Actito email builder: test and analysis

In the "we've tested it for you" series, here's our review of Actito's email builder. As a reminder, Actito is an advanced marketing campaign management solution, allowing you to define scenarios, relational data tables, sms sending, form management and much more within the tool.

And for the email part, Actito proposes design emailings and newsletters using the solution's built-in email builder.

The interface

From that point of view, it's pretty clear-cut.

We don't look for where the elements are stored, everything is quite intuitive.

There's a Modules tab with a list of available modules. The block library is very large, and you can choose which blocks you'd like to have as quick access.

Personally, I find this a bit laborious. But Actito has set up a quick block selection system for grumpy people like me.

In terms of styles, a second Global Styles tab contains the template's global styles, and if you select a block you can then modify the block's style. For text, a complete editor is available by clicking in the text. The same applies to buttons. Clicking on it displays the button's own style.

I've never looked for anything for very long. Everything is easily accessible. In a nutshell, the interface is crystal-clear.

User experience

A crystal-clear interface is cool. But is it easy to use? I'd be tempted to say yes. The tool has many assets in its favor. One of the most important is the ability to save a block you've just designed, with its content and style. This allows you to build its own block libraryAnd the ability to categorize blocks and store them in different bookshelves is the icing on the cake. And the ability to categorize blocks and store them in different bookshelves is the icing on the cake.

I did have one drawback: it's not possible to hide or add an element directly in a block. So if you've spent time styling your block title + image + text + button to save it, and the next time you want the same block without the text, you have to take the appropriate block from the library, style it and save it too. Except that Actito is evolving its tool, and I hadn't noticed that some of the more unusual blocks can be edited in their structure:

You can then structurally modify a block you've already prepared according to your own design.

And so, as you may have gathered, everything is done in WYSIWYG. No HTML code on the horizon.

Parameters and databases

One of the publisher's great strengths is its management of database elements available in Actito. The ability to put packaging around a block, use customization variables, use product tables to import the appropriate elements, and even import data from an RSS feed.

And if we play with the power of the data we can implement in Actito, we can also imagine multi-title personalization, for example. Well, to be perfectly honest, this will undoubtedly require a few technical setup steps and a good set of specifications to avoid getting lost. And maintenance won't be easy. But it can be done, and if you have Actito, the value of taking the time to do a setup is much larger than using a third-party solution that will also bring you its share of problems (no solution is perfect). Even ThePatroneven if it brings you other benefits 😄 )

It's also worth noting that while it's not possible to inject HTML code directly into the blocks, it is possible to create pure HTML blocks in a content library for reuse in your e-mails.

In short, it's customizable, you can save your work and retrieve it, and you can use the data in Actito. It works pretty well!

Limitations

Unfortunately, not everything is perfect. As I said, there are over 150 modules in the library. This gives you lots of different options, but many elements are variations of the same block. As a result, many blocks have to be customized and saved if they are to be retrieved.

If there are a lot of blocks available in the basic template and it's possible to do a lot of things, it's still a library of blocks. generics. So if you've got specific creative desires, not everything will be feasible in terms of block arrangements. And advanced options like custom typography, background images, etc. are not (yet) available (spoiler: but they are in the custom templates!).

Finally, while I was able to add blocks to my list of quickly accessible blocks, removing them proved less straightforward. You have to click on the "+" button of the block addition to remove them ( 🤪 ). And once removed, I had to refresh the page so that the block no longer appeared as intended. What's more, I couldn't find a way to remove the basic blocks I'd added from the list of easily accessible blocks. Maybe it's an ICE (Interface Chaise Écran) problem on my part...
But I have to admit that this is probably not an operation that will be done regularly. So once the setup phase is over, it should have a minor impact.

Custom templates

What if you want a specific block structure? Background images? A template all your own? Well, that's possible! And there, the only limitations you'll have are those of your own design system and your ability to play with the different options you'd like to have. And your budget, probably...

So yes, with a custom template, you can have custom blocks and custom options (Google font, background images, etc.). What's more, you'll be able to continue using the blocks in the generic library in your template. Now that's luxury...

Conclusion

Is Actito's builder perfect? No. Is it worth the detour? Yes, by far. If you're working on Actito and have email integration needs that aren't too advanced, then this tool will enable you to do an enormous amount, and even set up a structure to industrialize your production.

If you have more advanced requirements, it's possible to set up one or more customized templates to meet more precise or demanding needs.

What's more, this tool continues to evolve and be improved.

So yes, in some cases it may prove a little complex to use, and yes, I've encountered a handful of little bugs in my testing. But all in all, this email builder is one of the best I've ever tested. Its basic possibilities are enormous, and with customization it's almost limitless.

If you're on Actito, take the time to invest in this tool, because it's worth it! And what if you don't have the skills in-house and want to structure your emails around a design system? Let's talk