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How To Use MailerLite’s WordPress Plugin To Add A Newsletter Signup Box To Your Website

June 29, 2020

MailerLite, Marketing

Want to build a direct, reliable connection with your audience? This guide shows you how to easily add a MailerLite newsletter signup box to your WordPress website. You’ll learn to install the plugin, connect it, create a form, and display it – no coding required!

TL;DR

MailerLite's WordPress plugin provides a simple way to add newsletter signup forms to your website.

You'll need a self-hosted WordPress site and a MailerLite account (free plan available).

The plugin connects to your MailerLite account via an API key.

You can create custom signup forms directly within WordPress.

Forms can be added to pages, posts, or widgets using shortcodes or the dedicated widget.

Email lists are invaluable for direct audience communication, offering control social media lacks.

Building an email list is crucial for any online presence. Social media platforms can change their algorithms or even disappear, but your email list remains under your control. MailerLite offers a user-friendly email marketing service, and its WordPress plugin simplifies adding a signup form to your site.

Get Started with MailerLite and WordPress

This guide focuses on integrating MailerLite with a self-hosted WordPress website (wordpress.org, *not* wordpress.com). We’ll use the official MailerLite plugin to create and display a newsletter signup form.

What You Need

A Self-Hosted WordPress Website: Ensure your site is up and running.
A MailerLite Account: If you don’t have one, sign up for a free account at mailerlite.com. The free plan accommodates up to 1,000 subscribers.
The MailerLite Plugin: This plugin connects your WordPress site to your MailerLite account.

Install the MailerLite Plugin

Installing the plugin is the first step. Follow these instructions to get it set up on your WordPress site.

Navigate to the Plugins Page

Log into your WordPress dashboard. This is typically found at https://yourwebsite.com/wp-admin (replace “yourwebsite.com” with your actual domain name).
In the left-hand sidebar, click on “Plugins” and then “Add New”.

Search and Install

In the search box at the top-right of the page, type “mailerlite”.
Locate the official “MailerLite – Signup forms” plugin. It should be by “MailerLite” and display the MailerLite logo. Click “Install Now”.

Activate the Plugin

After the plugin is installed, the “Install Now” button will change to “Activate.” Click “Activate”.
Once activated, you’ll see a new “MailerLite” menu item in your WordPress sidebar.

Connect MailerLite with API Key

To connect your WordPress site to your MailerLite account, you’ll need your MailerLite API key.

Access MailerLite Settings

In your WordPress dashboard sidebar, hover over “MailerLite” and click “Settings”.
You will see a field labeled “API Key”.

Retrieve Your API Key

Open a new browser tab and go to app.mailerlite.com/dashboard. Log in to your MailerLite account.
Click on your profile name or logo in the top-right corner. Select “Integrations” from the dropdown menu.
Scroll down and click on “WordPress”.
Your API Key is at the bottom. Click Copy.

Paste and Save

Return to the MailerLite settings page in your WordPress dashboard.
Paste the copied API key into the “API Key” field.
Click “Save this key.”

Create a Signup Form

Now, you will create the actual signup form that visitors will use to subscribe to your newsletter.

Add a New Form

In the WordPress sidebar, go to “MailerLite” and then “Signup forms”.
Click the “Add signup form” or “Add New” button.

Choose Custom Form

Select the “Custom signup form” Option, then Click “Create Form.”

Name and Configure

Enter a name for your form (e.g., “Main Newsletter Signup”). This name is for internal use only.
Select the subscriber group(s) you want to add subscribers to. Click “Create form”.
Customize the form’s Title, Description, Button Text, and Success Message. Click Save Form.

Copy the Shortcode

After saving, you’ll see a shortcode at the top of the form editing page (e.g., [mailerlite_form form_id=1]). Copy this shortcode.

Add the Form to Your Website

You can add your signup form to pages, posts, or widget areas using the shortcode you just copied.

Gutenberg Editor (Pages and Posts)

Open the page or post where you want to add the form.
Click below the title, click the three dot menu, and select “Insert Before.”
Paste the MailerLite shortcode into the new block.
Click “Update” and then “Preview” to view the form on your page.

Classic Editor (Pages and Posts)

Open the page or post in the Classic Editor.
Click at the beginning of your content, press Enter to create a new line, and paste the shortcode.
Click “Update” and then “View Page” or “View Post”.

Widget Areas (Site-Wide)

In your WordPress dashboard, go to “Appearance” and then “Widgets”.
Locate the “MailerLite sign up form” widget.
Click the widget, select the widget area where you want to display it (e.g., “Footer #2”), and click “Add Widget”.
(Optional) If you want only form, remove any existing widgets by clicking them and selecting delete.

Important Considerations and Tips

Testing: Always test your signup form by submitting a test subscription. Check your MailerLite account to confirm the test subscriber is added to the correct group.
Styling: You can add Custom CSS to the style.css file. The plugin CSS gets overridden upon updates, so put custom CSS into /wp-content/themes/your-theme/style.css
Popups: MailerLite popups are enabled by default. You can customize or disable them within your MailerLite account dashboard.

Conclusion

Creating a newsletter and growing your audience is very important. MailerLite’s official WordPress plugin offers a streamlined solution. You can effortlessly gather subscribers and connect with them directly. Start building your email list today!