Now that your account is set up with a publication, domain, and sender, let's send your first message. This walkthrough covers sending an email, but OptiPub also supports SMS and push messages using the same general flow.

Prerequisites

Before continuing, make sure you have completed the steps in Setting Up Your Account:

A publication has been created.
Your domain is configured and verified.
At least one sender exists.

Step 1: Create a Segment

A Segment is a list of subscribers you target when sending a message. To test things out, create a small segment with just your own email address.

Navigate to Messaging > Segments.
Click Create.
Select Static as the segment type.
Fill in the required fields:

Field	Description
Publication	Select your publication.
Name	A name for this segment (e.g., "Test Segment").
Description	A brief description (e.g., "For testing messages").

Save the segment.
Once created, use the Import button on the segment to add your own email address. You can paste it directly as CSV or upload a file with a single row.

For more on segment types, see Create a Static Segment or Create a Dynamic Segment.

Step 2: Create a Message

OptiPub uses a 3-step wizard to compose and send messages.

Navigate to Messaging > Create Message.

Step 1 of 3 — Configure & Recipients:

Select Email as the channel.
Select your Publication.
Enter a Name for the message.
Choose a Content Type — select Article for a standard email.
Under Included Segments, add the test segment you created.
Choose when to send — Immediately or schedule for later.

To send a quick test without creating a segment, toggle Test Message on and enter your email address directly in the Emails field.

Step 2 of 3 — Content:

Select a Template for the email layout.
Select a From sender (the sender you created earlier).
Select a Reply To sender (can be the same sender).
Write a Subject line.
Compose your message body using the content editor.

Step 3 of 3 — Confirm:

Review the summary of your message, recipients, and schedule.
Click Send to deliver.

For full details, see Create an Email Message. To send an SMS instead, see Create an SMS Message.

What's Next

You've sent your first message — nice work. Here are the logical next steps:

Import your subscribers to bring in your existing email list.
Learn more about the full Messaging capabilities, including auto responders and advanced segmentation.
Explore Campaigns to start tracking subscriber acquisition.