Iteras Integrates with the Mailchimp Newsletter System
Setting up the Integration
You will need to create your own account with Mailchimp. Iteras does not provide support for setting up or using Mailchimp, beyond what is directly related to configuring the integration. If you already have a Mailchimp account, it can be reused. Iteras will simply create a separate list for the subscribers or members coming from Iteras.
Setting up the integration is quite simple. You just need to enter an API key from Mailchimp into Iteras. You can find the API key in Mailchimp by clicking on your profile (top right corner), then navigating to Profile > Extras > API Keys. Click “Create a Key”.
In Iteras, paste the API key under Account > Integrations > Mailchimp. Synchronization starts automatically once the API key is entered.
The initial synchronization may take some time, as Mailchimp processes only 1–2 updates per second. For future synchronizations, only new or changed subscribers/members will be synced.
How the integration works
Iteras syncs all selected subscribers with a valid email address to Mailchimp. This synchronization happens continuously. Whenever there are updates or new history related to a subscriber, Iteras checks whether the list in Mailchimp has the latest data and updates it if needed. Additionally, once a day (early morning), Iteras performs a full sync to ensure nothing is missing and also checks for deleted subscribers.
All synced subscribers are added to a specific list in Mailchimp, which you name during setup. You can then segment this list within Mailchimp using the fields that have been synchronized. If you want two separate lists, you can create two synchronizations and filter which subscribers are synced to each one.
You define which fields are synchronized to Mailchimp as part of the integration. A few notes:
ID: This is the subscriber or member number from Iteras.
Email: This is the subscriber’s email address – not the billing email address, if one is specified in Iteras.
Password setup URL: This can be used to send an individual URL to new subscribers where they can set their own password. It’s useful if you want to keep the signup form simple.
Subscription fields work differently, as the concept of subscriptions does not exist in Mailchimp. Instead, these fields are synced directly into the contact record. You can choose a version of a field specific to a given product to compensate for this.
What happens automatically – and what you can edit
You may add extra recipients to the Mailchimp list manually. Iteras will not touch these unless they have a matching Iteras ID or email address.
In general, you should avoid editing or deleting any data that Iteras manages for recipients – that is, those who have an Iteras ID – because any changes will be overwritten during the next sync.
Otherwise, you are free to create segments and additional fields in Mailchimp, and you may rename tags created by Iteras (e.g., change MMERGE3 to something more descriptive). Be aware, though, that Mailchimp has a limit on the number of fields you can use.
What can this be used for?
The Mailchimp integration opens up a wide range of possibilities. Here are some examples:
Email-based products: The integration makes it easy to offer a product that is delivered via email. This could be a media product sent as an email or as a link within the email. The email could also simply be a notification that the product is available on the intended platform, such as an app or a digital flipbook.
Notifications about upcoming issues: You can send an email to notify subscribers when a new issue is about to be released. This builds anticipation and gives subscribers a chance to react if they don't receive it. It also helps retain subscribers who may have moved without updating their address.
Other messages/newsletters: You can send messages or newsletters to active subscribers whenever needed.
Automated email flows: Mailchimp allows you to create automated workflows that are triggered when new recipients are added to the list. A flow might consist of a welcome email sent on the first day, a follow-up after a month to ask for feedback, and perhaps another email after two months outlining the benefits of the subscription. You can also set up reactivation campaigns for expired subscribers – such as sending a special offer to renew, repeated at chosen intervals. For example, offering to pay for 1 or 3 issues at a time instead of 12.
Segmenting email sends
Many of the use cases above require segmentation, meaning that emails are sent only to a subset of your subscribers. Common segmentations include filtering by publication/product or by active/inactive status. For example, you might want to email only active subscribers of a specific publication.
Mailchimp also supports segmentation for automated campaigns based on any of the fields we send. Once the data is in Mailchimp, any further questions about usage should be directed to Mailchimp's support – Iteras does not provide support for sending emails.
Bounces
When an email cannot be delivered, it is said to "bounce." Mailchimp marks bounced email addresses with a special (cleaned) status. When we sync data from Iteras into Mailchimp, we make sure not to overwrite this status. This way, Mailchimp continues to hold the subscriber’s information and receive updates, but no emails will be sent to them.
Eventually, the subscriber will likely get in touch and provide a correct email address. If the email address is removed from Iteras, it will also be removed from Mailchimp.
Minor discrepancies
There may be small discrepancies between the number of recipients in Iteras and in Mailchimp. Only subscribers with valid email addresses can be added to Mailchimp. If multiple subscribers share the same email address, they will be treated as a single recipient in Mailchimp, as this is how the platform works.