Ever get that déjà vu feeling like you're stuck in a rom-com where the same cute pic of you and your partner keeps showing up in every email? We've been there, and that's why we've got a nifty feature that lets you switch things up. You can add custom images for your eCard emails without them appearing on your website by simply pasting an image URL into your email editor.
So, here's the scoop: you've got to make sure you're snagging the correct link for those photo URLs or you'll never see the custom photo. First, we'll walk you through how to add the link to your emails, then we'll walk you through finding the correct link.
How to add custom image URLs
Go to the “Edit Email” tab in the eCard editor. If you haven't edited an eCard yet, you can learn all about it here.
Click on the purple “Edit Email” icon beside the email preview.
Scroll down to the Photo section and select the “Paste Image URL” option.
Add the Image URL. The URL might be quite lengthy, but no worries, it can be up to 2048 characters in length.
To see if your URL's a superstar, just pop it in, and if your image struts its stuff in the email preview, you're golden. But if your image plays hide and seek, well, that URL just isn't the one for you.
Where to find the URL
Photos from Unsplash
Unsplash is like the internet's treasure trove of freely usable images. That's code for "You can use these photos without having to worry about seeking permission or shelling out cash!" (For the nitty-gritty on Unsplash's licensing, check out their site).
To dive into the Unsplash pool, start by perusing their photo categories. When you spot the one:
Click on it to open up the full view.
Now, here's the crucial part: Right-click directly on the photo (skip that "share" button – it won't do the trick in Joy).
A little menu will pop up, and guess what you'll find? Yep, the golden ticket – "Copy Image Address."
Once you've got that link in your clipboard, just paste it right into the "Photo URL" line in the email editor. Voilà!
If you have the correct link, the photo will strut its stuff in the preview the moment you drop in the link.
Don't forget to hit "Done" to seal the deal!
Google Images
You can find images on Google by entering keywords in the search bar and clicking on the 'Images' tab. However, make sure the images you pick are free to use. To do this:
Click on 'Tools.'
Choose 'Usage Rights.'
Select "Creative Commons licenses."
Once you find an image you like, click on it.
Right-click the image in the sidebar on the right and choose "Copy Image Address." Or, click on the image, then right-click and select "Copy Image Address."
Remember, don't use the URL from your browser; it won't work. Paste the copied URL into the Photo URL line in your Joy email editor, and you'll see the image shine in the preview.
Hosting images on Google Drive or Dropbox
This option helps prevent the image URL from changing unexpectedly since you're hosting the image from your own source. You can download the image from Google by choosing “Save Image As” from the menu instead, and the image will download to your computer. You can then upload that image to a Dropbox or Google Photos account.
If you’ve uploaded it to Google, you’ll want to follow the same steps as above:
Open the photo
Right-click on the photo
Click on “Copy Image Address”
Paste the URL into the Joy email editor
(Do not use the URL from the browser, as this URL will not work).
If you upload the image to Dropbox, the process to get the link is a little trickier.
After uploading the image to Dropbox, open it.
Click the 'Share' button, then select 'Copy Link' in the pop-up.
Paste the URL somewhere; it will look like this – https://www.dropbox.com/s/sl1vn23q0gjkvwo/wedding%20photo.jpeg?dl=0
Here's the key step: The link above won't work for embedding images. Delete the “dl=0” at the end and replace it with “raw=1”. Your final URL will look like this – https://www.dropbox.com/s/sl1vn23q0gjkvwo/wedding%20photo.jpeg?raw=1
Paste the final link into the Joy email editor.
Click "Done" at the bottom of the email editor to save your changes!
Go ahead, give your emails a makeover – it's like a rom-com wardrobe change for your messages!
Still have some questions?
Ask us directly! Click on the black and white chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of this page to ask us your questions, or you can email us at support@withjoy.com. You’ll get a friendly response from someone on our team! 🙂