Here’s how to set up your first mailing list using MailChimp’s friendly and comprehensive web-based interface.
Getting started
Starting a list is simple. Click Lists in MailChimp’s menu bar, then Create Your First List. Give the list a name, and put something descriptive in the fourth box down to remind people how they got on your list – this will discourage spam complaints.
Your physical address
MailChimp includes your physical postal address on every mail you send out. The cautious may consider using an obliging accountant or solicitor as a “c/o” address, if you don’t want to share your personal address.
User groups
Sorting users into groups lets you target your emails to people with specific interests. It’s best to make a start on this before your list starts gathering steam. To do so, click on the cog next to your mailing list’s name and choose Create Groups.
Letting users categorise themselves
You can make your groups invisible to the users of your mailing list, or allow signees to categorise themselves. Checkboxes let subscribers join more than one group: radio buttons or a dropdown list will let them choose one group only.
Creating the sign-up form
Next, create a sign-up form via the Create Forms option. MailChimp asks for a name and email address; you can add extra fields and buttons to request more information. The Auto-Design option tries to match the colours of your own website.
Hosting the form yourself
If you’d rather host the sign-up form yourself, open the “For your website” box in the List Manager and click Create Form Embed Code to copy the HTML. The Classic Form has more code to copy, but it uses CSS, so customising its appearance is easier.
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