Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a marketing platform built around email: audiences, campaigns, automation, and simple landing pages. You manage contacts, send one-off and automated emails, and see opens, clicks, and basic behavior. This guide covers what matters for product and marketing teams: audiences, campaigns, and automation.
Get Started with Mailchimp
Why mailchimp fits product and marketing work
Core concepts that matter
Audiences and contacts
Audiences are your contact lists. Contacts have email, optional fields (name, company, etc.), and tags or groups for segmenting. Use one primary audience until you have a clear reason to split (e.g. B2B vs B2C). Keep fields and tags consistent so automation and reporting work.
Campaigns
Campaigns are one-off sends: choose audience or segment, design (drag-and-drop or simple template), schedule or send. Use for newsletters, announcements, and promos. A/B test subject lines or content when you have enough volume to learn.
Automation
Automation runs when conditions are met: e.g. “when someone joins audience X, send welcome series” or “when someone tags Y, add to flow Z.” Use welcome series, post-purchase, and re-engagement flows. Keep flows short (3–7 emails) and one goal per flow.
Forms and landing pages
Signup forms and landing pages capture emails and (optionally) other fields. Connect them to an audience and, if you use it, to tags or automation triggers. Use for lead magnets, webinars, and product signups.
How to Set Up a Mailchimp Account
Practical habits
When mailchimp isn’t the fit
Pricing (high level)
Free - Limited contacts and monthly sends. Essentials and above add more contacts, automation, and features. Check Mailchimp pricing for current tiers.
For product and marketing teams that need email campaigns, signup forms, and simple automation, Mailchimp is a solid default. Start with one audience and one welcome flow; add segments and flows as you grow.
