I’ve had a few clients ask me recently for newsletter functionality in their Drupal theme that I am building out for them. 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.

The 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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