Are you looking to grow your email list and engage with your audience through email marketing? Look no further than Mailchimp and WordPress.
Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform that allows you to create and send newsletters, automated emails, and targeted campaigns to your subscribers. WordPress, on the other hand, is a widely used content management system that powers over 40% of all websites on the internet.
By integrating Mailchimp with WordPress, you can easily add a signup form to your website and start collecting email addresses from your visitors. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps of adding a Mailchimp signup form to your WordPress website.
Why Use Mailchimp for Email Marketing?
Before we dive into the steps of adding a Mailchimp signup form to WordPress, let’s first understand why Mailchimp is a great choice for email marketing.
User-Friendly Interface
Mailchimp has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for beginners to create and send email campaigns. With its drag-and-drop email builder, you can design professional-looking emails without any coding knowledge.
Automation and Segmentation
Mailchimp offers automation and segmentation features that allow you to send targeted emails to specific segments of your audience. This helps you personalize your emails and increase engagement with your subscribers.
Integration with WordPress
Mailchimp integrates seamlessly with WordPress, making it easy to add a signup form to your website and manage your email list.
How to Add a Mailchimp Signup Form to WordPress
Now that you understand the benefits of using Mailchimp for email marketing, let’s get into the steps of adding a signup form to your WordPress website.
Step 1: Create a Mailchimp Account
The first step is to create a Mailchimp account if you don’t already have one. You can sign up for a free account that allows you to have up to 2,000 subscribers and send up to 12,000 emails per month.
Once you’ve created your account, you’ll be directed to the Mailchimp dashboard.
Step 2: Create an Audience
An audience is a group of subscribers that you’ll be sending your emails to. To create an audience, click on the “Audience” tab on the Mailchimp dashboard and then click on “Create Audience”.
Fill in the required information, such as your audience name, email address, and audience type. Once you’ve filled in all the information, click on “Save”.
Step 3: Create a Signup Form
Next, you’ll need to create a signup form that you can add to your WordPress website. To do this, click on the “Audience” tab and then click on “Signup forms”.
Choose the type of form you want to create, such as a pop-up form, embedded form, or landing page. Then, customize the form to match your brand and add any necessary fields.
Step 4: Connect Mailchimp to WordPress
To connect Mailchimp to WordPress, you’ll need to install the Mailchimp for WordPress plugin. This plugin allows you to easily add a signup form to your website and sync your email list with Mailchimp.
To install the plugin, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on “Plugins” > “Add New”. Search for “Mailchimp for WordPress” and click on “Install Now”. Once the plugin is installed, click on “Activate”.
Step 5: Configure the Plugin Settings
After activating the plugin, you’ll need to configure the settings to connect it to your Mailchimp account. To do this, go to “Mailchimp for WP” > “Forms” in your WordPress dashboard.
Click on the “Connect” button and follow the prompts to connect your Mailchimp account. Once connected, you’ll see a list of your Mailchimp audiences. Choose the audience you want to connect to your WordPress website and click on “Save Changes”.
Step 6: Add the Signup Form to Your Website
Now that you’ve connected Mailchimp to WordPress, you can add the signup form to your website. To do this, go to “Mailchimp for WP” > “Forms” and click on the “Embed” tab.
Copy the shortcode provided and paste it into the page or post where you want the signup form to appear. You can also use the shortcode in a widget to add the form to your sidebar or footer.
Step 7: Customize the Signup Form
To customize the appearance of your signup form, go to “Mailchimp for WP” > “Forms” and click on the “Appearance” tab. Here, you can change the colors, fonts, and other design elements of your form to match your brand.
Step 8: Test the Signup Form
Before making your signup form live, it’s important to test it to ensure everything is working correctly. To do this, go to your website and fill out the form with a test email address.
Check your Mailchimp account to make sure the test email address has been added to your audience. If everything looks good, you can make your signup form live and start collecting email addresses from your visitors.
Tips for a Successful Mailchimp Signup Form
To get the most out of your Mailchimp signup form, here are some tips to keep in mind:
Keep It Simple
When creating your signup form, keep it simple and only ask for the necessary information. The more fields you have, the less likely people are to fill out the form.
Offer an Incentive
To encourage people to sign up for your email list, offer an incentive such as a discount code, free download, or exclusive content. This will entice visitors to provide their email address and join your list.
Place the Form Strategically
To maximize the number of signups, place your form in a prominent location on your website, such as the sidebar, footer, or pop-up. You can also add the form to multiple locations to increase visibility.
Conclusion
Adding a Mailchimp signup form to your WordPress website is a simple and effective way to grow your email list and engage with your audience through email marketing. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily integrate Mailchimp with WordPress and start collecting email addresses from your visitors.
Remember to keep your form simple, offer an incentive, and place it strategically on your website for the best results. With Mailchimp and WordPress, you can take your email marketing efforts to the next level and see the benefits of a growing email list.
