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Create a User Preferences Form (Premium)

Table of Contents

This guide walks you through creating a Gravity Form that acts as a customizable preferences or unsubscribe page. Premium users can use this to give recipients more control over which messages they receive, pause emails, or unsubscribe completely.

Step 1: Create the Form #

  1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Forms → New Form.
  2. Give your form a clear name like Email Preferences or Manage Subscriptions.
  3. Add the following fields:
    • Email Field (Required) – Used to identify and prefill the user’s email address.
    • Pause Until Field (Optional) – Can be a Date or Number field. Determines how long a user’s subscription is paused.
    • Control Field (Optional) – A Checkbox, Radio, Select, or Multi-Select field that lets users choose which topics or lists they want to unsubscribe from (e.g., Marketing, Updates, Events).
  4. Save your form.

Step 2: Embed the Form on a Page #

  1. Create a new page (or use an existing one) titled something like Manage Your Preferences.
  2. Embed your form using the Gravity Forms block or shortcode.
  3. Publish the page.
  4. Copy the page URL — you’ll need it in the next step.

Step 3: Configure the Unsubscribe Settings #

  1. Go to Mass Email → Settings → Unsubscribe Settings.
  2. Choose Use a Gravity Form landing page as your Method.
  3. In the new fields that appear:
    • Select your Unsubscribe/Preferences Form.
    • Choose the Email Field from that form.
    • (Optional) Choose your Pause Until Field.
    • (Optional) Select your Control Field if users should be able to choose which types of messages to keep.
    • Enter your Unsubscribe Page URL (the page where the form is embedded).
  4. Customize your Form Link Text (e.g., Manage Preferences or Update Settings).
  5. Save your settings.

Step 4: Add Merge Tags to Your Email Feed #

When the Gravity Form method is active, the following merge tags become available in your feed:

  • {menfgf_unsubscribe_form_url} – Generates the full unsubscribe or preferences URL that leads to your custom Gravity Form.
  • {menfgf_unsubscribe_form_link} – Generates a clickable link to your preferences form using the link text from your settings.

You can also use the general unsubscribe merge tags:

  • {menfgf_unsubscribe_url} – Generates the standard unsubscribe URL.
  • {menfgf_unsubscribe_link} – Generates a clickable standard unsubscribe link.

One of these merge tags must be used in your email template to ensure proper functionality.

You can use them like this:

Click {menfgf_unsubscribe_form_link} to manage your preferences or {menfgf_unsubscribe_link} to unsubscribe immediately.

Step 5: Test the Workflow #

  1. Send a test email to yourself.
  2. Click the link to ensure the page loads and your email address is prefilled.
  3. Submit the form and verify that your status updates correctly in the Suppressions tab.
  4. Adjust labels or text in your form as needed.

Best Practices #

  • Keep the form simple—avoid unnecessary fields.
  • Use clear labels like Pause Emails Until or Unsubscribe from Marketing Messages.
  • Consider including a brief note reminding users that changes take effect immediately.
  • Test across multiple devices to ensure a smooth experience.

Your preferences form is now ready. Every recipient can manage their subscriptions easily without needing support intervention.

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