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Using Images and Links in Email Messages

You can use images or links to other websites in a group email message. Two options are available on the email editor's toolbar to help you with this process. The two options are as follows:

Linking

Group Email is often used to invite people to an activity or event. Emails of this nature typically contain links to the website where the event is marketed; or, you may want to provide a link to an event registration form. Copy the fully qualified web address and follow the directions below. This address should begin with http:// or https://.

Another option is to provide a link to download a document. If you want to provide a link to a document, your document must exist on a public facing server (typically the server where your church website lives). If you do not have access to the server, you will need to send the document to the person who has that responsibility. Request the fully qualified path to the file. It should begin with http:// or https://. Copy the address into a web browser to make sure you can access the file before proceeding. You should get a download dialog box asking if you want to open or save the document.

To create the link:

  1. Type the words you want the person to click on into your email message body. For example, "click here" or "download".
  2. Select the word or words you just typed.
  3. Click the HTML Link button . The Link Options dialog box appears.
  4. Copy the address beginning with http:// or https:// into the Link URL field.
  5. Optionally, select the Open link in a new window option from the Target drop-down list. This option opens the web address in a new browser window when a user clicks the link.
  6. Optionally, type a Title for the link. This text will appear when a user hovers their mouse above the link. It's also used by screen readers for users who are visually impaired.
  7. Click Insert to update the link and close the dialog box.

Insert an Image

Images can really add some nice dimension to your email messages if used in moderation. To use an image, you must make sure the actual image file exists on a public facing server (typically the server where your church website exists). If you do not have access to the server, send your image file to the person who has that responsibility. Request the fully qualified path to the image. It should begin with http:// or https:// and include the image file name.

For example, http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logo.gif is the path to the Google logo. It begins with http:// and the file name logo.gif appears at the end of the path.

Before inserting the image, copy the address to the image into a web browser to make sure you can access it. You should see the image and nothing else in the browser.

To insert an image:

  1. Click into the body of your email message in the location where you want the image to appear.
  2. Click the Insert Image button on the toolbar. The Image Options dialog box appears.
  3. Copy the image address into the Image URL field.
  4. Optionally, type some text in the Description field describing the image. This text appears in email clients like Microsoft Outlook when the email client does not automatically display images in email messages. The description text displays until the recipient indicates they want to download the images.
  5. Optionally, select a value from the Alignment drop-down list to affect how the image will appear in relation to your text in your email message.
  6. Optionally, use the Dimensions fields to determine the size of your image will appear in the email message body.
  7. Optionally, type 1 in the Border field to include a 1 pixel border around the image.
  8. Optionally, type numbers into the Vertical and Horizontal Space fields to include padding around the image to separate it from your text.
  9. Click Insert to insert the image into the body of the message and to close the dialog box.