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How to set up welcome automation on Mailchimp

beginner 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18
Quick Answer

Create a welcome automation in Mailchimp by navigating to the Automations section, selecting the Welcome series template, and configuring your trigger settings and email content. This automatically sends personalized welcome emails to new subscribers when they join your audience.

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Prerequisites

  • Active Mailchimp account
  • At least one audience created
  • Basic understanding of email marketing
  • Welcome email content prepared

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Navigate to Automations

Log into your Mailchimp account and click on Automations in the main navigation menu. Then click the Create button to start building your automation.
Make sure you're in the correct workspace if you manage multiple accounts
2

Select Welcome Series Template

Choose Welcome new subscribers from the automation templates. This pre-built template is specifically designed for welcome emails. Click Get Started to proceed with the setup.
You can also start from scratch by selecting 'Custom' if you need more control over the workflow
3

Configure Automation Settings

Give your automation a descriptive name like Welcome Series 2026. Select the audience you want to trigger this automation for. Under Trigger settings, ensure Subscriber joins audience is selected as the starting point.
Consider adding tags to track which subscribers go through this automation
4

Set Up Email Timing

Configure when your welcome email should be sent. The default is immediately after signup, but you can adjust this by clicking Edit trigger. You can set delays like 1 hour after signup or immediately.
Sending immediately often works best for welcome emails to maintain momentum
5

Design Your Welcome Email

Click on the email block in your automation workflow to design your welcome message. Choose from Templates, Themes, or Code your own. Add your brand logo, write compelling welcome copy, and include a clear call-to-action.
Keep your welcome email concise and focus on setting expectations for future communications
6

Configure Email Settings

In the email designer, set your From name and From email address. Write an engaging Subject line like Welcome to [Your Brand]! and add a Preview text to complement your subject line.
Use merge tags like *|FNAME|* to personalize the subject line with subscriber names
7

Test Your Automation

Before going live, click Send test email to preview how your welcome email looks. Review all settings in the Settings tab, including tracking options like Opens and Clicks.
Test on both desktop and mobile devices to ensure your email displays correctly
8

Start Your Automation

Once everything looks good, click the Start button to activate your welcome automation. Your automation status will change to Sending, and new subscribers will automatically receive your welcome email.
Monitor your automation performance in the Reports section after it's been running for a few days

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Welcome emails are not sending automatically

Check that your automation status is Sending and not paused. Verify your trigger settings are correct and that new subscribers are actually joining your selected audience.

Merge tags showing as plain text instead of subscriber data

Ensure you're using the correct merge tag syntax like *|FNAME|* for first name. Check that the merge tags exist in your audience fields under Audience > Settings > Audience fields.

Low open rates on welcome emails

Review your subject line for spam trigger words, check if emails are landing in spam folders, and verify your sender reputation. Consider A/B testing different subject lines.

Automation stopped working after making changes

Any changes to a live automation require you to pause and restart it. Check the automation overview for any error messages and ensure all required fields are completed.

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