Skip to main content
Emma
Enterprise Newsletter Tool
The Emma newsletter tool is a resource at William & Mary designed to help campus communicators create and share engaging and professional email newsletters. Currently available on a limited basis, Emma accounts are distributed case by case under the guidance of the Emma Governance Council, a group of communicators representing units across the university. While access is limited for now, the tool is expected to expand more broadly in the future. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Emma at W&M operates on an opt-in basis; current users of other platforms may continue to use their preferred platform as they wish. Emma will not replace the use of Marketing Cloud by W&M Advancement.
Benefits of Using Emma
Are you using a PDF format to email your newsletter to a listserv? Do you wish you had access to W&M email templates? These are some of the reasons the Emma platform may be a good fit for you:
- Enhanced data security: Emma at W&M uses Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication, protecting your account, audience data and analytics history. SSO also helps reduce the risk of someone without authorization accessing your account.
- Shared internal audience lists: W&M IT is preparing a daily sync between Banner and Emma so that the audience data for anyone with an @wm.edu email address is up-to-date.
- Customizable templates: W&M designers created newsletter templates available for campus communicators using Emma. The templates are fully customizable, aligned with the W&M brand and designed with digital accessibility standards in mind.
- Access to a community of W&M email producers: All users with an Emma account through W&M are welcome to a Teams community with shared resources and a line to support when you need to troubleshoot an issue.
Background
In 2022-2023, Chief Communications Officer Brian Whitson and Chief Information Officer Ed Aractingi charged the Internal Communication Modernization Initiative to identify research-based internal communications needs and potential solutions. Among other needs, communicators across campus indicated significant demand for an enterprise-wide newsletter service that could increase access to brand-compliant email tools. A team of communicators working with IT determined that Emma was the only platform that met quality benchmarks, and the newsletter initiative moved forward as a product trial.
The university charged the Emma Trial Team to use and evaluate the tool for one year. The pilot year ended in February 2025 and was considered a success. The pilot team's report resulted in the permanent purchase of Emma.