Step 1: Start a New Blast
- Navigate to the Blasts page from the sidebar
- Make sure you’re on the Blasts tab (not Inbox)
- Click the New Blast button
- Select Email as your blast type
Step 2: Audience Selection
Choose who receives your email. This is where targeting makes all the difference.Audience Options
- All Fans — send to your entire fanbase with email addresses on file
- Fan Lists — select one or more curated lists you’ve created (e.g., “NYC Fans,” “Presave Squad,” “Merch Buyers”)
- Custom Filters — build your audience on the fly using:
- Location — country, state, or city
- VIP Tier — Diamond, Gold, Silver, or Bronze
- Engagement — fans who opened or clicked your last email
- Activity — fans who presaved, streamed, bought merch, or RSVPed
Estimated Audience Count
As you add or remove filters, the estimated audience count updates in real time at the top of the selection panel. This tells you exactly how many fans match your criteria. For example, selecting “Gold tier fans” + “Located in Texas” might show an audience of 342 fans. You’ll always know the reach of your blast before you send it.Exclusions
You can also exclude specific lists or segments. This is useful when you want to send to “All Fans” but exclude people who already received a similar message through a flow.Step 3: Email Design
This is where the fun happens. Build your email using the visual editor.Subject Line
Your subject line is the first thing fans see in their inbox. Make it count.- Keep it under 50 characters for best mobile display
- Use merge tags for personalization:
{fan_first_name}, your exclusive early access is here - Create urgency when appropriate: “48 hours left to presave”
- Avoid ALL CAPS and excessive punctuation (spam filters don’t like them)
Preheader Text
The preheader is the short preview text that appears next to the subject line in most email clients. It’s your second chance to get someone to open the email.- Keep it under 100 characters
- Don’t repeat your subject line — add additional context
- Example: Subject “New single Friday” + Preheader “Plus: exclusive merch and a surprise for presavers”
Visual Email Builder
Fanaura includes a powerful drag-and-drop email builder. No coding required. Available blocks:- Text — write paragraphs, headings, or any formatted text
- Image — upload artwork, photos, or graphics (drag to upload or browse)
- Button — add call-to-action buttons (presave links, merch links, ticket links)
- Divider — visual separators between sections
- Social Links — add your Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, TikTok, and other platform icons
- Tour Dates — insert a formatted list of your upcoming tour dates directly into the email
- Columns — create multi-column layouts for side-by-side content
- Spacer — add breathing room between elements
- Drag blocks to reorder them
- Click any block to edit its content, colors, fonts, and spacing
- Set background colors for the entire email or individual sections
- Upload your own header and footer images
Template Library
Don’t want to start from scratch? Browse the Template Library for pre-built designs:- Release Announcement — album artwork front and center with streaming links
- Tour Announcement — tour poster style with date list and ticket buttons
- Merch Drop — product grid layout with “Shop Now” buttons
- Newsletter — clean, editorial layout for regular updates
- Fan Exclusive — VIP-styled template for special announcements
- Presave Reminder — countdown-style template for release week
My Templates
Save any email you build as a reusable template:- Design your email
- Click Save as Template at the top of the builder
- Give it a name (e.g., “My Standard Newsletter Layout”)
- Find it later under the My Templates tab in the template library
Merge Tags
Insert dynamic, personalized content anywhere in your email:| Tag | What it inserts |
|---|---|
{fan_first_name} | The fan’s first name |
{fan_last_name} | The fan’s last name |
{artist_name} | Your artist name |
{latest_title} | Your most recent release title |
Image Upload
Upload images directly into the email builder:- Drag and drop from your desktop
- Browse your computer to select files
- Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF
- Images are automatically optimized for email delivery
- Recommended width: 600px for full-width images
Step 4: Send Settings
From Name and From Email
- From Name — the name fans see in their inbox (usually your artist name)
- From Email — the email address it comes from (configured in your settings)
Scheduling
Choose when your blast goes out:- Send Now — the blast sends immediately after you confirm
- Schedule for Later — pick a specific date and time
- Calendar date picker
- Time selector (in 15-minute increments)
- Timezone selector
Timezone Options
- Your timezone — everyone receives the email at the same moment
- Fan’s local time — the email arrives at the specified time in each fan’s timezone
Step 5: Preview and Send
Before your blast goes out to thousands of fans, review everything.Preview
- See exactly what your email looks like on desktop and mobile
- Toggle between views to check layout and readability
- Verify merge tags are working (they’ll show sample data in preview)
- Check all links are correct
Send Test Email
Click Send Test to send a copy to yourself (or any email address). This is the single most important step — always send a test before the real thing. Things to check in your test:- Subject line and preheader look right
- Images load correctly
- All links work and go to the right places
- Merge tags display properly
- Layout looks good on your phone
Confirm and Send
Once you’re happy with your test:- Click Send (or Schedule if you set a future date)
- Confirm the audience count and timing in the confirmation dialog
- Your blast is on its way
Draft Saving
Your blast auto-saves as a draft as you work. If you close the browser, lose your internet connection, or just need to come back later, your draft will be waiting for you on the Blasts page. Drafts show up with a “Draft” status badge so you can easily find and resume them.What Happens Next
After your blast sends:- You’ll see delivery progress in real time on the blast detail page
- Stats start populating within minutes (opens, clicks)
- Fan replies to the email don’t come back to Fanaura (they go to your from email)
- Full analytics are available within 24 hours
- Check the Blast Analytics guide for details on reading your stats
Best Practices
- Send at optimal times. Tuesday through Thursday mornings tend to get the best open rates. Avoid weekends and late nights.
- One clear call to action. Don’t ask fans to presave, buy merch, AND RSVP all in one email. Pick the most important action and make it prominent.
- Mobile first. Over 70% of your fans will read this on their phone. Use large fonts, big buttons, and single-column layouts.
- Personalize everything. Emails with the fan’s first name in the subject line get 26% higher open rates on average.
- Keep it short. Your fans are busy. Get to the point, show the artwork, and make it easy to take action.
- Test, test, test. Always send a test email to yourself and at least one other person before sending to your list.