Having launched the suite of Bluethumb promote tools - click here for the full overview - many artists requested a more in-depth guide for the popular email platform, Gmail.
For Gmail users, your email signature is one of the most visible and potent places to promote your art, as whenever you email a fan or friend, this provides another opportunity to tell people where to find your art.
Essentially we will be embedding the HTML code into your email draft or signature.
That may sound a little daunting, though follow the steps and images closely, and you'll be up and running in a minute or two.
Let's get started!
🎨 Pro tip > follow these steps using a desktop computer, rather than the Gmail app on your phone or tablet. Plus check out the 2x series of example images below 👇
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Choose your promote tool
First setup the tool you wish to add
Login to Bluethumb and head to Dashboard > Promote
If using a simple Tracking Link, you can follow the existing instructions within the full overview guide - click here
Given the tool styles are much more visual and likely to have a stronger impact, we always recommend using something from the Buttons and Badges section
Use the Style dropdown menu to select your preferred tool
Simply follow the prompts to setup the tool to display as you wish
Click the 'Copy Code' button - you're now ready to paste the code wherever it needs to go. See below!
🎨 Pro tip > test different tools and watch your My Referrals table to monitor results
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Adding a promote tool to your Gmail email signature
Click on the gear cog icon top right of your inbox
Click on 'Settings'
Scroll down near the bottom to find the 'Signature' section. You may or may not have something in there already (see images: step 1)
Select your preferred promote tool - again we'd recommend something visual from the Buttons and Badges section
In this example I've chosen a Bluethumb Profile Widget displaying 3x artworks from my test account
Decide where in your signature you'd like the tool to visually appear (you can always move it around later)
Enter a string of identifiable placeholder text. We'll change this later so something like 'xxxxx' works fine (see images: step 2)
Highlight your placeholder text, then right click and select 'Inspect'
This will load a fancy looking code section. This is called 'Inspect' view. Don't worry, you don't need to know what everything does!
Now here's the easy-but-slightly-fiddly bit, right click the highlighted line of code (your placeholder text within Inspect view), then select 'Edit as HTML' (see images: steps 3 / 4 / 5)
If 'Edit as HTML' is not visible, try clicking on a different line, then back on the line where your 'xxxxx' placeholder sits again. As per the example in the video below
Paste the code to replace your 'xxxxx' placeholder between the > </p> symbols (see images: steps 3 / 4 / 5)
You may need to jump back to the promote tool 'copy code' button if it didn't copy/paste
Click anywhere within the white space next to the code. The code is now pasted and firmly in there
Close 'Inspect' view using the X top right of the section
And you're done!
Don't forget to add your name to your signature too
Press the 'save changes' button at the bottom of the Settings sections
Now each time you send an email, your shiny new email signature will appear
To change or edit your signature, just work through the steps above again
🎨 Pro tip > view image guide 1 below for visual step-by-step examples
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Adding a promote tool within a Gmail message
While we'd recommend adding a promote tool to your email signature so it's always visible, it's possible to add within individual messages also
You may choose to do this if you want to send someone to a specific, new artwork you've just uploaded. Perhaps using the Buy Button if they've expressed an interest to purchase
Click the Compose button to start a new message draft
From here, the steps are identical to the email signature steps above, after entering a string of identifiable placeholder tex
In the example I've chosen a blue-on-white Bluethumb Badge displaying the 'view my profile' text
🎨 Pro tip > view image guide 2 below for visual step-by-step examples
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Image guide 1 > adding a promote tool to your Gmail email signature
Steps 1 / 2
Steps 3 / 4 / 5
Step 5
Step 6
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Image guide 2 > adding a promote tool within a Gmail message
Steps 1 / 2 / 3
Step 4
Steps 5 / 6