- My client has a blog posted on WordPress.
- We use MailChimp for weekly and monthly newsletters
- We want to repurpose blog content to be used on weekly emails.
- Mailchimp has a feature that allows administrator to import a web page to be mailed out. I want to create a hidden WordPress page that mocks up a weekly html email using excerpts from the week’s posts.
- The page copy will also auto-fill several other content sections with posts of various categories – for instance, the most recent recipe posted will be pulled, and entered into the email template, or most recent ‘today’s inspiration’ post will be pulled, and inserted with graphic.
- Coder should have extensive WordPress experience, and experience with email style (old school) html.
* Designed as a WordPress blog template using WordPress functions
* Output needs to be 100% HTML, with no JavaScript.
* Output must display well in all email clients – coder must be familiar with peculiarities of email HTML
* Must degrade gracefully to text-only clients.
* All work – comments, variables, object references – and communications must be in English
* consolidate all CSS code to inline or single intra-head style block
Client blog site:
http://crazysexylife.com/
Mock-up of email template page:
http://csl.baier.com/emailtemplate/2/template.htm
You will be given ftp, wp-admin, and phpMyAdmin database access to site.
Here are comments on how various sections of the template need to appear.
1. Header
* Good as is?
2. Menu
* good as is for now
3. Date
* insert today’s date in format shown
4. Today’s Inspiration
* Add post category “Daily Inspiration” and use this to filter post outputs
* Display most recent published inspiration
* On blog admin, you will be able to load up future inspiration drafts with future auto-publish dates.
* Be sure “Today’s Inspiration” posts do not display with home page posts
5. Recent Posts
* Content should be drawn from main posts – category “blog”
* Display as on mock-up
* Display five most recent posts with Day of week prominent (as shown)
* Image should be a fixed width of 150px, variable height proportionate
* If img width > height, center crop square 120px x 120px
* If server not specified in image properties, images should include full path to CSL server using WordPress function.
6. Other Recent Posts
* Content should be drawn from main posts – category “blog”
* Display as on mock-up
* Display five most recent posts prior to the five “Recent Posts”
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* The following three posts should all be moved to the right side column
* display bulleted line items from lists
* each should have its own permanent banner, and use a box style similar to “Upcoming Events”
7. Hot Topics
* Use title “Hot Topics”
* Add unique common header graphic to span across top of box (CSL stop sign image for header)
* Display content from Links category “forum-topics”
* Display link and link text, and, if available, excerpt
8. Spiritual Sandwich
Use title “Spiritual Sandwich”
* Add unique common header graphic to span across top of box (spray painted hands for header)
* Display content from Links category “spiritual”
* Display link and link text, and, if available, excerpt
9. Read All About It
* Use ExtraExtra image for header
* Display content from Links category “newswire”
* Display link and link text, and, if available, excerpt
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10. The Goods
* Post most recent published post from “faves” AND “newsletter” categories
* Use style similar to mockup – image to the right 150px wide
* Advise on how best to enter data into post – fully formatted, or image specified in Custom Fields
11. Video of the Week
* Post most recent published post from “video” AND “newsletter” categories
* Use style similar to mockup – image to the right 150px wide
* Advise on how best to enter data into post – fully formatted, or image specified in Custom Fields
12. Animal Adoptions
* Post most recent published post from “adoptions” AND “newsletter” categories
* Use style similar to mockup – image to the right 150px wide
* Advise on how best to enter data into post – fully formatted, or image specified in Custom Fields
13. Social Media Links
* Leave as is
14. Ads
* Advise on how to display static trackable ads – no javascript as used by our Google ad server. Is there a plugin to use for displaying and tracking ads that is compatible with an email (no php, no javascript)