Link branding for email campaigns
Note
Email and SMS channels are legacy features and not offered to new customers.
Link branding lets you show your own domain rather than the default SendGrid domain when a customer hovers their cursor over your click-tracking links. It is automatically enabled in your account.
Email service providers have strict security protocols to protect users, resulting in customers facing a secure connection error when clicking on the branded email links in your campaigns to visit your website.
To resolve this, you must host an SSL certificate on a proxy server. Contact Optimizely Support if you need help with disabling link branding.
Host an SSL certificate on a proxy server
Without an SSL certificate hosted on a proxy server, your URLs begin with HTTP, which is the source of the secure connection error. However, when you host an SSL certificate on a proxy server, your URLs begin with HTTPS, resolving the error. This also increases customer trust because your link redirects them to a secure site.
A proxy server is a computer system or router that relays the connection between client and server. It helps prevent accessing a private network and can be used to build a firewall.
To update your proxy server with an SSL certificate for your branded links, complete the following:
- Check where you currently manage your domain names. Your domain provider should have documentation to help you add security certificates and configure the proxy to route all traffic to SendGrid's final destination.
- Add a CNAME entry that points your configured branded link domain to sendgrid.net. For information, see the SendGrid documentation.
- Confirm that SSL click tracking is enabled on your account by contacting Optimizely Support.
Disable link branding
If you cannot host an SSL certificate on a proxy server, contact Optimizely Support to disable link branding. When link branding is disabled, the SendGrid domain displays when customers hover their cursor over the click-tracking links in your email campaigns. This lets your customers visit your website successfully.