Mailchimp is a marketing automation platform used across CAES and UGA Extension to create and send email newsletters, announcements, and automated campaigns. This page provides an overview of how Mailchimp works, when to use it, and how the CAES Office of Information Technology (OIT) can support you.
Table of Contents
What is Mailchimp?
Mailchimp helps you reach and grow your audience through email marketing. It allows you to:
- Send newsletters and announcements
- Manage subscriber lists
- Create automated or recurring emails (such as RSS-to-email campaigns)
- Track basic analytics like open and click rates
Mailchimp is commonly used for program updates, event promotions, newsletters, and ongoing communications with external audiences.
Who can use Mailchimp?
Mailchimp may be used by CAES and UGA Extension faculty, staff, and units for official university-related communications. Each Mailchimp account is managed by the individual or unit responsible for the content.
Choosing a Mailchimp plan
Mailchimp offers multiple pricing plans. The Free plan is sufficient for most users and includes:
- Up to 500 contacts
- Limited email sends per month
- Basic templates and analytics
Paid plans may be useful if you need advanced automation, larger audiences, or more detailed reporting. Plan features and pricing may change, so review Mailchimp’s current plan options before upgrading.
Start with a free plan
If you work your way up to requiring a paid plan, OIT recommends using the “Essentials” plan. You should also apply for Non-profit status if you qualify.
Setting up your account
OIT recommends creating one Mailchimp account for your unit, program, or county office. This cuts down on duplicating effort when managing contact lists. (Don’t worry, you can control which contacts receive specific updates in the Audiences section of the platform using Segments.)
When creating a Mailchimp account:
- Use an email address you regularly monitor. Your personal UGA MyID will work great!
- Avoid using shared or generic inboxes, like the county emails that begin with ugeXXXX@uga.edu. These accounts are more likely to be recognized as spam, and Mailchimp may block them.
Invite the CAES Web Team
Once your account is created, CAES OIT recommends inviting the CAES Web Team as an account admin. Let us know which email you used for your Mailchimp account by emailing caesweb@uga.edu and we will reach out through our own Mailchimp account, asking to become a manager of your account. This helps ensure continuity and support if staff roles change.
How OIT can help
OIT provides guidance and support for Mailchimp use, including:
- Assistance adding CAES Web Team access for account continuity
It is our goal to help with the smooth transition of account owners. For example, if you are promoted and will no longer be in a position that manages this account, we can help transition to the new account owner. We will also be able to help you regain access to your account in an emergency. - Selecting and creating campaigns
We can help you choose and set up the campaign type best for your content.- Regular campaigns – one-time emails such as announcements or newsletters
- Automated campaigns – triggered by actions or schedules
- RSS campaigns – automatically send updates from a website feed
- Help with templates and branding questions
We have created the following templates to help you get started with your newsletters. Click on any template link below, while you are logged into your MailChimp account, to import the template into your account:
For support, contact caesweb@uga.edu.
Growing your audience
Mailchimp offers several ways to collect subscribers:
- Embedded signup forms on websites
- Standalone signup pages
- Manual imports (when appropriate and compliant with policy)
Use the Mailchimp form builder to create a signup form for your audience to join your newsletter recipient list. You can add these forms as code to your website, create a QR code that can be scanned in person and takes folks straight to your signup form, and even add a signup form to your Facebook or other social media account.
Feeling Tech Savvy?
You can follow the steps in this article to add a Mailchimp signup form to your WordPress site.
Do you need a signup form on your county website? Instructional video on how to add the Mailchimp sign-up form component to your county website.
If you need assistance, we are here to help! Email caesweb@uga.edu.
What makes an effective email campaign?
Successful campaigns are:
- Clear and concise – focus on one primary message
- Relevant – send information your audience expects and values
- Consistent – follow a predictable schedule when possible
- Scannable – use headings, short paragraphs, and descriptive links
Make sure your newsletters are going to the correct groups of audience members. Learn more about Mailchimp groups and how to use them. Avoid over-sending. Quality and relevance matter more than frequency.
Accessibility best practices
Email accessibility is an important part of effective communication. When creating campaigns:
- Use clear headings and simple layouts
- Add alt text to images
- Avoid using images of text when possible
- Use descriptive link text instead of “click here”
- Ensure sufficient color contrast
Before sending, review CAES guidance on making emails accessible to ensure your message can be read by all users.
Reviewing results
Mailchimp provides basic analytics to help you understand how your audience engages with your emails, including:
- Open rates
- Click rates
- Bounce and unsubscribe information
Use this data to refine subject lines, content, and timing for future campaigns.
Training and resources
Mailchimp provides an excellent database of resources for clients to learn the ins and outs of their product. The Intuit Mailchimp YouTube Channel has step-by-step video guides to all elements of the platform, from creating your first campaign to managing subscribers based on their interests. Their paid plans also have excellent customer service via the built-in chat features for real-time help.
OIT offers help articles, guidance, and consultations. Here’s a guide to using Mailchimp and your WordPress site together if you are interested in turning your blog posts into newsletter content.
Digital Accessibility Training
Receive training and support on accessibility requirements for digital communication.
Mailchimp Help
Use our Mailchimp help articles to learn more about newsletters.
This post was drafted with the help of AI, then thoroughly reviewed by our human editorial team for accuracy and quality.
