Understanding Gov Delivery

The Getting Started section explains how to log in, check your administrator type, navigate, and how to use the main features. 

The Account Management section explains how users with the Account Administrator role can make account-level changes across all subscription topics. 

Account Administrators are also responsible for managing other users in the account as well as creating topics and assigning administrators to those topics.

The Sending Messages section explains how to reach your citizen through emails, text messages, and social media posts.  In this section, you can find information on how you can create multi-channel messages, personalize content, fine-tune your targeted audience, and automate the distribution of your communications.

Topics are individual lists of people who have specifically chosen to receive information about that particular issue. Categories are a grouping of Topics that assemble similar lists of information. 

For example, your organization might have a Category titled “Traffic Alerts,” with individual Topics underneath it regarding specific roads or highways. Group Administrators create and manage topics and categories, assign topic administrators to them, and assign bulletin templates to topics.

A common mistake is for a new topic to be created and wind up as "LISTED" when the agency does not intend to allow anyone to sign up.  When creating a new topic the default is "LISTED." 
  

Go to this list of topics to see which of your topics are appearing on the Iowa.gov subscribe link.  If you didn't intend for the list to appear you can change the visibility in GovDelivery to "Unlisted" or "Restricted."  Remember, when a topic is created to appear on your website overlay or subscribe button the topic will also appear on the Iowa.gov subscription list.

This is also a good time to think about when the last time it was you sent a message out to the subscribers of these topics.  

If the topic was a one time or short term list such as conference-related information or a time limited program consider retiring the topic. 

We recommend changing the topic name to RETIRED - Topic name and changing the visibility to "RESTRICTED".  You can also entirely delete the topic.  

If you want to delete the topic you may want to download all of the subscribers first so you have their contact information if you want to reach out to them again.

In govDelivery, citizens who sign up for your content are called Subscribers. Citizens can sign up with their email address. 

If your account has topics that have been enabled for wireless (text) messages, subscribers can alternatively sign up by providing their mobile phone number. Subscribers of your content are organized by topic subscriptions.

The Design and Templates section explains how to quickly and efficiently create messages for your subscribers and establish a consistent layout and look and feel which helps your subscribers visually recognize your content. 

This section provides information about creating and managing templates and also managing images and assets that you might use in your messages.