy and paste the URL/address from the list you made earlier.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have added all desired images (in this case social media icons) and links.
7. Once the signature is complete, click OK to save it.

Enjoy your own FANCY, SCHMANCY email signature!  Now you have it!

 
If your social media profiles/pages aren’t helping you accomplish business objectives, contact Michelle Cullison for a phone consult today at 504-324-1058 or michelle@daystarnewmedia.com. 

Visit DaystarNewMedia.com to learn more about our programs and services.