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Overview

Migma’s Preference Center provides a beautiful, on-brand subscription management experience that automatically inherits your brand colors, fonts, and logo. Subscribers can manage their email preferences without needing to log in, using secure token-based access.

Auto-Branded

Inherits your brand styling automatically

Granular Control

Let subscribers choose what they receive

Token-Based Access

Secure, no login required

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Why Preference Centers Matter

Problem with standard unsubscribe:
  • All-or-nothing: Lose subscribers forever
  • No way to reduce email frequency
  • Miss opportunity to retain partial engagement
Migma’s Preference Center solution:
  • Subscribers can choose specific email types
  • On-brand experience maintains trust
  • Retain subscribers who just want less email
  • Professional appearance

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Automatic Brand Inheritance

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What Gets Auto-Applied

Your Preference Center automatically inherits brand styling from your project settings: Brand Colors:
  • Primary color → Buttons, links, checkboxes
  • Background colors → Page background, sections
  • Text colors → Headings and body text
  • Accent colors → Borders, highlights
Typography:
  • Heading font → Page title, section headers
  • Body font → All text content
  • Font weights → Matches your email styling
Logo:
  • Displayed at top of preference center
  • Automatically sized and positioned
  • Responsive on mobile devices
Result: Professional, branded experience that matches your emails

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Preference Categories

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How Preference Categories Work

Preference categories map to tags:
1

Create Preference Category

Admin creates a category:
  • Name: “Weekly Newsletter”
  • Description: “Our weekly roundup of news and tips”
  • Mapped Tag: newsletter tag
  • Active: Yes
  • Display Order: 1
2

Subscriber Sees Category

On preference center page:
☑ Weekly Newsletter
  Our weekly roundup of news and tips
Checkbox is checked if subscriber has newsletter tag
3

Subscriber Toggles Preference

Subscriber unchecks box:
  • newsletter tag removed from subscriber
  • Subscriber no longer receives emails sent to newsletter tag
  • Other tags/subscriptions remain active
4

Granular Control

Subscriber can:
  • Turn off Weekly Newsletter
  • Keep Product Updates on
  • Keep Special Offers on
  • Only unsubscribes from specific types, not all emails
Key concept: Each preference category represents one tag. Toggling a preference adds/removes that tag from the subscriber.

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Setup Your Preference Center

1

Configure Brand Settings

Navigate to Settings → BrandSet your brand:
  • Upload logo
  • Choose primary color
  • Choose secondary colors
  • Select fonts
  • Add company name and address
These settings auto-apply to preference center
2

Create Preference Categories

Navigate to Preferences page (admin)Add categories:
  1. Click “Add Category”
  2. Name: “Weekly Newsletter”
  3. Description: “Our weekly digest of news and tips”
  4. Select mapped tag: newsletter
  5. Active: Yes
  6. Display Order: 1 (first in list)
  7. Save
Create multiple categories for different email types
3

Map to Existing Tags

Use your existing tags:
  • Map “Product Updates” category to product-updates tag
  • Map “Special Offers” category to promotions tag
  • Map “Blog Posts” category to blog tag
Subscribers with these tags will see them as checked
4

Test Preference Center

Generate test URL:
  1. Go to Contacts
  2. Select a subscriber
  3. Click “Get Preference URL”
  4. Copy URL and open in browser
Verify:
  • ✅ Brand colors applied
  • ✅ Logo displays
  • ✅ All categories shown
  • ✅ Correct checkboxes checked
  • ✅ Toggles work

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How Subscribers Access Preferences

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Via Unique Preference URL

Each subscriber gets a unique URL: 
https://migma.ai/preferences/abc123def456...
URL contains:
  • Permanent signed token
  • No expiration
  • Unique per subscriber
  • No login required
Access methods: 1. From email footer:
  • Include {{preferenceUrl}} variable in email template
  • Automatically replaced with subscriber’s unique URL
  • Link text: “Manage your preferences” or similar
2. From unsubscribe flow:
  • Subscriber clicks unsubscribe link
  • Shown simple confirmation
  • Can click to view full preferences instead
3. From your support:
  • Generate URL in admin UI
  • Share with subscriber via support ticket
  • Actions: Edit subscriber → Get Preference URL

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Preference Center Features

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What Subscribers Can Do

On the preference center page: View current subscriptions: 
Your Email Preferences

☑ Weekly Newsletter
  Our weekly digest of news and tips

☑ Product Updates
  New features and improvements

☐ Special Offers
  Exclusive deals and promotions
Toggle preferences:
  • Click checkbox to unsubscribe from that type
  • Click again to resubscribe
  • Changes save immediately
  • Confirmation message shown
Update profile (if enabled):
  • Name
  • Email (view only, cannot change)
  • Custom fields (if configured)
Result:
  • Subscriber remains in database
  • Only specified tags removed/added
  • Still subscribed to other email types
  • Better than complete unsubscribe

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Unsubscribe Functionality

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Simple Unsubscribe Page

Unsubscribe URL format: 
https://migma.ai/unsubscribe/abc123def456...
What happens:
1

Click Unsubscribe Link

Subscriber clicks unsubscribe link in email
2

Simple Confirmation Page

Shows:
You've been unsubscribed

Your email address has been removed from our mailing list.

[View Preference Center]
Page is intentionally simple - confirms action quickly
3

Status Updated

Backend updates:
  • Subscriber status → unsubscribed
  • unsubscribedAt timestamp set
  • All tags remain (for record keeping)
  • Cannot receive marketing emails
4

Optional: View Preferences

Link to preference center:
  • Subscriber can click to see full preference center
  • Can resubscribe if they change their mind
  • Can manage granular preferences instead
Note: Unsubscribe page is not branded - simple, fast confirmation only

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Tag-Specific Unsubscribe

Hidden feature: URL format: 
https://migma.ai/unsubscribe/TOKEN?tagId=TAG_ID
What happens:
  • Only removes that specific tag from subscriber
  • Subscriber remains subscribed to other emails
  • If last tag removed → status becomes unsubscribed
  • Otherwise → still active with remaining tags
Use case:
  • Unsubscribe from newsletter but keep product updates
  • Bulk email sends can include tag-specific unsubscribe

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Technical Implementation

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Token-Based Security

How tokens work: Token generation:
  • Permanent signed token created per subscriber
  • Stored as unsubscribeToken on subscriber record
  • 32-character random string
  • Unique per subscriber per project
Token validation:
  • URL contains token in path: /preferences/TOKEN
  • Backend verifies token exists
  • Looks up subscriber by token
  • No expiration - works forever
Security:
  • Tokens are long and random (hard to guess)
  • One token per subscriber (not per email send)
  • No sensitive data in token
  • HTTPS required for security

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Fast URL Generation

Two methods for generating preference URLs: Method 1: Standard (with DB lookup) 
// Looks up subscriber, returns full URL
GET /api/subscribers/:id/preference-url
Method 2: Bulk (no DB lookup) 
// Generates URLs for many subscribers at once
// No DB queries - uses existing token
POST /api/preferences/bulk-urls
{
  subscribers: [
    { email, unsubscribeToken },
    ...
  ]
}
Use bulk method when sending to many subscribers - much faster

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Available Endpoints

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Admin Endpoints (Auth Required)

Preference Category Management: 
GET    /api/preferences/categories           List all categories
POST   /api/preferences/categories           Create category
PUT    /api/preferences/categories/:id       Update category
DELETE /api/preferences/categories/:id       Delete category
GET    /api/preferences/categories/:id       Get one category
Subscriber Preference URLs: 
GET    /api/subscribers/:id/preference-url   Get preference URL for one subscriber
POST   /api/preferences/bulk-urls            Generate URLs for many subscribers

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Public Endpoints (No Auth)

Subscriber Preference Management: 
GET    /api/preferences/public/:token        Get subscriber preferences by token
PUT    /api/preferences/public/:token        Update subscriber preferences
GET    /api/preferences/unsubscribe/:token   Unsubscribe (with optional ?tagId=)

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Compliance Features

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CAN-SPAM Compliance

What Migma provides:
Unsubscribe link - Unique per subscriber, works immediately
Physical address - Added to emails from brand settings
Instant processing - Unsubscribes process immediately
30-day link validity - Links never expire (exceeds requirement)
No login required - Token-based access
Your responsibilities:
  • Provide valid physical address in brand settings
  • Include unsubscribe link in every marketing email
  • Use {{unsubscribeUrl}} or {{preferenceUrl}} variables
  • Process unsubscribes (Migma does this automatically)

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GDPR Considerations

What Migma tracks:
  • Subscription date (createdAt)
  • Unsubscribe date (unsubscribedAt)
  • Current subscription status
  • Preference category selections (via tags)
Data export:
  • Admins can export subscriber data via CSV
  • Includes all fields, tags, custom fields
  • Available via Contacts page export
Data deletion:
  • Admins can delete subscribers manually
  • Permanent deletion from database
  • Use with caution - no recovery
What’s NOT implemented:
  • Self-service data download (subscriber-initiated)
  • Self-service account deletion (subscriber-initiated)
  • Consent history logging
  • GDPR-specific compliance tools
Recommendation: For full GDPR compliance, you may need additional processes beyond Migma’s built-in features.

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Best Practices

Good category names:
✅ Weekly Newsletter
✅ Product Updates
✅ Special Offers
✅ Event Invitations
✅ Blog Posts
Poor category names:
❌ Emails
❌ Updates
❌ Tag 1
❌ Newsletter Tag
Why:
  • Clear names help subscribers understand what they’re (un)subscribing from
  • Descriptive helps reduce confusion
  • Professional appearance
Good descriptions:
Weekly Newsletter
→ Our weekly roundup of the latest news, tips, and insights

Product Updates
→ Announcements about new features and improvements

Special Offers
→ Exclusive deals and promotions (1-2 per month)
Why:
  • Helps subscribers make informed choices
  • Sets expectations (frequency, content type)
  • Reduces unwanted unsubscribes
Recommended order:Most important first:
  1. Product/service updates (critical)
  2. Newsletter (regular content)
  3. Educational content
  4. Promotional offers (least critical)
Why:
  • Most engaged subscribers see important options first
  • De-emphasize promotional content
  • Increase retention of key subscriptions
Monthly testing checklist:Test unsubscribe:
  • ☑ Send test email
  • ☑ Click unsubscribe link
  • ☑ Verify confirmation page loads
  • ☑ Check subscriber status updated
  • ☑ Verify no longer in tag
Test preference center:
  • ☑ Generate preference URL
  • ☑ Open in browser
  • ☑ Verify brand applied correctly
  • ☑ Toggle preferences
  • ☑ Verify changes saved
  • ☑ Check tags updated
Why:
  • Catch broken links
  • Verify branding still applies
  • Ensure compliance
  • Maintain trust
Required in all marketing emails:Email footer should include:
<a href="{{preferenceUrl}}">Manage Preferences</a>
|
<a href="{{unsubscribeUrl}}">Unsubscribe</a>
Or simpler:
<a href="{{unsubscribeUrl}}">Unsubscribe</a>
Why:
  • Legal requirement (CAN-SPAM)
  • Reduces spam complaints
  • Maintains trust
  • Better deliverability

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Common Use Cases

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Newsletter with Multiple Topics

Setup: 
Preference Categories:
☑ Weekly Digest
  Our main newsletter (every Monday)

☑ Breaking News
  Important updates as they happen

☑ Community Spotlights
  Featured member stories (monthly)
Result: Subscribers can get digest without breaking news alerts

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SaaS Product Communications

Setup: 
Preference Categories:
☑ Product Updates
  New features and improvements

☑ Educational Content
  Tips, tutorials, and best practices

☑ System Notifications
  Important alerts about your account

☑ Company News
  Blog posts and announcements
Result: Users can get product updates without marketing content

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E-commerce Store

Setup: 
Preference Categories:
☑ New Arrivals
  Latest products added to store

☑ Sales & Promotions
  Exclusive deals and discounts

☑ Back in Stock
  Notifications when items return

☑ Order Updates
  Shipping and delivery notifications
Result: Customers can control promotional emails while keeping order updates

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Limitations

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Current Limitations

Features NOT currently available:
Feedback collection - Cannot ask why subscriber is unsubscribing
GDPR self-service - No subscriber-initiated data download or account deletion
Analytics - No tracking of preference changes or retention metrics
One-click unsubscribe headers - No RFC 8058 List-Unsubscribe headers
Frequency preferences - Cannot let subscribers choose email frequency
Multi-brand - Single brand per project only
What works:
  • ✅ Granular preference categories
  • ✅ On-brand design with auto-inheritance
  • ✅ Token-based secure access
  • ✅ Instant unsubscribe
  • ✅ Tag-specific unsubscribe
  • ✅ No login required
  • ✅ Mobile responsive

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Troubleshooting

Problem: Link returns error or doesn’t loadCheck:
  1. Token is valid (32 characters)
  2. Subscriber exists in database
  3. URL format correct: /preferences/TOKEN
  4. HTTPS (not HTTP)
Test:
  • Generate new URL from admin UI
  • Try in different browser
  • Check subscriber still exists
Problem: Preference center uses default colorsCheck:
  1. Brand settings configured (Settings → Brand)
  2. Logo uploaded
  3. Primary color selected
  4. Fonts chosen
  5. Clear browser cache
Note: Brand changes take effect immediately
Problem: Subscriber toggles preference but change doesn’t stickCheck:
  1. Browser JavaScript enabled
  2. No console errors (F12 developer tools)
  3. Subscriber record exists
  4. Tag exists in project
  5. Preference category is active
Debug:
  • Check network tab for API errors
  • Verify tag mapping correct
  • Test with different subscriber
Problem: Preference category doesn’t appear on preference centerCheck:
  1. Category is Active (not inactive)
  2. Mapped tag exists
  3. Display order set
  4. Category saved properly
Fix:
  • Edit category, verify all fields
  • Toggle Active off and on
  • Save again
  • Refresh preference center page
Problem: Click unsubscribe but still receiving emailsCheck:
  1. Unsubscribe link clicked successfully
  2. Subscriber status changed to unsubscribed
  3. Check send logs - should show “skipped”
  4. Not using different email address
Remember:
  • Unsubscribe is immediate
  • Emails in flight may still deliver
  • Check correct subscriber record

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Next Steps

Manage Contacts

Add and organize subscribers

Sending Emails

Send to your audience

CSV Upload

Bulk import subscribers

Audience Overview

Subscriber management overview

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Need Help?

Join Discord

Get help with compliance

Contact Support

Preference center questions

API Reference

Subscriber API documentation