Newsletter Integration Guide

This guide explains how to set up newsletter subscription for your PowerPlatform Tips blog. The training promotion text is now automatically displayed under every post.

What’s Already Set Up

✅ Training Promotion: Automatically appears under every blog post
✅ Newsletter Subscription Box: Ready to be configured with your newsletter service
✅ Beautiful Styling: Matches your mint theme perfectly

Newsletter Service Options

Option 1: Mailchimp (Recommended)

Why Mailchimp?

• Free for up to 2,000 subscribers
• Professional email templates
• Detailed analytics
• Easy integration

Setup Steps:

1. Create Mailchimp Account
   • Go to mailchimp.com
   • Sign up for a free account
   • Create your first audience
2. Get Your Form Code
   • Go to Audience → Signup forms → Embedded forms
   • Select “Naked” or “Unstyled” form
   • Copy the form action URL (looks like: https://domain.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe/post)
   • Copy the hidden input values
3. Update Your Blog
   • Open _includes/after-content.html
   • Replace the placeholder URL in the form action
   • Add your specific Mailchimp hidden fields

Example Configuration:

<form action="https://yourdomain.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe/post" method="post" target="_blank" novalidate>
  <div class="newsletter-input-group">
    <input type="email" name="EMAIL" placeholder="Enter your email address" required>
    <button type="submit">Subscribe</button>
  </div>
  <input type="hidden" name="u" value="your_user_id">
  <input type="hidden" name="id" value="your_list_id">
</form>

Option 2: ConvertKit

Setup Steps:

1. Create account at convertkit.com
2. Create a form
3. Get the embed code
4. Replace the form in after-content.html

Option 3: Simple Email Link (Quick Start)

If you want to start immediately without setting up a service:

1. Open _includes/after-content.html
2. Comment out the form section
3. Uncomment the “mailto” section
4. Replace your-email@domain.com with your email

Option 4: External Newsletter Page

Direct users to an external signup page:

1. Comment out the form section
2. Uncomment the “external” section
3. Replace the URL with your newsletter signup page

Testing Your Setup

1. Start your Jekyll server: bundle exec jekyll serve
2. Navigate to any blog post
3. Scroll down to see both sections:
   • Training promotion (always visible)
   • Newsletter subscription form

Customization Options

Disable on Specific Posts

Add this to any post’s front matter to hide the sections:

show_training_promotion: false
show_newsletter: false

Change the Training Text

Edit _includes/after-content.html and modify the training-promotion section.

Modify Newsletter Text

Edit the newsletter-subscription section in _includes/after-content.html.

Styling Changes

Modify the CSS in assets/css/main.scss under the “Training Promotion & Newsletter Subscription Styling” section.

Advanced Features

Conditional Display

You can make the sections conditional by editing after-content.html:

<!-- Training section -->



<!-- Newsletter section -->

Analytics Tracking

Add Google Analytics events to track newsletter signups:

<button type="submit" onclick="gtag('event', 'newsletter_signup', {'event_category': 'engagement'});">
  Subscribe
</button>

Next Steps

1. Choose your newsletter service (Mailchimp recommended)
2. Set up your account and create your first list
3. Update the form in _includes/after-content.html
4. Test the subscription process
5. Create your first newsletter 📧

Newsletter Content Ideas

• Weekly PowerPlatform tips
• Exclusive tutorials
• Early access to new blog posts
• Special training offers
• Community highlights

Your training promotion and newsletter signup are now automatically displayed under every blog post! 🎉