Overview
The Composer is SmartrMail's drag-and-drop email builder. Pick a template, stack content blocks like text, products, images, buttons and video, then choose who gets your email and when. Your Brand Kit fills in your header, footer and social links automatically, so every campaign starts on-brand.
Key benefits
On-brand from the start: your header, footer and social links come straight from your Brand Kit
Shoppable by design: pull products from your product feed, or let Smart products recommend them
Flexible layouts: 1, 2 or 3 columns, with color, spacing and alignment controls on every block
Smarter sending: send now, schedule a date and time, or send at the best time for each person
How to start a new campaign
Go to Campaigns in the left menu.
Click New campaign.
Choose a template. Select Blank to start from scratch, or pick a ready-made layout like Announcement.
Check your header, footer and social links. They're already in place from your Brand Kit.
Tip: Set up your Brand Kit before your first campaign. It saves you restyling every email by hand.
Other ways to start a campaign
Write with AI
Click Write with AI at the top of the Campaigns page and describe what you want your email to include.
Duplicate a previous campaign
Want the same look and block layout as an email you've already sent? Go to Campaigns, click the ⋯ menu next to the campaign and select Copy as draft. The copy lands in your Drafts tab, ready to edit.
How to add content blocks to your email
Every campaign is built from blocks. Find them on the Blocks tab of the left panel, drag one into your email, then select it to edit its settings in the right panel.
Block | Group | Use it for |
Text | Basics | Titles, headlines and body copy |
Image | Basics | A standalone image |
Button | Basics | A call to action that links anywhere |
Video | Basics | A YouTube or Vimeo video |
Line | Basics | A divider between sections |
HTML | Basics | Custom code |
Product | Store | A product picked from your product feed |
Image + Caption | Store | Your own image with a title, text and button |
Smart products | Store | Products pulled automatically from one of your product feeds |
Important: Choose the number of columns (1, 2 or 3) under Columns at the top of the left panel before you add a block. You can't change the column count of a block that's already in your email.
Tip: Hover over a block in your email to move it up or down, duplicate it, or open more options from the ⋯ menu.
Add a title with a Text block
Drag a Text block to the top of your email.
Click into the block and type your title. Add supporting copy in the description line underneath.
Use the text toolbar to change the font, size, line height, style and alignment. Click Personalize to insert subscriber details.
In the right panel, open Block background to change the background color and the horizontal and vertical spacing.
Separate sections with a Line block
Drag a Line block where you want a divider.
Set the Thickness and Line color.
Open Block background to adjust the spacing around the line.
Showcase products with a Product block
Under Columns, choose 2 or 3 columns. Products look better in multiples.
Drag a Product block into your email, one per column.
Click Choose a product. In the right panel, search for a product by name, or pick one from Recently Added Products or Best Sellers.
Repeat for each column.
Fine-tune the look in the right panel:
Width and Height: resize the product image
Image corner radius: round the image corners
Block layout: move the product text above or below the image
Image alignment: align the image left, center or right
Aligned blocks: line products up evenly across columns
Button: show or hide the buy button, which displays the product price
Block background: change the background color and spacing
Tip: The layout options aren't obvious at first glance. Click through them to see what fits your design.
Add your own image with an Image + Caption block
Set Columns to 1 column.
Drag an Image + Caption block into your email.
Click Add photo here... to upload your image.
Edit the caption title, body text and button text directly in the block.
In the right panel, add a Link and choose a Block layout to place the caption beside, above or below the image.
Set the Image/text ratio (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 or 3:1) to control how much space the image gets compared to the text.
Fine-tune the Width, Height, Image corner radius, image and text alignment, Button and Block background if needed.
Note: Images can be up to 5MB in JPG, PNG or GIF format.
Drive clicks with a Button block
Drag a Button block into your email.
Click the button and type your text, like "Shop now."
In the right panel, paste the page URL into Link.
Style the button with Alignment, Button width, Button color, Stroke width and Stroke color.
Tip: Using Shopify? Create a Shopify discount link and paste it into the button's Link field. The discount applies automatically when shoppers click. Auto-applied discount links work with Shopify stores only.
Add a video with a Video block
Drag a Video block into your email.
Paste a YouTube or Vimeo link into Video URL.
Open Block background to change the background color and spacing.
Important: Use a standard YouTube or Vimeo link. Instagram Reels and other links won't work. Subscribers see a video thumbnail that links to the video. Videos don't play inside the email.
Recommend products with a Smart products block
Drag a Smart products block into your email.
In the right panel, click the current feed under Product feed (for example, Best Sellers) to open your list of product feeds.
Select the feed you want, like Best Sellers or a feed built from a collection.
Adjust Text align, Show description, Aligned blocks, Button and Block background to fit your design.
Tip: Don't see the feed you want? Create it first under Product feed in the left menu. It then shows up in the list.
Note: Each Smart products block shows up to 6 products. The feed name shows how many products are in it, for example "Best Sellers - 4 products."
Add custom code with an HTML block
Drag an HTML block into your email.
Click Add your HTML, then write or paste your code in the editor in the right panel.
Click the expand icon in the editor for a full-size view.
Pro tip: HTML blocks support Liquid-style tags with fallbacks, like {{ store_name | fallback: 'no data' }}. Legacy percent-style tags don't work.
Reuse blocks with Saved blocks
Built a block you'll use again, like a payment options banner or a store button? Save it once and drag it into any email.
Hover over the block in your email and click the ⋯ menu on the block toolbar.
Click Save block and give it a name.
Find it under Saved blocks at the bottom of the Blocks tab.
In any campaign or draft, drag the saved block into your email.
Tip: To rename or delete a saved block, click the ⋯ next to it under Saved blocks.
How to change your email's overall style
The Style tab sets the look of the whole email, from fonts to button shapes. Click an empty area of the canvas to show the Email settings, then open the Style tab. A preview of your Brand kit sits at the top.
Section | Settings |
Main Style | Page background, page background image and background color |
Email background | Body background color and divider line color |
Text | Title font and size, body font and size, body line height and link color |
Buttons | Button font and size, background, radius, stroke width, stroke color and text color |
Mobile layout | Stack columns on phones, so multi-column rows stack on small screens |
How to send or schedule your campaign
Once your email looks right, set up who gets it and when. Click an empty area of the canvas, or the background around your email, to show the Email settings in the right panel. Stay on the Details tab.
Open Audience. Under To, select the subscriber lists you want to send to. Click Exclude lists to leave specific lists out. People on more than one list get your email only once.
Open Subject and add a Subject line. It's required, and it's the first thing shoppers see.
Add Preview text (optional). It shows after the subject line in most inboxes.
Click Send test. Your account email is filled in for you. Add up to 5 addresses, separated by commas, then send. The test arrives marked as a test.
Click Schedule and send.
Under When, choose a sending option, then confirm to send.
Sending options
Option | What it does |
Now | Sends right away. Large lists can take up to 30 minutes to reach every inbox. |
Schedule | Sends on a date and time you pick. |
Best time for each person | Sends to each subscriber at the hour they're usually most active, based on their clicks and opens over the last 90 days. Every send goes out within the next 24 hours. |
A/B test send times | Splits your audience roughly in half and sends at two different times. The time with more unique opens in the first 12 hours wins. Available on Unlimited plans and during a free trial. |
Important: Always send a test before you launch. Once a campaign starts sending, you can't pause or cancel it. Scheduled campaigns can be unscheduled any time before they start.
Test two subject lines
Not sure which subject line will land? Test two. A slice of your audience gets the test, and the subject line with more opens goes to everyone else.
In the Email settings, open Subject.
Turn on A/B test the subject line.
Fill in Subject line A and Subject line B.
Set the Test group size as a percentage of your list, from 10% to 50%. That share is split evenly between the two subject lines. For example, at 20%, about 10% of your list gets A and 10% gets B.
Under Send the winner after, enter a number of hours from 3 to 24. The wait starts once both test emails finish sending.
Click Schedule and send and choose Now or Schedule.
When the wait ends, the subject line with more unique opens goes to the rest of your audience. If it's a tie, the first subject line (A) wins.
Note: Subject line tests work with Now and Schedule only. You can't combine them with Best time for each person or A/B test send times.
Note: Subject line tests are available during a free trial and on plans that include A/B testing.
Unschedule a campaign
Go to Campaigns and open the Scheduled tab.
Click the ⋯ menu next to the campaign.
Click Unschedule. The campaign moves back to your Drafts tab.
From the same menu, you can also Edit the campaign or Copy as draft.
Troubleshooting the Composer
A block landed in the wrong number of columns
You can't change the columns on a block that's already in your email. Click the undo arrow in the top bar or remove the block. Then choose the right number under Columns in the left panel and add the block again.
My video won't add
Make sure you're using a YouTube or Vimeo URL. Instagram Reels and other social links won't work in a Video block.
My image won't upload
Check the file is under 5MB and saved as JPG, PNG or GIF.
I can't send my campaign
Check you've added a Subject line and selected at least one subscriber list under Audience.
FAQs
Where do my email header, footer and social links come from?
They come from your Brand Kit. Update your Brand Kit once and every new campaign uses it.
Can I reuse the design of a campaign I already sent?
Yes. Go to Campaigns, click the ⋯ menu next to the campaign and select Copy as draft. The copy lands in your Drafts tab with the same blocks and layout.
Can I change the number of columns after adding a block?
No. Choose 1, 2 or 3 columns under Columns before you add a block. To change a block that's already in your email, remove it, pick the new column count, then add it again.
Does the Composer save my draft automatically?
Yes. The top bar shows the time your draft was last saved. Use the undo and redo arrows next to it to step back or forward.
Can I personalize my email?
Yes. In a Text block, click Personalize in the text toolbar to insert subscriber details. In an HTML block, use Liquid-style tags like {{ store_name | fallback: 'no data' }}.
Which video links work in a Video block?
Standard YouTube and Vimeo links. Instagram Reels won't work. Subscribers see a thumbnail that links to the video, so it doesn't play inside the email.
How many products can a Smart products block show?
Each Smart products block shows up to 6 products.
Which products does a Smart products block show?
You choose. Pick any of your product feeds, like Best Sellers or a feed built from a collection. To use a new feed, create it under Product feed first.
Does the Product block fill in products automatically?
No. You pick each product yourself by searching or choosing from Recently Added Products or Best Sellers. For automatic recommendations, use a Smart products block.
What does "Best time for each person" do?
It looks at each subscriber's clicks and opens over the last 90 days to find the hour they're most active, then sends within the next 24 hours. Subscribers with no recent activity get a send time based on when they joined your list.
How long does it take for my campaign to send?
When you choose Now, sending starts right away. Large lists can take up to 30 minutes to reach every inbox.
Is preview text required?
No. Preview text is optional, but it's worth adding. It shows after your subject line in most inboxes and gives shoppers another reason to open.
Can I cancel or pause a campaign?
You can unschedule a scheduled campaign any time before it starts sending. Go to the Scheduled tab, click the ⋯ menu next to the campaign and click Unschedule. It moves back to your Drafts tab. Once a campaign starts sending, it can't be paused or cancelled, so always send a test first.
How does A/B testing send times work?
Your audience is split roughly 50/50, and each half gets the campaign at a different time. The time with more unique opens in the first 12 hours wins. If it's a tie, the first time (A) wins. Everyone gets the campaign once, so picking a winner doesn't trigger another send.
Who can use A/B test send times?
It's available on Unlimited plans and during a free trial.
Can I send a test email to more than one address?
Yes. Click Send test and add up to 5 email addresses, separated by commas. Your account email is filled in by default.
What if a subscriber is on more than one list?
They get your campaign only once, even if you select several lists they're on.
Can I test two subject lines?
Yes. Under Subject in the Email settings, turn on A/B test the subject line. Fill in Subject line A and Subject line B, set the Test group size (10% to 50%) and choose when to Send the winner after (3 to 24 hours). When the wait ends, the subject line with more unique opens goes to everyone else.
How does the test group size work in a subject line test?
The Test group size is the total share of your list in the test, split evenly between the two subject lines. At 20%, about 10% of your list gets subject line A and 10% gets subject line B. The other 80% gets the winner.
Can I use a subject line test with Best time for each person?
No. Subject line tests work with Now and Schedule only. They can't be combined with Best time for each person or A/B test send times.
Can I reuse a block in other emails?
Yes. Click the ⋯ menu on the block, click Save block and name it. It appears under Saved blocks at the bottom of the Blocks tab, ready to drag into any email.
How do I make my email look good on phones?
Open the Style tab in the Email settings and turn on Stack columns on phones. Multi-column rows then stack on small screens.