Getting Started

Everest Advanced Setup Guide 3: Engagement

This guide is for: Tracking Pixel and ESP integration.

Before you start on the Advanced Setup, be sure to complete the Basic Setup first. If you have any questions about setting up, visit the Everest Help Center or contact Validity Support at support@validity.com. 

 

 

Tracking pixel 

The Everest tracking pixel is placed into your email campaign’s HTML code. When a subscriber opens your email, the tracking pixel fires, and the data is displayed in Everest within the Monitoring>Engagement section. 

Setting up the Everest tracking pixel gives you insights into important subscriber behavior metrics such as opens, average read time, subscriber enthusiasm, and more. 

Add your pixel domain name to Everest 

1. Login to Everest 

2. Navigate to My Everest>Apps & Integrations. 

3. Locate the Tracking Pixel widget and click Settings. 

  blobid0.png

4. Click the Manage Domains tab 

5. Click New Tracking Domain 

mceclip0.png6. Add your tracking domain name. There are two options available.

Option 1: Add a secure (HTTPS) tracking subdomain (Recommended)

    • Enter an alphanumeric subdomain name for your tracking pixel
      • Use a name unique to your business that describes what the pixel is for, such as a brand name, product line, or mail stream. 
        • For example: brandabc, mobilewidget, brandxwelcome
      • Enter another option if an error appears indicating the subdomain name is already in use by another company.
      • This option uses the default Everest domain name (everestengagement.com) for your pixel. 

mceclip2.png

Option 2: I'd like to request a custom domain (Optional)

Select this option if you want to use your domain name for the pixel instead of the default Everest domain name everestengagement.com. 

a. Create a CNAME DNS entry using your pixel subdomain and domain name and point it to everestengagement.com. Use a pixel subdomain that makes sense for your business.

    • For example: brandxwelcome.mydomain.com

For a list of common DNS providers with links to instructions on creating a CNAME, please read:

b. In the What CNAME would you like to use? field, enter your pixel subdomain and domain name.

If you need assistance creating a CNAME, contact your email administrator, Email Service Provider or domain Hosting Provider.

c. In the Would you need a SSL certificate installed to support HTTPS pixels dropdown:

      • Select No if you want to use http: and do not have a SSL certificate.
      • Select Yes if you want to use https: and have a SSL certificate. You will need to obtain a SSL certificate for this option if you do not currently have one.

mceclip6.png

7. Click Save  

8. If you are using your own domain name by creating a CNAME, click Verify to verify that the CNAME is set up properly.

  • DNS changes can take a few minutes or hours to propagate, so if you get an error message, confirm the CNAME change was made and try again later.

mceclip0.png

Create your Pixel tracking code 

  1. Click the Tracking Pixels Tab 
  2. Click New Pixel 

blobid2.png

3. Enter a tracking pixel name such as “Campaign Tracking Pixel” or “Brand1 Tracking Pixel” 

4. Select your Email Service Provider (ESP) from the dropdown menu. The ESP selection ensures the correct pixel code is generated for you using the new pixel domain name. 

      • If your ESP is not listed or you send your own mail, select the option labeled My provider isn't listed, or I send my own mail. 

5. Select your tracking domain.

    • If you selected to Add a secure (HTTPS) tracking subdomain when adding your domain in the previous section, select the new pixel domain name you created. It will have your subdomain name and the default Everest domain.
      • For example: brandxwelcome.everestengagement.com.

mceclip1.png 

    • If you are using your own domain name and set up the CNAME DNS record, accept the displayed default tracking domain and proceed to the next step.

mceclip2.png

6. Click Save to display your tracking pixel code 

7. Repeat steps 2 - 6 if you created multiple pixel domain names.

8. Customize the e= and c= parameters in your tracking pixel code. Read the Customize your tracking pixel section here:

  2. Click Save again to save your full pixel code for use in your emails

 

Install the Pixel tracking code into your HTML 

  1. Click on the Tracking Code button for your pixel name 

blobid4.png

2. Click Copy Tracking Code   

mceclip5.png

3. Paste the tracking pixel code into the HTML of your email before the closing body tag (</body>).  

Pixel placement tips:

  • If the pixel is in the signature, mailbox providers such as Gmail do not automatically show the signature and the pixel will not fire when your email is opened by the recipient. 
  • If you use pre-made email templates, add the pixel tracking code to the templates so you don’t have to copy and paste every time you send a new campaign. 
  • When previewing your campaign in the preview window of your email campaign builder, make sure the pixel is hidden as expected. 

Pixel GDPR compliance

  • Insert the e= value in your pixel code with a subscriber ID in place of an email address.
    • Be sure to use your ESP's merge field for subscriber ID.
  • If you do not have a subscriber ID or if you choose not to collect subscriber level data, set the value equal to “1” for all subscribers.  

For example:

  • Code with a generic ESP's subscriber ID merge field: ?t=f&e=*/SUBSCRIBERID/*
    • Be sure to use your ESP's merge field or the subscriber ID won't populate.
  • Code with a subscriber ID inserted into the pixel using the ESP's merge field: ?t=f&e=123456 
  • Code with a value of 1: ?t=f&e=1  (subscriber level data not collected)

 

ESP and Sending Platform Integrations 

Integrate your sending data with Everest to get additional insights into the health of your email program in one location.  

Important!  

  • To complete the integration, development resources may be required. 
  • Contact your ESP to obtain the required API key information and to ensure full read/write API key permission is granted.  

Email Service Providers (ESPs) 

The ESP integration syncs volume, deliveries, bounces, deferrals, opens, clicks, and unsubscribes to directly integrate your email data and statistics into Validity products.

Scroll down to locate your ESP. If your ESP is not listed as an integration partner, use the Everest Webhook Endpoint to integrate your data using the instructions below.  

Amazon SES 

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate your ESP tile and click Add Account 

mceclip0.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid7.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> Amazon SES integration 

6. Click Create Endpoint 

blobid8.png

7. Click the instructions below to configure Amazon SES and complete your integration. 

MailerQ 

Contact MailerQ support or your MailerQ account representative for instructions on setting up your API integration with Everest. 

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate your ESP tile and click Add Account

mceclip1.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid11.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> MailerQ Integration 

6. Click Create Endpoint 

blobid12.png

7. Provide your Everest API Endpoint to MailerQ support or your MailerQ account representative to complete the integration. 

Mailgun 

Prior to setting up your integration, obtain your Mailgun API Key and your domain name. 

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate your ESP tile and click on Add Account 

mceclip2.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid14.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> Mailgun Integration 

6. Enter your Mailgun API Key and your Domain name. 

7. Click Authenticate 

blobid15.png

Maropost 

Prior to setting up your integration, obtain your Maropost API Key and your Maropost Account ID. 

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate your ESP tile and click Add Account

mceclip3.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid17.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> Maropost Integration 

6. Enter your Maropost API Key and Account ID 

7. Click Authenticate 

blobid18.png

Sendgrid 

Prior to setting up your integration, obtain your Sendgrid API Key. 

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate your ESP tile and click Add Account

mceclip4.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid20.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> Sendgrid Integration 

6. Enter your API key

7. Click Authenticate 

blobid21.png

Sparkpost 

Prior to setting up your integration, obtain your Sparkpost API Key and API Endpoint (for SP Enterprise customers) from Sparkpost. 

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate your ESP tile and click Add Account

mceclip5.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid23.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> Sparkpost Integration 

6. Enter your API Key 

7. Enter your API Endpoint if you are a Sparkpost Enterprise customer 

8. Click Authenticate 

blobid24.png

Everest Webhook Endpoint 

Use the Everest Webhook Endpoint if your ESP is not listed as an ESP integration partner or you use an internal sending platform. Developers familiar with API functions are required to complete this integration.

  1. Log in to Everest 
  2. Navigate to My Everest and click on Apps & Integrations 
  3. Locate the Everest Webhook Endpoint tile and click Add Account

mceclip6.png

4. Click Add Account 

blobid26.png

5. Enter the integration name: <Company name> Webhook Integration 

6. Click Create Endpoint to retrieve your universal endpoint URL 

blobid27.png

7. Send the universal endpoint URL and the following documentation to your technical development team. 

Related articles

Get Everest

We're assuming you already have Everest but if you don't, you should totally get it!

Company
Products
Solutions
Resources
Contact