Newsletter

The Newsletter feature allows visitors to subscribe to your status page updates and receive notifications about alerts, incidents, and custom announcements via email.

Overview

LIVCK's Newsletter system enables you to:

  • Allow visitors to subscribe to status page updates
  • Verify subscriber email addresses (optional)
  • Send custom newsletter messages to all subscribers
  • Automatically notify subscribers about alerts and incidents
  • Manage subscriptions with easy unsubscribe options

Enabling the Newsletter Feature

The Newsletter feature can be enabled or disabled in your LIVCK settings.

Step 1: Enable Newsletter

  1. Log in to LIVCK admin panel
  2. Navigate to Settings > General
  3. Find the Newsletter option
    • Description: "Defines whether the newsletter function should be activated. Customers can then subscribe to the newsletter."
  4. Enable the checkbox
  5. Save changes

Once enabled, a subscription form will appear on your public status page allowing visitors to subscribe.

Step 2: Configure Newsletter Settings

Navigate to Settings > Newsletter to configure additional options:

Newsletter Confirmation:

  • ✅ Enabled: Subscribers must verify their email address by clicking a confirmation link
  • ❌ Disabled: Subscribers are added immediately without verification

Recommendation: Enable Newsletter Confirmation to prevent spam subscriptions and ensure valid email addresses.

How It Works

For Visitors (Subscribers)

Subscribing:

  1. Visit your public status page
  2. Enter email address in the newsletter subscription form
  3. Click Subscribe
  4. If confirmation is enabled:
    • Receive a verification email
    • Click the verification link in the email
    • Subscription is confirmed
  5. If confirmation is disabled:
    • Subscription is active immediately

Unsubscribing:

  • Every newsletter email includes an unsubscribe link in the footer
  • Click the unsubscribe link to opt out
  • Unsubscription is immediate

Email Verification Flow

User enters email → Submits subscription form
    ↓
Confirmation enabled?
    ↓ (Yes)
Verification email sent → User clicks verify link → Subscription confirmed
    ↓ (No)
Subscription active immediately

Composing Newsletters

You can send custom newsletter messages to all subscribers from the LIVCK admin panel.

Step 1: Access Newsletter Composer

  1. Log in to LIVCK admin panel
  2. Navigate to Newsletter
  3. Click Compose Newsletter

Step 2: Compose Your Message

The newsletter composer includes the following fields:

Greeting

  • Opening line of the email
  • Default: "Hello!"
  • Example: "Hello!", "Dear Subscriber,", "Hi there,"

Subject

  • Email subject line
  • Required field
  • Example: "Important Service Update", "Monthly Status Report"

Message Body

  • Rich text editor with formatting options
  • Supports:
    • Bold, italic, underline
    • Headings
    • Lists (bulleted and numbered)
    • Links
    • Text formatting

Closing

  • Closing line of the email
  • Default: "Best Regards!"
  • Example: "Best Regards!", "Thank you,", "Sincerely,"

Step 3: Send Newsletter

  1. Review your message
  2. Click Send
  3. The newsletter is sent immediately to all active subscribers

Important: Newsletter sending is immediate and cannot be undone. Review carefully before sending.

Newsletter Email Structure

Each newsletter email sent to subscribers includes:

Header:

  • Your organization name/logo (if configured)

Body:

  • Greeting (e.g., "Hello!")
  • Subject line
  • Message content (from rich text editor)
  • Closing (e.g., "Best Regards!")

Footer:

  • Unsubscribe link (always included automatically)
  • Organization information
  • "Powered by LIVCK" credit (if enabled)

Alert Notifications for Subscribers

Newsletter subscribers automatically receive email notifications for alerts, incidents, and maintenance windows created on your status page.

How It Works

When you create or update an alert, you can choose to notify subscribers:

Creating an Alert:

  1. Navigate to Alerts > Create Alert
  2. Fill in alert details (type, title, message, status)
  3. Find the Notify Subscribers checkbox
  4. ✅ Check to send email to all newsletter subscribers
  5. Save the alert

Updating an Alert:

  1. Edit an existing alert
  2. Make your changes
  3. Notify Subscribers checkbox appears for updates
  4. ✅ Check to send update email to all subscribers
  5. Save the update

What Subscribers Receive

Newsletter subscribers receive emails for:

  • New Alerts - When "Notify Subscribers" is checked during alert creation
  • Alert Updates - When "Notify Subscribers" is checked for updates
  • Status Changes - When incident or maintenance status changes (if notify is enabled)

Each alert email includes:

  • Alert type (Announcement, Incident, Maintenance)
  • Alert title
  • Alert message
  • Current status (for incidents and maintenance)
  • Link to view full details on the status page
  • Unsubscribe link in the footer

Managing Subscribers

Viewing Subscribers

  1. Log in to LIVCK admin panel
  2. Navigate to Newsletter or Subscribers
  3. View list of all subscribers with:
    • Email address
    • Subscription date
    • Verification status
    • Active/inactive status

Managing Individual Subscribers

You can manually manage subscribers:

  • View subscriber details
  • Remove subscribers (if needed for spam or invalid addresses)
  • Check verification status

Subscriber Privacy

Subscriber email addresses are stored securely and only used for:

  • Sending newsletters
  • Sending alert notifications (when enabled)
  • Managing subscriptions

Subscriber data is not shared with third parties.

Best Practices

Subscription Management

Enable Email Verification:

  • Prevents spam subscriptions
  • Ensures valid email addresses
  • Reduces bounce rates
  • Protects your sender reputation

Clear Subscription Forms:

  • Make the newsletter form visible but not intrusive
  • Clearly state what subscribers will receive
  • Set expectations (e.g., "Receive alerts and service updates")

Newsletter Content

Keep It Relevant:

  • Send newsletters only when you have important updates
  • Don't spam subscribers with unnecessary messages
  • Focus on service status, major updates, and important announcements

Clear and Concise:

  • Use clear subject lines
  • Keep messages brief and to the point
  • Use formatting (headings, lists) for readability

Consistent Branding:

  • Use consistent greeting and closing
  • Match your organization's tone and style
  • Include relevant links to your status page

Alert Notifications

Strategic Use of "Notify Subscribers":

  • ✅ Check for critical incidents and major outages
  • ✅ Check for planned maintenance that affects service
  • ✅ Check for important announcements
  • ❌ Don't check for minor updates or trivial changes
  • ❌ Don't check for every single alert update

Update Frequency:

  • Avoid sending too many updates for the same incident
  • Batch minor updates when possible
  • Send updates only when status changes significantly

Email Deliverability

To ensure your newsletters and alert emails reach subscribers:

Configure Email Properly

  • Use Amazon SES or a reliable SMTP provider
  • See Email Notifications for setup
  • Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC DNS records
  • Use a professional sender address with your domain

Monitor Bounce Rates

High bounce rates can harm deliverability:

  • Remove invalid email addresses
  • Enable email verification to prevent fake subscriptions
  • Monitor email logs for delivery failures

Avoid Spam Triggers

  • Don't use spammy subject lines (ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation!!!)
  • Include proper unsubscribe links (automatically added)
  • Don't send too frequently
  • Keep content professional and relevant

Troubleshooting

Subscribers Not Receiving Emails

Check Email Configuration:

  • Verify email system is properly configured
  • See Email Notifications
  • Test email delivery with a test subscriber

Check Subscriber Status:

  • Verify the subscriber is active
  • Check if email was verified (if verification is enabled)
  • Look for bounce or delivery errors in logs

Check Spam Folders:

  • Ask subscribers to check spam/junk folders
  • Whitelist your sender address
  • Improve email deliverability (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)

Verification Emails Not Arriving

Common Issues:

  • Email in spam folder
  • Email address typo during subscription
  • Email server blocking verification emails
  • SMTP configuration issues

Solutions:

  • Ask subscribers to check spam folders
  • Verify email system is working correctly
  • Check application logs: 
    docker compose logs app | grep -i newsletter
  • Test with a known working email address

Newsletter Not Sending

Possible Causes:

  • Email system not configured
  • Queue workers not running
  • Invalid subscriber email addresses
  • Rate limiting or provider restrictions

Solutions:

  • Verify email configuration in .env
  • Restart queue workers: 
    docker compose restart app
  • Check logs: 
    docker compose logs app
  • Verify email provider account is active

Unsubscribe Link Not Working

Check:

  • Link format is correct in email
  • Application is accessible from subscriber's location
  • No firewall or network issues blocking access

Solution:

  • Test unsubscribe link yourself
  • Check application logs for errors
  • Verify web server is running correctly

Permissions

Only users with the appropriate permissions can manage newsletters:

  • newsletter.list - View subscriber list
  • newsletter.show - View subscriber details
  • newsletter.create - Add subscribers manually (if supported)
  • newsletter.update - Manage subscriber status
  • newsletter.delete - Remove subscribers
  • newsletter.compose.send - Compose and send newsletters

See Permissions for detailed permission management.

Security Considerations

Spam Prevention

  • Enable email verification to prevent fake subscriptions
  • Monitor for suspicious subscription patterns
  • Implement rate limiting on subscription form (if available)
  • Remove invalid or bouncing email addresses regularly

Privacy Compliance

  • Clearly state what subscribers will receive
  • Always include unsubscribe links (automatic)
  • Honor unsubscribe requests immediately
  • Store subscriber data securely
  • Consider GDPR/privacy regulations if applicable

Email Security

  • Use authenticated SMTP connections (TLS/SSL)
  • Don't expose subscriber email addresses publicly
  • Limit access to subscriber list with permissions
  • Protect .env file containing email credentials

Use Cases

Service Status Updates

Send regular status updates or monthly summaries to keep subscribers informed about service reliability and performance.

Planned Maintenance

Notify subscribers in advance about planned maintenance windows to set expectations and reduce support inquiries.

Incident Communication

Automatically notify subscribers about incidents and outages, keeping them informed throughout the resolution process.

Feature Announcements

Send newsletters about new features, improvements, or changes to your services.

Quarterly Reports

Share quarterly or annual uptime reports and statistics with subscribers to build trust and transparency.

Additional Resources