New feature: Custom fields are here

Posted by David Greiner on May 9, 2007 6:22 PM

When developing software like MailBuild, there aren't many things better than rolling a new feature out the door. Especially if it's the most requested feature you've had since launching. Today I'm very happy to announce that custom fields are now available in all MailBuild accounts. Do your clients want to store more about their subscribers like country, interests or favourite lipstick? We've got you covered.

Here's a quick screenshot of the interface you and your clients can use to manage custom fields for each list.

Screenshot of the new custom fields interface

If you've used MailBuild's older brother Campaign Monitor before, you'll already be pretty familiar with the custom fields interface. We've tried to make it as easy as possible to manage your custom field data, as well as get this data into your account. We've also updated the importing tool so you to easily match up the columns in your file with the corresponding custom fields in your account.

Screenshot of the new custom fields importing interface

We've also updated the "Create a Subscribe Form" page making it easy to capture custom field data on your client's web sites. Our simple form builder lets you select the fields to include and exactly how you'd like to capture them.

Screenshot of the new custom fields importing interface

Just like Campaign Monitor, you can have up to 10 custom fields for each list on top of name and email address.

So, what's next?

You tell us. We've got plenty of ideas on how we can extend and improve the custom field functionality throughout the app. Some of our ideas are:

Allow you to segment subscribers based on custom field data so you and your clients can send more targeted campaigns.
Make the custom field data available from your reports (such as opens over time and recipient activity).
Make it easy for your clients to personalize their email content by easily inserting custom field values via the campaign editor.

So, which of these features (if any) are important to you, and in what order?

17 total comments:

Mark Barnes May 9, 2007 7:38 PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

But for this to really work, we do need the ability to segment subscribers based on custom fields (otherwise, what is the point?).

Marco May 9, 2007 8:16 PM

Next step is of course integrate the custom fields with the API so you can set/change the fields from external applications as well..

My order in importance would be:
1. extend API
2. segment list based on search criteria
3. use custom fields in email
4. custom fields in reports.

Thanks
Marco

Jez May 11, 2007 11:34 PM

Brilliant, brilliant and did I say brilliant?

I am just in the process of creating a 16 newsletter system for my client so having custom fields is great as I can look forward to using those fields to target newsletters.

Would it be possible to give subscribers access to those custom fields later - or will they only have the option to subscribe/unsubscribe? If they (subscribers) could update their own custom field data then this would cut the admin time by 95% and enable us to roll-out virtual newsletter management apps very quickly indeed.

Did I already say the custom fields were brilliant? Great job as ever guys

Vernal May 12, 2007 12:51 AM

Ooh ooh ooh you've just GOT TO build in list segmentation now. I work in the non-profit sector and campaign management software that is as easy-to-use as Mailbuild would be a gigantic asset to what we do.

Fannar May 12, 2007 8:38 AM

This all looks so promising.

1. Domain Mapping
2. Localization, Translation.

Thanks,

Rob May 14, 2007 8:25 AM

Another vote for "Allow you to segment subscribers based on custom field data". Keep up the great work.

Sean Mooney May 15, 2007 12:08 AM

Mark me down for "Allow you to segment subscribers based on custom field data" and I also second the idea of extending the API.
Great Work Guys!!

Mark Wyner May 15, 2007 1:22 AM

As always, the product often thought to already be perfect actually gets better.

I'll chime in on the importance of additional features:

1) API, API, API
2) Segmentation
3) Personalization
4) Reporting

Thanks!

Dave Greiner May 15, 2007 9:22 AM

Thanks for the great feedback guys, we'll be launching API support for custom fields in the next few days and will be hard at work on the segmentation feature after that. I'll post an update on the blog the moment each of these features launch.

Derrick May 15, 2007 2:15 PM

1. The ability to point a custom DNS record to Mailbuild, so our clients only ever see our domain name. ex: mailbuilder.mystudio.com. Maybe that is what Fannar means by "domain mapping?"

Dave Greiner May 15, 2007 2:48 PM

That's the impression we had too Derrick. That request is something we've been thinking about for a while and may eventually make its way into the product.

Simon Ashley May 20, 2007 10:42 PM

Fantastic chaps. Keep up the good work.

1. Targeted campaigns as per Campaign Monitor has to be the next step.
2. Multiple repeat sections using the template editor
3. Extend the API
4. Billing clients in different currencies

David July 3, 2007 11:57 AM

Seems a simple thing to me - but I want to see the data in my custom fields in the app.

Dave Greiner July 3, 2007 5:53 PM

David, no problem, you can do this any time by viewing your active subscribers, and then clicking on a subscriber's email address. This will display all their custom field values.

David Horn July 19, 2007 8:57 AM

Personalization, for sure ... for me, there's no real point in having custom fields if I then cannot merge them into the email itself. Is there any way of doing that now?

Thanks.

Dave Greiner July 19, 2007 10:32 AM

Not right now I'm afraid David, but that feature won't be far off.

Christopher Charlton December 18, 2007 7:05 AM

2. Multiple repeat sections using the template editor

This is massive for me. In fact I need it for a client - TODAY!