MailChimp Setup and Sending a Newsletter Guide

I actually made a recent blog post on how I generate traffic to my blog without Google simply using my mail list, but didn’t realize I never made a tutorial on how to Setup a mailing list. Well, in this article, I’ll teach you how you can setup a mailing list for your subscribers using Mailchimp.
I have my reasons for choosing Mailchimp. Mailchimp offers a free option for life with a maximum of 2000 emails and 12,000 monthly mails to be sent, this is quite inviting and everyone can have a feel of what Email Marketing is all about, including you, that’s my major reason choosing this platform.

Email Marketing as I would always say has it’s own unique and strong potentials in pulling traffic to your blog, therefore I’ll teach you how to setup a mailchimp account and also how you can send newsletters to your list of subscribers whenever you make a new blog post.

This article Would Cover

• How To Setup A Mailchimp Account
• Integrating The MailChimp Subscribe Form To Your Blog
• How To Mail Your List (Creating A Campaign) 

It’s quite easy creating an account with mailchimp, and it’s free. Just like other online accounts, it requires an email address. Visit Here to create your mailchimp account, after account creation must have been successful, login and create a mailing list.

How To Create A Campaign List

• Click on the List tab on the left sidebar or at the top navigation.
• A new page would load, then click on Create List.
• Fill in the information required and click in save.

I’ll cover how you can add the mailchimp signup form to your blog on the two major blogging platforms and also on any HTML website.

Firstly you need to grab the code for the list you created earlier on. As I said, whenever you create a list group, it is assigned a unique ID and you need to generate the subscribe form code.
Here is how to generate the code for the List.

• Navigate  to the List page.
• Click on the list drop down menu and select SignUp forms.
• Select Embedded forms.
• Select a form style: eg. Super Slim Form, Classic Form, or Naked Form.
• Copy All text in the Copy/Paste into safe place, eg Notepad.

1. Login to your Blogger Dashboard. Select the specific blog you wish to add the form and Click on Layout on the left sidebar.
2. Click on Add Gadget in the region you wish to add the SignUp form. Select HTML/Javascript from the new window that pops up.
3. Add a title in the Title space, then Add/paste the code you copied earlier on from your Mailchimp dashboard to the space after the title.
4. You can now click on Save.

Adding the Subscribe Code To Your WordPress Blogs
It’s quite easy on wordpress, just as you would add a text widget.

1. Login to your wordpress dashboard.
2. On the left sidebar, Click on Appearance > Widgets.
3. Click and Drag the Text widget to the region you wish to add the SignUp form.
4. In the Title space, you can fill in “Subscribe to our Notifications”. In the next space below, add the code you copied earlier on from your Mailchimp dashboard.
5. Click on Save.

Adding the Subscribe Code To Any Website

This should be easiest, because you must have a basic knowledge of HTML if you are creating a website without a CMS. Simply add the code wherever you wish. You could separate it using a div.

Now you have successfully created your mailing list and also added the Subscription form to your website or blog, it’s time to learn how you can send out Newsletters or mails to your subscribers on mailchimp. Follow the steps below.

1. Once you login to your Mailchimp Dashboard, click on Create a Campaign tab.
2. In the drop down that appears, select Regular Ol’ Campaign , then select the List you want to send the mails to and click on Next Step.
3. A new screen would come up, Fill in the details including the Sender Name, Email Address and Subject Line.
   Note: The Email Address you have to input is a mail address you can receive mails with if someone replies your newsletter. Click on Next Step.
4. Now it’s time to select a template/design. You can make use of the Basic option if you can’t find your way around others and click on Next Step.
5. This is the final step, if you wish to preview before sending, click on the Preview and Test which would load a pop up. Click on Send a Test Email. If the preview is okay by you, simply hit the Send Now button.
   Note: You can also schedule newsletters on mailchimp if you wish.

Some Questions I got Regarding Sending Newsletters

Question #1: Hello, morning. Do you have a tutorial on your blog on how to set up newsletter using Mailchimp? Is it also possible to send a daily roundup of posts rather than emailing whenever there’s a new post? Thanks.

Michelle Blesyn Emiaha

Ans: Hi Michelle, you actually prompted me to writing this mailchimp tutorial article. I hope it answers most part of your questions. Regarding the Daily Round-up of post instead of sending mails whenever you make a new post, Mailchimp doesn’t automatically send newsletters to your list whenever you make a blog post, you have to create a campaign yourself and send out. So, you can make a round up yourself and send them out. I hope this answers your question.