Email Marketing
You should create a separate, standalone MailerLite account for each client rather than adding them as lists or sub-users under your own personal account.
Why Separate Accounts Are Essential for SMEs
- Data Protection & GDPR Compliance: Subscriber lists, customer names, and unsubscribe requests must be strictly isolated for legal privacy reasons. Sharing an account risks mixing subscriber data.
- Domain & Server Reputation Safeguard: Domain authentication records (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) are tied directly to the sending domain. Keeping accounts separate prevents one client’s poor list hygiene or spam complaints from harming your or another client’s sending reputation.
- Clean Billing & Handover: Each business owner pays for their own contact tier directly. If a client ever parts ways, you can hand over full admin access instantly without untangling billing or website integrations.
Best Practice Setup Strategy
- Sign Up via the MailerLite Agency Program:
- Register each client account using their main business email address (or create an account on their behalf).
- Join the free MailerLite Agency/Affiliate program to earn a 30% recurring lifetime commission on every client subscription.
- Grant Yourself Agency Access:
- Once the client account is created, add your email address as a Manager or Administrator.
- MailerLite features a single-login account switcher, allowing you to jump between client dashboards in two clicks from one master screen.
- Configure WP & Domain Verification Once:
- Add the required DKIM and CNAME DNS authentication records to their domain registrar.
- Connect their GeneratePress WordPress site using the official MailerLite plugin to capture signups natively.
1. Create Client Account:1 min.
Sign up the client directly on MailerLite using their business email.
2. Add Yourself as User:2 mins.
Navigate to Account Settings > Users inside their dashboard and invite your agency email as an Administrator.
3. Authenticate Domain:5 mins.
Add the CNAME and TXT records provided by MailerLite into the client’s DNS control panel to ensure full inbox deliverability.
To help visualize managing subscribers and list structures within MailerLite, this video demonstrates manually managing contacts in the platform:
Add Subscribers Manually in MailerLite
This video provides a quick walkthrough of adding and organizing subscribers inside a MailerLite account.
https://youtu.be/uaojaSaHP0Q?si=h8ViyP7cRgVUKgv7
Yes, you can import contacts directly from Excel into MailerLite. MailerLite offers two simple ways to do this without needing complex technical steps.
Method 1: Save as CSV File (Recommended)
- Open your Excel spreadsheet.
- Click File > Save As and choose CSV (Comma delimited) (.csv) as the file format.
- Log in to MailerLite, navigate to Subscribers, and click Add subscribers.
- Choose Import from a CSV or TXT file, drop your file in, and click Import subscribers.
Method 2: Copy & Paste Directly from Excel
- Open your Excel sheet and select the rows/columns containing your subscriber data (e.g. Email, First Name, Company).
- Press Ctrl + C (or Cmd + C) to copy.
- In MailerLite (Subscribers > Add subscribers), click the Copy/paste from Excel tab.
- Paste the data into the box and click Import subscribers.
1
Prepare Spreadsheet
1 min
1.Prepare Spreadsheet:1 min.
Ensure your Excel file has clear column headers in row 1 (e.g. Email, First Name, Last Name, Phone).
2
Upload or Paste Data
1 min
2.Upload or Paste Data:1 min.
Upload the saved .csv file or paste your copied Excel columns into MailerLite.
3
Match Fields & Select Group
2 mins
3.Match Fields & Select Group:2 mins.
Assign each column to the correct MailerLite field (e.g. match “Email” to “Email”), select or create a subscriber group (e.g. Springmakers October Newsletter), and click Finish import.
Important Guidelines for Imports
- Automatic Cleaning: MailerLite automatically detects and cleans duplicate email addresses or invalid formats during the import process.
- Single Sheet Only: If your Excel file has multiple tabs/sheets, make sure the contact data is on the first sheet before exporting or copying.
- Permission Check: MailerLite requires that imported contacts have given explicit consent to receive emails to keep deliverability high.
Does Mailer lite have a guide to how to structure your CSV file i.e. column headings
SME Web & Marketing Advisor
Custom Gem
Yes, MailerLite has clear guidelines on how to structure your spreadsheet.
The main rule is simple: each piece of data must have its own column, and row 1 must contain your column headers.
Standard Column Layout for CSV/Excel
When setting up your spreadsheet for clients, format your columns like this:
| Column A | Column B | Column C | Column D | Column E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Email | Name | Last name | Company | Phone |
john@example.co.uk | John | Smith | Smith Tools Ltd | 01214960000 |
sarah@example.co.uk | Sarah | Jones | Jones Engineering | 01214960001 |
Key Formatting Rules from MailerLite
- Required Field: The
Emailcolumn is mandatory. Every row must contain a valid email address. - Built-in Fields: MailerLite automatically recognises standard headers like
Email,Name(First Name),Last name,Company,Phone,City,State,Zip, andCountry. - Custom Fields: If you want to import unique data (e.g.,
Client TypeorAccount Ref), create the custom field under Subscribers > Fields inside MailerLite before uploading your file. - Clean Data Formatting:
- Keep all data on a single sheet in your Excel file.
- Ensure there are no empty space padding before or after text.
- Save the file as CSV (UTF-8) to ensure special characters import correctly.
What Happens During Import?
During upload, MailerLite provides a Column Matching screen. It displays your headers alongside a preview of your data:
- Automatic Mapping: It automatically maps
Emailto the Email field andNameto the First Name field. - Manual Adjustments: For extra columns, use dropdown menus to match them to existing fields or select Skip this column to leave them out.
- Finish: Select the target subscriber group (e.g. Springmakers October Newsletter) and complete the import.
1
Prepare Headers
1 min
Open your Excel sheet and ensure Row 1 has simple headers: Email, Name, Last name, Company.
2
Save as CSV
1 min
Click File > Save As and choose CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv) format.
3
Upload & Match Fields
2 mins
Go to MailerLite > Subscribers > Add subscribers, upload the file, match your columns to fields, and assign a group.
