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Tools Used:

  • Bloom – Elegant Theme’s awesome email opt-in plugin!
  • MailChimp – The email provider I currently use for this blog. (Free up to 2,000 subscribers, and now automation is added to free accounts!)
  • Camera Used in Video (Canon M6) – In this video, I used the Canon M6 to record myself!
  • Microphone (Zoom H4N) – This is what I used to record my voice – a super handy tool if you do any video or audio stuff!
  • Elegant Themes – They have been an awesome addition to my toolbox, saving time and making things look pretty!

So here’s my quick story:

I recently purchased Elegant Themes, and I’m really impressed with it!

But here’s my dilemma. Since I use MailChimp as my email provider on this blog, I eventually want to start grouping my subscribers to build better relationships and send targeted emails which benefit my subscribers.

Well.. Bloom currently doesn’t support MailChimp groups!

I was appalled!

For the time being, you have to create separate lists which means extra money (duplicate subscribers), and it’s much harder to manage!

But don’t worry! I found a workaround which allows us to use MailChimp groups with Bloom.

Separate Lists or MailChimp Groups with Bloom

(The images + steps are below if you want to cut to the chase.)

I first want to cover why groups are preferred over separate lists.

Separate lists make us have duplicate subscribers and make it hard to see a subscriber’s activity like what emails they’ve received, any purchases made, etc.

We’d have to keep looking across both lists (as well as pay for them twice if they’ve signed up to both.)

Groups offer everything we want to achieve.

We can use only one list to group subscribers while totally tracking a subscriber’s activity!

No more paying for duplicate subscribers, and it’s WAY easier to maintain.

In my example in the video:

I currently have two groups on itsGratuiTous.com – a Crash Course group, and an FL Studio Beginners group.

It’s important I send my subscribers emails according to their particular category. I don’t want to be sending beginner beatmakers advanced topics, right!?

How to Set Up Bloom with MailChimp Groups

If you can’t watch the video right now, here’s a step-by-step guide to set up Bloom with MailChimp groups.

The most important part is using a Custom HTML Form inside of Bloom, as well make the input field checked and hidden for your group!

Ready?

Let’s get into it!:

Step One

First sign into MailChimp, and select Lists.

bloom-mailchimp-groups-list

Step Two:

Choose the List you’re wanting to work with!

bloom-mailchimp-groups-choose-list

Step Three:

Create a Group if you haven’t dont so already!

bloom-mailchimp-groups-create-group

Step Four:

Click Signup Forms

bloom-mailchimp-groups-signup-form

Step Five:

Select General forms

bloom-mailchimp-groups-signup-general-form

Step Six:

You want to make your group visible.

Click on the group on the actual visual builder, then on the right column you will see a radio button for Visible and hidden.

After selecting Visible, make sure to save!

bloom-mailchimp-groups-visual-builder

Step Seven:

Next, go back to Signup forms, and select Embedded forms

bloom-mailchimp-groups-signup-embedded-form

Step Eight:

On the Embedded Forms:

Select the Naked form (no mailchimp styling.)

Deselect ‘Include form title’, ‘Show required field indicators’, and ‘show format options’

Make sure Show interest group fields is selected!

I also select Show only required fields

bloom-mailchimp-groups-embed-code

Step Nine:

Now it’s time to go to Bloom, and select New Optin.

bloom-mailchimp-groups-optin-choice

Step Ten:

You will select Custom HTML Form, which is at the very bottom of the list in Bloom. (You will not be using a provider!)

Also, paste the embed code in the Insert HTML section.

bloom-mailchimp-groups-custom-html-form

Step Eleven:

In this image, I have put the first name field first, then email.

(Just something I like to do.)

Also on the input fields, I have added the placeholder=”First Name”, and placeholder=”Email” to the respective inputs.

This will make for a much cleaner look.. Especially since I removed the labels – this lets the subscriber know what to fill in!

bloom-mailchimp-groups-fname-email

Step Twelve:

First decide what group you want the subscriber to join, that’s the list item we will keep! I remove everything except the input field of the group I’m wanting. I remove the blue highlighted text in the image, as well as the opening <div><strong><ul> and <li>.

Lol – sorry if this image is confusing.

Just make sure to keep the <input> that is for your group. 🙂

bloom-mailchimp-groups-delete-code

Step Thirteen:

This image may be hard to read, but here’s what you do.

In the input field of your group, you will add:

checked hidden style=”display:none;”

This will make the input checked and hide it from a potential subscriber. This way they can’t unclick the checkbox, and when they sign-up, you’ve made them join the you want group so you can target them specifically!

bloom-mailchimp-groups-input-checked-hidden

Step Fourteen:

And that’s a wrap!

If someone fills out this form, they should be added to the group you’ve wanted them to join 🙂

bloom-mailchimp-groups-complete

And that’s how you use MailChimp Groups with Bloom

So hopefully those details + images help you on your way.

If not, be sure to watch the video!

And if that doesn’t work, then you be sure to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you 🙂

Hopefully Elegant Themes follow through with this promise and just releases an update to Bloom which includes MailChimp groups!

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