How to deliver your blog posts automatically via MailChimp

In this video tutorial, I show you how to set up automatic scheduling of your blog content to subscribers via MailChimp.

MailChimp frequently updates its settings. If you find this video no longer works for you, feel free to give me a nudge so I can create a revised tutorial.

If you prefer to read the instructions, here they are:

Assumptions

• You have an existing MailChimp account (you can use MailChimp for free if you have fewer than 2,000 subscribers).
• You’ve created a sign-up form on your website to encourage blog subscription.
• That subscription list is managed via your MailChimp account.

Step 1 (as of December 2017)

• Login and select Campaigns from the dashboard.
• Click Create Campaign.

Step 2

• Select Create an Email.

Step 3

• Select Automated.
• Click on Share blog updates.

Step 4

• Give your auto-delivery campaign a name.
• Choose the subscription list you’ll deliver to.
• Select Begin.

Step 5

• Find your RSS feed (try pasting the URL of your blog first. This will usually enable MailChimp to locate the feed).
• If that fails, add the your blog feed icon to your website. Publish your site, click on the icon and copy the feed address in the browser window.
• If that doesn’t work, try clicking somewhere on your blog page and selecting View Page Source. Search for RSS. The feed URL is found between the quotes after href=.

Step 6

• Enter the blog-feed URL.
• Select your delivery options.

Step 7

• Tell MailChimp whom you’ll be delivering to (probably Entire List).
• In the next window, you can leave most of the boxes as they are, though consider checking the personalization box and amending the From Name text to your name.

Step 8

• Now select a template. I use Basic: 1 column so that there’s less to delete when I set up the feed.

Step 9

• Amend the template.
• Click on and delete the preset elements.
• Drag and drop in RSS Items.

Step 10

• Amend the style to determine what readers see.

Step 11

• Preview your feed then select Start RSS.

That's it! You're done!

Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.

She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), a member of ACES, a Partner Member of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.

Visit her business website at Louise Harnby | Fiction Editor & Proofreader, say hello on Twitter at @LouiseHarnby, connect via Facebook and LinkedIn, and check out her books and courses.