What are the steps for setting up the sendy mailer on hosting?

Sendy is a self-hosted email newsletter application that lets you send trackable emails via Amazon Simple Email Service (SES). Here are the general steps for setting it up.

Purchase a Domain and Hosting: In order to set up and use Sendy, you need to have a domain and a hosting solution. Make sure you choose a good web host that supports PHP & MySQL.

Buy Sendy and Download Files: You can purchase Sendy from its official website. After purchasing, you'll be able to download the necessary Sendy files.

Upload Sendy Files to Your Server: Use an FTP client like FileZilla to upload the Sendy files to your server. You'll want to create a dedicated folder for your Sendy installation, such as "sendy" at the root level of your domain (e.g., "yourwebsite.com/sendy").

Create a MySQL database for Sendy: Navigate to your web host's control panel and find their MySQL Database creation tool (usually under "Databases"). You'll need to create a new database and a new user with full permissions to that database.

Configure Sendy's Config File: Open the config.php file found in your Sendy folder. Replace the placeholder text with your domain, database details, and Amazon Web Services information. Do not forget to set your timezone.

Set Up Amazon SES (Simple Email Service): You need to register for an Amazon AWS account and set up SES. Amazon SES is used to actually send the emails. Follow Amazon's guidelines for verifying your domain and setting up SMTP credentials.

Note: Make sure to replace placeholder texts in config.php file with your Amazon SES data (Host, key, secret).
Additionally, take note of your AWS region as you'll need this information in the setup process.
Run the Sendy Installer: Go to the URL where your Sendy is uploaded by appending /install at the end (e.g., "yourwebsite.com/sendy/install"), and follow the on-screen instructions. If the database details are correct, you will see a success message.

Validate and Send Emails: Once Sendy is installed, add your name and email address that you'll use to send emails. Make sure the email you use is verified in your Amazon SES. You can then create a brand under which your newsletters will be sent. Ensure that you validate your sending domain in Amazon SES.

Setting up CRON Jobs: Cron jobs are scheduled tasks that your host will run at given intervals. Sendy advises 3 Cron jobs: for sending scheduled campaigns, for processing queued autoresponders, and for importing CSV files.

Note: Every host is a little different. Check your host's documentation for instructions on setting up Cron jobs.

Please remember due to the complexities involved, it could be easier to hire an IT professional if you are not comfortable with tasks like managing databases or manipulating PHP files.


Detailed steps on some key areas.

*. Create a MySQL Database for Sendy:
While creating the database, remember to also create a new user and assign this user to the database, with all privileges. Once the database and user is created, you should have the following information: database name, the server on which it resides (localhost in general), username, and the password.

*. Configure Sendy's Config File:
Open the config.php file from the Sendy folder in a text editor. Here's how you might fill some placeholders:

define('APP_PATH', 'http://yourdomain.com/sendy');  // Path to your Sendy installation
define('APP_NAME', 'Sendy'); // App name. i.e., Sendy
define('APP_PATH', 'https://example.com/sendy'); // Path to your Sendy installation
define('SES_SMTP_USERNAME', '********************'); // Your Amazon SES SMTP username. Copy this from your AWS console.
define('SES_SMTP_PASSWORD', '****************************************'); // Your Amazon SES SMTP password. Copy this from your AWS console.
define('SES_REGION', 'us-west-2'); // Your Amazon SES region, for example, "us-west-2"
*. Set up Amazon SES:
In your AWS Console, navigate to Simple Email Service -> SMTP Settings -> Create My SMTP Credentials. Copy the Server Name, Port, SMTP Username, and SMTP Password to input them in your Sendy's config.php.

Additionally, under Identity Management -> Identity Policies, ensure that your appropriate AWS policies are attached to your verified domain/email to allow sending of emails.

*. Running the Sendy Installer:
When running the Sendy installer, you'll be prompted for:

Sendy Installation URL: This needs to match the APP_PATH you set in your config.php.
Database name, username, and password: These should match the ones you set when creating your database.
MySQL host/server: If you're not sure what to put here, localhost is a reasonable default.
MySQL port: Leave blank to default to 3306.
Amazon SES Region: Should match the SES_REGION you set in config.php.
*. Cron Jobs:
CRON jobs are essential to schedule and send emails automatically. These are the recommended CRON Jobs by Sendy:

Send scheduled campaigns: php /path/to/your/sendy/scheduled.php > /dev/null 2>&1

Process queues for autoresponders: php path/to/your/sendy/autoresponders.php > /dev/null 2>&1

Import CSV files in the background for smoother importing: php /path/to/your/sendy/import-csv.php > /dev/null 2>&1

Replace /path/to/your/sendy/ with the actual path to your Sendy installation. These CRON jobs should be added and managed through your web host's control panel.

Sendy is a unique software tool, often in the form of a script, designed for automating the process of sending emails. The installation of this mailer on your hosting requires completion of the following steps:

    Download the program archive from the official Sendy website — https://sendy.co /
Extract the contents of the archive into the root folder of your hosting
    Create and link a MySQL database to Sendy.

Afterwards, you can access the mailer management directory through the CMS or a specific link in your web browser.

It's worth noting that Sendy is a paid application. Therefore, once you've subscribed, you can confidently seek assistance for any queries, including those related to setting up the mailer on your hosting service, from Sendy support.

I would recommend ensuring your hosting service supports the technical requirements for running Sendy smoothly before installation. Also, taking the time to explore the different features and customization options available within Sendy can enhance the overall email marketing experience.

In order to set up the Sendy mailing list on your hosting, you will first need to purchase a license and then download the distribution package. After that, you can proceed with installing the software onto your hosting. It is important to carefully follow the instructions provided for setup and explore the various tariff plans available on the official website.

Setting up the Sendy mailing list can greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively with your subscribers and provide them with valuable content. This tool can be a powerful addition to your marketing strategy, allowing for personalized and targeted communication with your audience.