With ActiveCampaign, it is possible to attach files to outgoing campaigns using the "Custom HTML" or the "Text only" campaign template types.
Take note
While it's possible to attach files to outgoing campaigns as described above, it is not recommended for the following reasons:
- Campaigns with attachments are almost always flagged as spam. This can harm your deliverability, domain, and sender reputation
- You may experience slow deliverability times due to an increase in message size. This can also cause your email to bounce
- It is not possible to track engagement metrics with file attachments
Instead, we recommend hosting the file using a 3rd party platform or on your website, then linking to that file or page from your email. Doing so has several benefits:
- It helps your email avoid the spam filter
- Email is less likely to bounce
- You can link out to files hosted on a 3rd party platform or your website with any campaign template type
- You can track link click engagement
- If the file is hosted on your website, you can also use the Site Tracking feature
- You can use Site Tracking and link click data to create segments, If/Else forks in automations, Goal conditions, lead scoring conditions, add contacts to automations, tag contacts, and more.
How to add a file to your email with a link (recommended)
- Copy the URL of where your file is hosted online.
- Open your campaign in a separate window or tab to edit it.
- Highlight the text to which you want to link the URL, or type in new text and highlight it.
- Click the link icon and paste the URL into the field provided. Then click "OK."
- Click "Save & Exit."
How to add a file to an email using the ActiveCampaign Dropbox integration (recommended)
Dropbox is a cloud storage service that you can use to upload and host files. Our integration lets you link to a file stored in Dropbox from your direct or automated campaign.
Learn how to use the ActiveCampaign Dropbox integration.
How to directly attach a file to your email (not recommended)
If you created an email using either the "Custom HTML" or "Text only" campaign template option, you can attach only one .DOC, .DOCX, .JPG, or .PDF file. Note that the maximum file size is 1 megabyte.
Note that it's impossible to directly attach files to 1:1 emails or campaigns created using the drag-and-drop email designer.
To directly attach a file to your email:
- Create a direct or automated campaign that uses either the "Custom HTML" or "Text Only" template option.
- From the message builder, click the paper clip on the top right of your screen.
- Click the "Choose file" button to select your file.
- Click "Close" then click "Save & Exit."