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Channel Management

This article will explain what a channel is and highlight how to use each tab on the channels manager to customize your channel.

J.G. Schirf avatar
Written by J.G. Schirf
Updated over 6 months ago

If you'd like to create a new channel, or are trying to launch your first pass, follow our step-by-step guide HERE.

Channel Background

A channel is how you distribute your pass, where you find your embed codes, and how you control the Explore tab on the mobile pass. You can also do so much more! Read through the sections below to understand each tab of the Channels page.

Q: How many channels do I need?

A: In most cases, you only need one!
The channel controls the "Explore Tab", signup card, and the embeddable cart code, so it is best practice to work through one channel to simplify the management of your checkout sites and to avoid siloing your passes.

Considering more than one Channel?
Chat with our team to align your plan for channels with your goals!

Channel Menu Navigation

Here's a quick overview of each menu item within the Channel Manager.

Menu Item:

Description

Name

Update the name of your channel. This name is public-facing.

Items

Manage the experiences available in your channel.

Embedded

Access your html embed codes used for website integration.

Message Lists

Add message lists for guests to opt-in to receive future messaging.

Settings

Set channel-specific images, policies, and fees.

Communication

Update default language for signup confirmation, gifting, prizes, texts, and emails.

FAQs

Add and update FAQs that apply to all passes in your Channel.

*Social Sharing

Enable users of your passes to share the experience with others through text messages, or social media sites.

*Channel QR Code

Enable QR Code signup functionality for any pass available on the explore page.


Channel Name

Here you can enter or update the name for your Channel. Keep in mind, this name is public-facing and is referenced in your reporting dashboard. We recommend a channel name that is all-encompassing and not tailored to one specific pass.

Where does my Channel's name appear to my guests?

This is the copy that will appear by default as the home screen icon title. It will also appear in the subject line of emails and text messages.

Location

Example Image

Email Confirmation Subject Header

  • Channel name will appear in the subject header for all support, confirmation, and proactive emails.

Homescreen Icon

  • When your passholders add your mobile passport to their device's homescreen the channel name is the default icon name.

  • PLEASE NOTE: If you update the channel's name it is not reflected retroactively on user's mobile devices. This is because the web-app homescreen icon's name is managed on the device itself (similar to a browser bookmark title)

Where else do Channel names appear for my internal teams?

Your channel's name will appear in your guest's order information, reporting dashboard, promotions, and message lists. You may see various filters across the platform titled "offer" this is also your Channels (or "Offer Channels")

Location

Example Image

Reporting Dashboard

  • Many reports allow you to filter results by Channel (often called "Offer").

  • This becomes relevant if you have >1 channel or enroll in 3rd Party distribution via our DXE Connect services.

Orders

  • When you are looking at your orders, the channel name appears in the table and within the individual order.

Orders Table

Individual Order (top right)

Channel Items

This is where you add the passes that you want to distribute through this channel. Use the 'Add Item' button to add experiences that are finished and ready to distribute.

There are a few ways to update different settings here:

  • Pencil Icon:

    • Explore Tab Visibility - Edit whether the pass should appear on the Explore tab (this is effective immediately). **NOTE: Only free passes can appear on the Explore tab.

    • Add Channel-Wide Discounts - Add % or $ off discounts to paid items. Keep in mind a discount added here does not require the use of a Promo code to receive the discounted price.


  • Gear: Edit your item card until it's perfect! This contains a preview that will dynamically reflect changes you make in real time.

    • Hide or show Pricing and Learn More button.

    • Edit the text on the signup or purchase button.

    • Add a banner tag to the signup card and edit its display color.

  • Trash Can: Remove the item from the channel. **NOTE: Removing an item from a channel does not expire or disable passes for your existing passholders, it simply removes them from the embedded modules and disables new signups and purchases.

Embedded

On this page, you'll find all of the resources to integrate Bandwango elements onto your signup and/or landing page(s). There are also tools that allow you to build custom web modules which give you added flexibility when creating your landing page(s).

First, we recommend you use the Web Page Elements section to create the modules you want to embed on your site (each module will have its own unique code snippet). Then, preview the channel to confirm everything looks correct. Finally, click "view Instructions" and follow the guide to paste the embed codes onto your site!

HTML Embed Codes & Cart Installation

Click 'View Instructions' to view a document with code for the cart and all of the individual modules created for this channel. This document contains step-by-step instructions to add Bandwango elements to your site, as well as some pointers and first-level troubleshooting for using the html codes.

Need help integrating this content on your landing pages?

Checkout our Integration and Embed FAQ HERE

Hide Cart Tab:

  • You may choose to either hide or show the persistent cart on your integrated site. By default this setting is disabled, meaning the cart will only appear after a visitor has clicked "add to cart" or "signup".
    **NOTE: the code snippet to hide or show the cart does not update dynamically, you must paste the code with the corresponding setting enabled or disabled.

Web Page Elements

Here you can create, edit, and delete the modules that will placed on your website. Currently, only the Item Card and How it Works are avilable for use on your site.

Bandwango Pro Tip

Create as many modules as you need. You can create one item card and How it Works per pass, you can create modules with specific groupings, you can do whatever you need to in order to get the result you want on your website.

HTML Modules

Item Card:

  • The Item Card module displays the signup card(s).

  • Click the icon to edit the experiences that appear within that embed code.

  • By default there will be one item card module created for every pass and experience you add to your Items Page.

  • Individual pass or experience display settings (such as button color, custom banners, Learn More and pricing visibility) is controlled on the Items Page.

📚 Example Scenario: I want to showcase all of the passes and experiences within one singular embed code. How do I accomplish this?

  1. Click

  2. Create a new Item Card module.

  3. Click the icon

  4. Add a label to easily identify this module in the future ("ALL PASSES" for example)

  5. Drag all your passes to the "Shown" column.

  6. Click

Now you have a module that contains all your active experience which can be pasted on a general marketing page!

How it Works:

The How it Works module gives a brief step-by-step graphic with instructions for your guests on how to use the mobile passport.

Below is the default module:

If you click the icon, you can edit all text and language that appears.

This may be helpful if you have a particular pass you want to customize the language for (restaurant weeks, partner branding, themed passes, etc)!

Channel Preview:

The embedded page also contains a real-time preview of your website elements. Behind this button you will see the different modules exactly as how they would appear on your site when embedded.

You can even sign up for your pass here if you'd like to test its functionality!

Message Lists

Message Lists are the marketing opt-ins that appear during checkout. There are two defaults:

  • I'd like to receive news & information about my pass. (allows you to use Bandwango's messaging to send information about prizes, pass expiration, etc.)

  • I'd like to receive occasional communication from Partner Name. (allows you to add folks to your external marketing lists)

If you want to add additional message lists, you can do that in the Message Lists tab on the main navigation panel (not within the Channel Manager).

Settings

The Channel Settings page allows you to control and customize various image assets, legal policies, and fees that are specific to all items in this channel.

  • Edit images for this channel (these will override images entered on the Settings tab in the main navigation panel, see below for information on when you would want to do this).

  • Update the default mobile pass, signup button, and cart colors used by all experiences and embeds in your Channel (these will override the default colors in your account Settings).

  • Access and edit your Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy (default language will auto-populate here).

  • Enter any sales tax or convenience fees that you want to add on for paid items.

Communication

Communication lets you update the copy in texts and emails that send from the Bandwango system upon signup, transfer, prize redemption. Default language populates here, but you can update if you'd like!

Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the dynamic variables you can include in your default messaging.

Bandwango Pro Tip

Keep this language all-encompassing. These will apply to all passes on the channel.

FAQs

FAQs include some default common questions that were created based on our customer service experience supporting our partners' passes. There are some that cannot be edited because they are based on the device a passholder is using.

  • You can add as many custom FAQs as desired!

  • Drag & drop the FAQ on this page to customize the sort order.

  • These FAQs appear for all passes and experiences a guest has signed up for from this channel.


Additional Features: Social Sharing & Channel QR Code

At the top of the Channel menu are toggles for two features.

Social sharing will enable passholders to share a tokenized link, referring their friends to sign up for a pass. As a bonus, you can reward them points when their friends sign up! Check out the Gamification article for more information.

Channel QR Code will generate a QR code that people can use to sign up directly. They won't have to find the pass on your website, and you don't have to create any QR codes! Toggle this on, choose which passes you want to include, and download your QR code for use on all of your marketing materials.

Bandwango Pro Tip

Share those marketing materials with your participating businesses so that folks can discover and sign up for your pass while they're out and about!


Tips & Best Practices

Q: How many channels do I need?

A: In most cases, you only need one! The channel controls the Explore tab and the cart code, so it is best practice to work through one channel in order to avoid siloing your passes.

If you're partnering with another organization to launch a pass or are building one for a specific conference/group and need to completely rebrand (new home screen icon, logos, email header, etc), then a new channel may be the answer.

Chat with the Bandwango team to ensure that you have a plan for channels that will meet your goals!

Q: We're rebranding/we want to change our email header (or home screen icon, background image, logos...). Do I do that on the channel?

A: Nope! While you can override images on a channel level, that is typically used for the scenario described above -- creating a new channel for a specific pass in a specific scenario. If your visual branding needs an update, use the Settings tab in the main navigation bar to make those updates across the board.

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