How to Make a MailChimp Contact Form for WordPress

Start building your email list today. A MailChimp contact form will instantly add form leads into your email list.

Add MailChimp integration in WordPress as a simple step to maximize the potential of your contact form. This one small change allows you to build a highly qualified list of people who are interested in your business. You can then send out promotional messages, and even customize them with each individual user's details. Old timers and newcomers, think of this as a high tech mail-merge function!

Not sure if you need an email list? Read more about why you should send your leads directly to MailChimp.

How easy is it to add MailChimp to contact forms?

The Formidable MailChimp WordPress plugin allows you to integrate this extra functionality into your existing contact form in a matter of moments. From start to finish setup should take less than 15 minutes. Most of that time is creating a Mailchimp.com account. Follow these 5 steps to quickly bring your contact forms into the 21st century!

Step 1 - Signup for a MailChimp account

It is very easy and only takes 4 or 5 minutes to sign up for a new MailChimp account. Be sure to verify your account, enter your organization info, and create a new list where your form will send new leads.

Step 2 - Find your MailChimp API key

To find your API key, log into your MailChimp account, and go to Account → Extras → API Keys. Click "Create A Key" if you don't have one already. This key is needed to create a link between MailChimp and your contact forms. So keep this tab open for a few minutes, since you'll need this key in step 4.

Step 3 - Install the Formidable MailChimp for WordPress add-on

Download the Formidable MailChimp WordPress plugin. If you already have a license key for the MailChimp add-on, you'll find it on the downloads tab in your account page. Then go to your WordPress dashboard -> Plugins page, and click "Add New" and upload. Once uploaded, activate the plugin. Next, enter and save your license key on the Formidable → Global Settings → Plugin Licenses page.

Step 4 - Insert your MailChimp API key to connect your account

Next, go into your WordPress dashboard → Formidable → Global Settings and click the MailChimp tab. Insert your MailChimp API Key from step 2 and click the "Update Options" button. Your website is now connected to your MailChimp account. How simple was that?!

Step 5 - Create a new contact form

If you haven't already created a contact form, follow our steps to get started. If you'd like to save time, you can make this as simple as possible by using our Contact Form template when you go to create a new form. This will provide you with a basic template that you can customize and add additional fields to if you wish.

Step 6 - Add a MailChimp form action to your contact form

The final step is to add a MailChimp form action to your existing contact form. Haven't created a contact form yet? Learn more about how to make a simple contact form.

Find your contact form and click on Settings → Form Actions. Here you will notice a new action is available: Add to MailChimp.

Select the MailChimp list where you would like to add subscribers. The list you created in step 1 should be visible in the dropdown. Select the Email Address and any other required options. The options that show up here are determined in your MailChimp list settings. For more details on these options checkout the MailChimp knowledgebase article.

NOTE: To comply with anti-spam laws and respect people who are giving you their email address, make sure that there is copy on your contact form letting your users know that by giving you their email address they will be added to your mailing list. MailChimp requires you to have express permission to add email addresses to your lists. See their article on The Importance of Permission.

I have a MailChimp contact form for WordPress. Now what?

Having a MailChimp contact form is just the start. The next big challenge is to make sure your WordPress forms convert as many visitors as possible so you can build your mailing list FAST!

Check out our other blog posts to help you maximize the effectiveness of your email subscription and lead generation forms. Design forms to increase user engagement, and put our tips to capture leads into action. Track the performance of your form as you make changes, so you can see exactly what works for your unique setup.

When your list starts to grow, begin your email marketing campaign. Design something awesome to show your subscribers the very best you have to offer. Include value added content, helpful hints and the occasional special offer. Be sure to mention that it's exclusive to email subscribers.