Email marketing should be simple, fast, and reliable. MailPoet gets us very close to that ideal inside WordPress. In this extended look, we walk through the setup, explore the features, and show how we build forms, newsletters, automations, and WooCommerce emails without extra tools or clunky workarounds.
How to Get the Best Deal on MailPoet
InfluenceWP has an exclusive MailPoet deal.
Exploring the MailPoet Website
MailPoet leads with a clear promise: send beautiful emails that reach inboxes and build subscribers on WordPress. The product sits inside our site, and it brings the tooling we need for email marketing into a single plugin.
Two highlights stand out right away: seamless WooCommerce integration and built-in deliverability without extra SMTP plugins.
A quick tour of the site reveals plenty of support resources and signs of a mature product:
- Documentation and an ultimate guide to email in WordPress
- Feature requests and a public roadmap
- Affiliate program details
- System status page
- Knowledge base and support portal
The header’s features menu outlines what we can do:
- WordPress newsletters, latest post notifications, welcome emails, WordPress email templates
- Signup forms and list management
- Inactive subscribers tools, WooCommerce customers and users lists, list segmentation
- WooCommerce automation: email customizer, abandoned cart emails, first purchase emails, purchased this product emails, purchased in this category emails
- Deliverability and a native sending service
The about page shows a sizable team with names and faces. That builds trust and hints at long-term product health. MailPoet is part of the Automattic family, which gives it additional stability and reach.
The support section offers a clean knowledge base. In our experience, MailPoet works as expected most of the time, so we do not often need to dig into support articles. It is good to know they are there.
Feedback and roadmap notes point to ongoing improvements, including better template management in progress.
Getting Started with Installation
We recommend starting with the free version from the WordPress repository. It is enough for many stores, publishers, and creators to test the waters, send real emails, and confirm fit before upgrading.
If we need advanced features, we install both the base plugin and the premium add‑on.
The onboarding is quick:
- Begin setup and add our name and email address.
- Choose privacy options, such as modern text fonts via Google Fonts and sending non‑sensitive usage data to improve MailPoet.
- Connect our MailPoet account by pasting our key and verifying. We have seen a minor UX quirk where a redirect page appears before we paste the key. Going back to the setup screen lets us finish. No big deal.
- Complete the initial checklist.
That checklist includes:
- Using the MailPoet sending service tied to our account
- Importing subscribers from CSV, WordPress users, or WooCommerce customers
- Creating our first signup form
Building Signup Forms with Ease
MailPoet’s form builder is friendly and fast. We can start from a library of templates, like “Join the Club,” or pick a design that matches our brand colors. We can also build from scratch.
Choose how the form appears:
- Popup
- Slide‑in
- Fixed bar
- Inline on pages or posts
- Widgets
The builder uses the WordPress block editor, which keeps the learning curve low. We drag and drop text, images, and buttons. It is all familiar if we have used blocks before. The plus icon in the top left opens the block list. The slash command also works in most editing areas to add blocks quickly.
Form customization is flexible:
- Change headline, body text, and button labels
- Pick our mailing list target
- Define the action after submit (show a message or redirect to a page)
- Adjust layout, spacing, and colors
- Choose placement rules (all pages, homepage only, specific pages, posts, or products)
- Add custom CSS if needed
- Swap or remove images
We can preview on the front end and adjust settings on the fly. For example, change the width from a fixed pixel value to a percentage to fit more screens. Save or deactivate forms at any time. It is super easy, even for beginners.
Display Options
We get granular control over where forms appear:
- All pages or posts
- Homepage only
- Selected pages or posts
- All posts and products
- Anywhere we need it with clear rules
Crafting Emails and Newsletters
Newsletters live under the Emails menu. We can start from a saved email template, pick a prebuilt template, or choose a simple text layout and build up from there.
A straightforward build process:
- Select a template that fits our content.
- Drag in elements like images, text, and buttons.
- Set the subject line and preview text.
Design notes:
- Always preview on desktop and mobile.
- Send test emails to multiple inboxes, like Gmail or Outlook.
- Check links and formatting before scheduling.
- Always test to avoid embarrassing errors.
Sending options cover what we expect in a modern tool:
- Audience and list selection, with segment filters
- Scheduling by date and time
- Sender and reply‑to details
- UTM parameters for Google Analytics
Post‑send stats include:
- Open and click rates
- List targeting details
- Send time and status
- Performance trends over time
When we like a design, we save or duplicate the template. That keeps our system consistent and saves setup time for each new send.
Automating Content with Post Notifications and More
We use MailPoet for automated post notifications. This is a fast way to send new content summaries to subscribers without manual work. We pick the cadence, such as immediately, daily, weekly, or monthly. Then we pick a template and define the type of content to include.
Content Customization
- Post type selection, including posts, pages, and custom types
- Category and tag filters
- Number of items to include
- Excerpt or full post settings
- Author details and featured images
- Read more text and link styles
We also set up re‑engagement emails. These go out to inactive subscribers after a chosen time frame, like five months. The email includes a clear call to action that lets people confirm they still want updates. If they say yes, MailPoet can resubscribe them and keep their status in good standing.
It is a smart way to give our audience convenience and choice. It is also handy for blogs, directories, or any site that publishes new items often.
Setting Up Automations for Welcome and Custom Flows
The Automations tab makes common emails easy to set and forget. We get options to welcome new subscribers or new WordPress users. We can send a single email or a series spaced over days.
Prebuilt options include:
- Welcome new subscribers
- Welcome new WordPress users
- Welcome series for either group
Building a custom automation takes a few steps:
- Add a trigger, such as when a WordPress user registers.
- Add actions, like add to list, apply a tag, or send an email.
- Set delays if needed, then write the emails.
- Save and activate.
For example, a simple flow could look like this: a new user registers, we add them to our newsletter list, then we send a welcome email with useful links.
We can turn automations on and off, and we can review flow analytics to see subscribers, completion, and engagement. It is dead simple compared to other tools.
For Different Businesses
- Service firms can onboard clients with a 3‑email welcome series.
- Publishers can send a quick start guide to new readers.
- Small shops can greet first‑time customers with tips and top products.
Managing Subscribers, Lists, and Segments
MailPoet’s subscriber screen is clean and practical. We can filter by status and take action quickly. Double opt‑in is on by default when using MailPoet’s sending service, which helps with compliance and deliverability.
Here is a quick view of statuses:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Subscribed | Confirmed and receiving emails |
| Unconfirmed | Received opt‑in email but has not confirmed |
| Unsubscribed | Opted out from our emails |
| Inactive | Not engaging with our emails over a period of time |
| Bounced | Mail could not be delivered to that address |
Useful actions:
- Add subscribers manually
- Import or export lists
- Edit subscriptions, lists, and tags
- Resend confirmation emails
- Search and sort by list, tag, or status
We keep clean data. We remove bounces and review inactive subscribers often. It pays off in better deliverability and lower costs.
Lists are simple to manage. We can rename them, adjust visibility on the manage subscription page, and add descriptions that explain the value. There is also a list for WordPress users, which helps when we want to email site members.
Targeting Precision
Segments help us send the right message to the right people. We can use prebuilt segments, or create our own with conditions like roles, tags, purchase history, or behavior. We can match any, all, or none of the conditions to get precise control.
Example: we keep our partner audience separate from consumers so they receive different offers and updates.
Configuring Settings for Compliance and Performance
MailPoet covers the core pages and policies we need to run email inside WordPress. We can preview defaults, then use shortcodes to build custom pages with our theme or builder of choice.
Key basics to set:
- Sender and reply‑to details
- Subscribe options in comments and registration forms
- Manage subscription, unsubscribe, and success pages
Compliance pages include:
- Confirmation and re‑engagement pages
- Manage subscription and unsubscribe pages
- A guide to GDPR practices
We can also set admin notifications for new subscribers and stats, and we can direct those to specific inboxes or team lists. For sending, the simplest path is MailPoet’s own service. Advanced users can choose SMTP, Amazon SES, SendGrid, or host sending, but most teams will get better results with MailPoet’s native service.
Advanced Tweaks and Support Resources
The Advanced tab holds settings for power users and hosts.
- Cron options, including the default WordPress scheduler or a server‑side cron
- Role and capability controls to limit who can do what
- Tracking and analytics options, including how to count human and machine opens
- Automatic stops for inactive subscribers after a chosen time frame
- Anonymous data sharing preferences
- Optional third‑party font libraries
Spam protection is important. Our recommendation is simple: use the free Simple CAPTCHA Alternative with Cloudflare Turnstile plugin if you can. It offers a better user experience and avoids performance hits that often come with reCAPTCHA. MailPoet includes its own CAPTCHA options, which you can test if you prefer a single‑plugin approach.
Logging defaults to errors only. Turn on full logging when troubleshooting. When things are stable, it is reasonable to log nothing to reduce noise. If you ever need a clean slate, use the reinstall option.
The Help section links to the knowledge base, system status, and privacy notices. We can copy system info with one click when opening a support ticket. It is a small touch that saves time for both sides.
WooCommerce Integration Highlights
For shops running WooCommerce, MailPoet adds targeted tools that move the needle:
- WooCommerce email customizer for store emails
- Automation for abandoned carts
- First purchase emails to welcome new customers
- Product and category-based follow-ups
We can also build segments around WooCommerce users and customers, then send campaigns that match their buying stage and interests.
Final Thoughts
MailPoet brings email marketing into WordPress without the usual friction. We set up forms, design newsletters, and build automations inside the dashboard, then send with MailPoet’s service for smooth deliverability. It is flexible enough for agencies and simple enough for DIY site owners.