If you’re new to email marketing and are eager to create your first campaign, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is an excellent platform to help you get started. Brevo provides a user-friendly interface with robust features for crafting, managing, and analyzing your email campaigns. Whether you’re promoting a product, sharing a newsletter, or engaging with your audience, this tutorial will guide you through the steps to create your very first email campaign on Brevo.
What is Brevo?
Brevo is an all-in-one marketing platform that allows businesses to engage their audience through email marketing, SMS campaigns, marketing automation, and more. It’s popular for its intuitive design and powerful tools, making it ideal for beginners and experienced marketers alike.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your First Email Campaign in Brevo
Step 1: Sign Up for a Brevo Account
If you don’t have a Brevo account yet, you’ll need to sign up first:
- Visit the Brevo website and click on the Sign Up button.
- Fill in the required details (name, email, password) or sign up using Google or Facebook.
- Once registered, you’ll be prompted to complete your account setup by verifying your email and adding basic business information.
Step 2: Set Up Your Contacts List
Before you start crafting your campaign, you need to have a list of recipients who will receive your emails. Here’s how to create and manage your contact list:
- After logging into your Brevo dashboard, go to the Contacts tab.
- Click Add New Contact to manually enter contacts or Import Contacts to upload a CSV or Excel file.
- You can organize your contacts into different lists based on factors such as location, interests, or previous interactions. This helps you send more targeted and personalized emails.
- Make sure you segment your list effectively, as segmenting helps improve engagement rates.
Step 3: Create a New Campaign
Now that you have your contacts set up, it’s time to create your first email campaign:
- On the left-hand side of your dashboard, click Campaigns.
- Click the Create a New Campaign button to begin.
Step 4: Choose Campaign Type and Template
Brevo allows you to choose from several types of email campaigns. As a beginner, you will likely want to choose a Regular Campaign.
- Campaign Name: First, you’ll need to give your campaign a name (this is just for your reference and not visible to recipients).
- Select Recipients: Choose the contact list that you want to send the email to.
- Choose Email Template: Brevo provides a wide range of templates, including pre-designed and customizable ones. If you’re just getting started, you can select a template that fits your needs and style. You can also create a campaign from scratch, but using a template is easier for beginners.
- Customize the Template: Once you’ve selected a template, you can easily modify it using Brevo’s drag-and-drop editor. You can add text, images, buttons, and more.
- Header: Add your logo or brand name to the top of the email.
- Body: Craft the message you want to send. Personalize it if possible, such as including the recipient’s name.
- Call-to-Action (CTA): Add a clear and compelling CTA, like “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Sign Up.”
- Footer: Make sure to include your business’s contact information and unsubscribe link.
Step 5: Customize Your Email Settings
Before sending your email, you’ll need to customize a few settings to ensure it looks professional and reaches your subscribers effectively:
- Subject Line: The subject line is the first thing recipients see, so make it attention-grabbing and relevant to the content. Keep it short, clear, and intriguing.
- Preheader Text: This is the short snippet of text that appears below or next to the subject line in email inboxes. It should complement your subject line and encourage opens.
- Sender Information: Choose who the email will be sent from (your business name, for example) and the email address. It’s recommended to use a verified domain for sending to avoid your emails landing in spam.
- Reply-to Email: Specify a reply-to email address where recipients can respond if they have questions.
- Tracking and Analytics: Brevo allows you to track opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and more. Ensure that tracking options are enabled to help you analyze the effectiveness of your campaign.
Step 6: Test Your Campaign
Before hitting “send,” it’s important to test your campaign to ensure everything looks good across devices and email clients.
- Click Send Test to send a test version of your email to your own inbox.
- Check the test email on both desktop and mobile to ensure the layout and formatting are correct.
- Verify that links work properly and images display as expected.
Step 7: Schedule or Send Your Campaign
Once you’re satisfied with your email, it’s time to send it out:
- Send Immediately: If you’re ready to send the email to your list, click Send Now.
- Schedule for Later: If you want to send your email at a specific time or date, you can schedule the email by clicking Schedule and selecting the date and time.
Step 8: Monitor Campaign Performance
After your campaign is sent, you can track its performance through Brevo’s detailed analytics dashboard. You’ll be able to see key metrics such as:
- Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email.
- Click Rate: The percentage of recipients who clicked on a link within the email.
- Bounce Rate: The percentage of emails that could not be delivered.
- Unsubscribes: The number of recipients who unsubscribed after receiving your email.
By analyzing these metrics, you can learn what worked well and what could be improved for your future campaigns.
Tips for Success
- Personalize Your Emails: Personalization helps increase engagement. Use dynamic fields like the recipient’s name, location, or past purchase behavior to create more personalized emails.
- A/B Testing: Brevo allows you to test different subject lines, CTAs, and content. A/B testing helps you learn what resonates best with your audience.
- Optimize for Mobile: Many people check their emails on mobile devices. Ensure your emails look great on smartphones and tablets.
- Maintain Consistency: Send regular emails to stay top of mind with your audience, but don’t overdo it. Find the right balance to avoid overwhelming your subscribers.
Conclusion
Creating your first email campaign in Brevo is a straightforward process, even for beginners. By following this guide, you’ll be able to create, send, and analyze a professional-looking email campaign that helps engage your audience and drive results.