I’ve had a few clients ask me recently for newsletter functionality in their Drupal website. So that got me started on some research that took me a few hours before I finally came across a solution I could work with. I was particularly looking for a Newsletter functionality that would allow users and anonymous users to sign up. Much of what I was originally finding had to do with registered users only able to sign up for the newsletter. But for many that defeats the purpose. Most sites need a newsletter that is easy for all visitors of the site to join. That way, they can collect email addresses at a much quicker pace.
Simplenews – Module for Drupal
I came across the Simplenews module for Drupal. Installed it and configured it. It had good easy to read instructions for me to configure everything. It gave me the functionaity that I needed. Basically, I setup the Simplenews module and actived the “Newsletter Block†which allows visitors of the site to subscribe to my newsletter. Booyahh! Perfect! Everything setup exactly how I needed with no problems whatsoever. The Simplenews tool actually utilizes the Taxonomy module. Which means it basically creates a new category of content that you write in. That content of course, is sent via email through the newsletter to all subscribers.
Here is a list of the features:
Subscription
- Subscription to the newsletters is managed through blocks, and/or a subscription form, and/or a custom page
- Logged in users can manage their subscriptions in their account settings
- Anonymous (un)subscribers are offered a confirmation email
- Registered, logged in users can subscribe directly
- Subscription of registered, logged out users; and of unregistered users that register later, is managed
Creating and sending
- Newsletters can be sent as plain text or HTML. HTML newsletters require the Mime Mail module
- Newsletters can be managed through the taxonomy system
- Newsletters are stored in a “sent items” or “drafts” folder, depending on the send status
- Sending of mailings to large mailing lists is handled by cron (configurable)
- A single-copy test newsletter can be sent before the newsletter is sent to the mailing list
On-site display and RSS
- Links to taxonomy overview pages and RSS-feeds can be displayed in the block for published newsletters (both sent and unsent).
- Blocks are fully configurable. They can for example also show a list of recent issues of a particular newsletter
Administration
- Sent items folder, with: title, type (term), date, published, status (sent/cron/not sent), edit
- Drafts folders with the same options
- ‘Sent items’ and ‘Drafts’ view filter: view all newsletter issues, or filter by newsletter
- ‘Newsletters’ tab to create/edit newsletters (terms)
- Subscription list management: display email, username (or anonymous), status (active/inactive), delete, activate/inactivate, edit link to manage subscriptions
- Filter subscription list by newsletter and email address
- Subscription list management: import and export (active and/or inactive) subscriptions to and from the different newsletters
- Settings pages: general options page where standard settings can be set (such as a test e-mail address, from-name, from-address, cron), and settings pages for each newsletter to configure the newsletter’s block
Permissions
- administer newsletters, create newsletter, edit own newsletter, send newsletter, view links in block
Check out this module. I highly recommend it. It’s free and open source of course or else I would not praise it so much! It’s by far the best solution I could fine for a newsletter tool for a Drupal Content Management system install.
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This module is fantastic, it was fairly easy to implement scheduled, re-reoccuring newsletters
Check out the simplenews scheduler newsletter module
Hey thanks for the tip on this module. I’ll check it out.
Tried it out, not getting it to work thou.. pretty annoying that there’s no support for those that run on drupal 5.x either.. ;/
What are you having trouble with? I might have an answer for you.
I can’t seem to find where the “send” feature is on this simplenews module, do you know. I have enabled the simplenews block so that people can sign up for a newsletter but can’t seem to be able to send anything yet.
okay. what you do is go to Content >> Add Newsletter Issue. This is where you setup your new newsletter title, content etc. Before you hit submit there are 3 options at the bottom. “Don’t send now,
Send one test newsletter to the test address, and Send newsletter”. The last option being the one you would be looking for! hope that helps.
How does one check on bounced emails in simplenews. I have about 8000+ subscribers. Is this the right module to use for this purpose
Hey.. thanks for the tips, but is there any other newsletter modules ?
You can also use this with the RelatedContent module to generate a series of stories/articles that are then pulled together to create a newsletter issue. No active port to D6 yet, but there is a submitted patch in the issues queue.
I’m looking for a good newsletter integration in my Drupal based website.
I’m not sure that Simplenews is the best solution to send thousand emails…
We’ve 21000 subscribers and I think it’s too much to send directly from our server. Am I Right ?
Do you know Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), it’s seems to be better for big maillinglists ?
By the way, A Drupal module already exists : http://drupal.org/project/mailchimp
Do you know if these vulnerabilities have been sorted out?
http://www.juniper.net/security/auto/vulnerabilities/vuln31377.html
I need enewsletter module with templates in drupal 6.x. So pls send in my email address
I need eNewsletter Module in Drupal6.
If You Have Then Pls send Me in my email address.
My Emal Address Is raj.c8887@gmail.com
Thanks, I’ll check this module out. Nice clearly written post. Cheers,
Can Drupal be used to send a newsletter for which I already have HTML code? Or do you need to create the newsletter in Drupal or one of its modules? Furthermore, what are the options other than simplenews? I send to nearly 4,000 subscribers who have to be members of my agency–meaning I don’t want just anyone being able to register.
Relatively useless for Drupal 6.x until MIME gets developed. Frowny face.
Hi!
Thanks for providing such tip on this module. I will check it out.
I’ve been working with simplenews and it seemed great until I needed to start customizing the newsletters with HTML. I know to inline and use tables etc but not matter what it never shows in Hotmail’s web client. Is there a patch to get around Mimemail sending as UTF-8? Found a post that was about 2 years old that said this was the problem and it seems to still be prevalent. Any suggestions on other solutions? Modules? Can anyone confirm this or a timeline for fixing the issue?
Thanks
I installed the module and it looks cool. The only thing is that users have to register before they can subscribe. Is there a way to allow subscription even if the user hasn’t registered?
You can simply give permissions to “anonymous” in the permission section to “simplenews subscribe” (don’t know the exact privilege because I’ve installed the german version).