A reader recently inquired about how to effectively use Mailchimp with their WordPress site.
Mailchimp is a leading email marketing platform that seamlessly integrates with WordPress. However, many users are unaware of how to utilize it fully.
At CanadaCreate, we have more than 16 years of experience assisting users in setting up various email marketing solutions on their websites.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of integrating Mailchimp with WordPress and help you start building your email subscriber list.
Here’s a brief overview of the topics we will discuss in this guide:
- The Importance of Building an Email List
- Benefits of Using Mailchimp on Your WordPress Site
- Getting Started with Mailchimp
- How to Add Mailchimp Email Signup Forms to Your WordPress Site
- Creating Stunning Signup Forms with OptinMonster
- Designing a Custom Mailchimp Signup Form Using WPForms
- Automating Processes Between WordPress and Mailchimp
- Expert Tips for Rapidly Growing Your Mailchimp Email List
The Importance of Building an Email List
Over 70% of visitors who leave your website are unlikely to return unless you successfully encourage them to subscribe to your email list.
Email is a private and personal communication channel, making it the most direct way to connect with others online. Many individuals check their email inboxes more frequently than their social media accounts.
Additionally, emails remain in the inbox until the recipient takes action, whereas social media posts quickly get lost in a continuous feed.
For further insights on how email marketing can enhance your business, check out our comprehensive guide on the importance of building your email list immediately.
Why Integrate Mailchimp with Your WordPress Website?
Mailchimp stands out as one of the leading email marketing platforms. Its appeal lies in the free plan that allows you to send up to 1,000 emails monthly to a maximum of 500 subscribers.
As your subscriber base exceeds 500 or if you require a higher email volume, you will need to switch to a paid plan, which can become quite costly.
In addition to email marketing, Mailchimp provides basic automation features that can assist in expanding your online business.
Nevertheless, Mailchimp has its drawbacks. It is no longer the simplest or most budget-friendly email marketing solution available.
Alternatives to Mailchimp, such as Constant Contact, Drip, and HubSpot, offer more sophisticated marketing automation tools that are often easier to navigate.
Other platforms, such as Brevo (previously known as Sendinblue) and Kit (formerly ConvertKit), provide free plans that enable you to send more emails to a larger number of subscribers.
Now, let’s explore how to effectively use Mailchimp with WordPress to enhance your business growth and begin building your email list.
Getting Started with Mailchimp
To link Mailchimp with your WordPress site, the first step is to create a Mailchimp account.
To begin, go to the Mailchimp website and click on the ‘Sign Up Free’ button located in the upper right corner.
Fill in your email address, create a username and password for your account, and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the account setup.
After setting up your account, you’ll be directed to your Mailchimp dashboard, which appears as follows:
Integrating Mailchimp Email Signup Forms into WordPress
Mailchimp provides built-in subscription forms that you can easily embed on your WordPress website.
Click on the Create button in the left toolbar, then select theSignup Form » Embedded Formoption.
This will take you to the form configuration page.
From this page, you can select which form fields to display and customize other options for your signup form.
Once you are happy with the form, copy the embed code displayed on the screen.
Next, navigate to the admin area of your WordPress website and go to the Appearance » Widgets page. Here, you will need to add the Custom HTML widget block to your widget area.
In the widget settings, paste the code you copied from the Mailchimp website.
Remember to click the ‘Update’ button to save your widget settings.
If you’re using a block theme, you won’t have access to a widget area. However, you can still add the Mailchimp form to your website using the full site editor. For more information, check out our comprehensive guide on full site editing.
You can now visit your website to see your Mailchimp signup form in action.
This is how it appears on our demo website.
You can also insert the embed code into posts or pages using the HTML block. Refer to our guide on editing HTML in WordPress for more information.
Creating Attractive Signup Forms with OptinMonster
Mailchimp enables you to create basic email signup forms. However, these forms are challenging to customize and lack many targeting and personalization features.
OptinMonster is the leading software for conversion optimization and lead generation, designed to help you effortlessly transform website visitors into subscribers.
With seamless integration into your Mailchimp account, OptinMonster offers a variety of stunning templates and a robust campaign builder.
Additionally, it features advanced targeting and display rules, enabling you to present your signup forms at optimal moments. For example, you can trigger a popup for users who are about to exit your site or show tailored campaigns to visitors from specific locations.
Begin by signing up for an OptinMonster account.
Next, install and activate the OptinMonster plugin on your WordPress website. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
This plugin serves as a bridge between your WordPress site and your OptinMonster account.
Once activated, navigate to the OptinMonster » Settings page. Here, click on the ‘Connect to existing account’ button to link OptinMonster with your website.
You are now set to create your first Mailchimp newsletter signup form.
To begin, head over to the OptinMonster » CampaignsNavigate to the page and click the ‘Add New’ button located at the top.
Next, OptinMonster will prompt you to select either Templates or Playbooks.
Templates allow you to create custom campaigns, while Playbooks provide designs inspired by successful campaigns from top organizations worldwide.
For this tutorial, we will select templates.
OptinMonster enables you to create various types of campaigns, including lightbox popups, floating bars, inline campaigns, slide-ins, full-screen popups, and gamified spin-the-wheel popups.
Below that, you will need to select a template for your campaign. There are many attractive designs available, and you can customize them to your liking.
After selecting the template, you’ll need to provide a name for your campaign and launch the campaign builder.
OptinMonster features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to click and edit any element effortlessly. You can also add new design components, known as blocks, to include your own images, text, buttons, and more.
Once you are happy with the campaign design, connect it to your Mailchimp account. Simply go to the Integrations tab and click ‘Connect’ under the Mailchimp integration.
Next, you will need to choose a name for this connection.
Next, enter your Mailchimp API key.
You can find or generate your Mailchimp API key in your Mailchimp account settings.
On your Mailchimp dashboard, click your profile icon located at the bottom left corner of the screen. Then select Extras » API keys from the top menu.
After entering your API key in the OptinMonster builder, click the ‘Connect to Mailchimp’ button.
Then, choose your Mailchimp account and select your email list.
You can now save and publish your OptinMonster campaign.
Next, close the form builder.
This will take you to the campaign output page on your WordPress site.
From this page, select where you want to display the campaign and publish it.
Now, visit your website to see your email newsletter form in action.
Here’s how it appears on our demo site.
How to Create a Custom Mailchimp Signup Form Using WPForms
WPForms is the leading WordPress form builder plugin available. It makes it simple to create any type of form, including newsletter signup forms.
WPForms is also one of the top Mailchimp plugins, seamlessly integrating with your Mailchimp account to save your form submissions directly to your email list.
Begin by installing and activating the WPForms plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
After activation, navigate to the WPForms » Settings page to input your license key, which you can locate in your WPForms account.
Next, go to the WPForms » Addons page.
Here, you can install the Mailchimp addon.
You are now ready to create your first newsletter signup form.
Simply go to the WPForms » Add New page, provide a title for your form, and select the Newsletter Signup Form template.
This will open the form builder with all essential fields for your email list signup form.
You can modify or delete fields in the form by clicking on them.
Once you are happy with the form, switch to the ‘Marketing’ tab and select the Mailchimp section.
From there, click on the ‘Add New Connection’ button.
You will then be prompted to name the connection and enter your Mailchimp account API key.
You can find your API key in your Mailchimp account.
Next, select your Mailchimp account and audience.
Select the form field that will be used for the email address.
You can now save your form settings and exit the form builder interface.
WPForms allows you to easily place your form anywhere on your website.
To display the form in your site’s sidebar, navigate to the Appearance » Widgets section and add the WPForms widget block to your sidebar or any other widget area.
Remember to click the ‘Update’ button to save your widget settings.
If you want to include the newsletter sign-up form in a post or page, simply edit that post or page and insert the WPForms block.
Make sure to publish or save your changes to update the post or page.
Visit your website to see your Mailchimp custom newsletter sign-up form in action.
Automate Everything with WordPress and Mailchimp
Email marketing is incredibly effective, especially when it’s personalized and timely. With the right tools, you can easily create high-converting email automations tailored to each subscriber.
For example, you could automatically send an email featuring products similar to those your customers have previously purchased, or notify users when you publish a new article on your website.
Uncanny Automator is the ultimate WordPress automation plugin, enabling you to create seamless automated workflows for your website.
Uncanny Automator is compatible with all major WordPress plugins, eCommerce platforms, membership plugins, and over 3000 applications via Zapier. It also integrates with Mailchimp, allowing you to design smarter email campaigns effortlessly.
To begin, install and activate the Uncanny Automator plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
After activation, navigate to the Automator » Add New section to create your first automation recipe. You will be prompted to select the type of recipe you wish to create.
For this tutorial, we will set up an automated email to be sent to subscribers each time a new post is published. Start by selecting the ‘Logged-in users’ option.
Next, choose WordPress as the integration that will trigger the action.
For the trigger, select the event when a user publishes a post.
Now, it’s time to define the action that will be triggered.
Simply click the Mailchimp icon to connect it to your website.
A popup will appear prompting you to follow the on-screen instructions to complete the connection.
Once connected, you can select the actions you wish to perform on your Mailchimp account.
For example, we have configured it to send a new email to our audience featuring the blog post title along with a personalized message.
After completing your setup, you can change the recipe status from Draft to Live.
From this point forward, whenever you publish a new article on your website, Mailchimp will automatically notify your subscribers via email.
Uncanny Automator is an effective tool for linking Mailchimp and WordPress, enabling you to automate your marketing efforts and enhance sales and conversions.
Top Tips for Rapidly Growing Your Mailchimp Email List
If you’re not actively promoting your email list to visitors on your website, you are missing out on potential subscribers, customers, and sales.
Here are some of the most effective strategies to help you expand your Mailchimp newsletter quickly.
1. Utilize Multiple Signup Forms
Instead of just one signup form in the sidebar, provide your users with numerous opportunities to subscribe using multiple email subscription forms.
Check out our tutorial on creating a website banner signup form in WordPress.
2. Engage Subscribers with Gamification
Gamification adds an enjoyable element to your email sign-up forms, increasing the likelihood that users will provide their email addresses in exchange for a chance to win rewards.
Check out our tutorial on adding spin-to-win popups in WordPress.
3. Develop Compelling Lead Magnets
Lead magnets are valuable incentives offered to users in return for joining your email list. Examples include ebooks, sample chapters, discount codes, and more.
Discover more in our tutorial on requiring an email address to download files in WordPress.
4. Implement Targeted Campaigns and Personalization
Your email sign-up forms will attract more subscribers when they are shown to the right audience at the right moment.
For example, you can display a welcome message to visitors coming from social media or offer discounts to shoppers who are about to leave without completing their purchase.
For step-by-step guidance, refer to our guide on displaying personalized content to users in WordPress.
5. Monitor Your Conversion Rates
Curious about which forms generate the most subscribers? You’ll need MonsterInsights, the leading Google Analytics plugin available.
MonsterInsights provides insights into which forms effectively enhance your email list growth. For comprehensive information, check out our detailed guide on tracking conversions in WordPress like a professional.
For additional insights on this subject, refer to our guide on rapidly expanding your email list with practical tips.
We hope this article has assisted you in utilizing Mailchimp with WordPress to grow your email list. You might also want to explore our guide on creating a Mailchimp subscribe form in WordPress or our expert recommendations for the best Mailchimp alternatives.
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