In this article, we're going to be chatting about how to sync between MailChimp and Keela once you've connected the integration.

Once you've completed the integration, click on the Actions button > Click Sync Settings

There are three steps to the sync process:

(1) Select MailChimp List

Choose an existing MailChimp Audience from the drop-down list to sync with Keela > Click Next

Note Once you connect an Audience, all Sent Campaigns from that Audience will be imported into Keela

(2) Map CRM Fields

In the second step, we will be matching the MailChimp data fields from the audience you selected to existing CRM fields in Keela so that everything is neat and tidy!

Review the Merge Name and Merge Tag data fields > Click on the CRM Field drop-down list > Select the field that you would like this information to be stored in > Repeat the steps for all fields > Click Save

Hint: First Name, Last Name, and Email address will always automatically match up with fields.

Note: Only existing CRM Fields will appear on your CRM Field drop-down list. If you would like to match up your MailChimp data with a Custom Field, you will need to create it first before syncing the audience.

**Any fields that are listed as "Required" in MailChimp, must be mapped with a Keela field. Keep in mind that the formatting requirements must be kept consistent between platforms.

Once you've saved, your audience will appear beneath your MailChimp integration. Hey look, it's Wayne!

(3) Import MailChimp Tag

Now that you have an audience synced with Keela, it's time to bring some Contacts over! We do this through your MailChimp Tags.

Click on the Actions button > Click Import Tag

Select a Tag that you would like to Import ALL Contacts for from the drop-down list > Click Save

Repeat the above step to import as many of your remaining Tags as you like!

Note that all contacts from the tag will be imported with the exception of unsubscribed contacts. Unsubscribed contacts in Mailchimp will not be imported to Keela in consideration of your contact count in Keela.

FAQ

How does the integration match contacts between Keela and Mailchimp?

Every time data is synced between the two systems, Keela Contacts will be matched to any Mailchimp Contacts by Email Address only. Contact names will be ignored.

If I want to bring all my contacts over, do I still need to sync by tags?

Yes, feel free to tag all your contacts in an audience with the same tag to make this easy!

If I have unsubscribed contacts in Mailchimp and the same contact exists in Keela, will the Keela contact's subscription status change?

During the initial sync, Keela ignores all unsubscribed contacts in Mailchimp, so the subscription status will not transfer to Keela even if there is a match. We recommend manually updating these statuses in Keela manually or via import. Since all other contacts will be synced, you'll only have to do this once!
After the initial sync, Keela and Mailchimp will update each other's subscription statuses as they change in each system; it's a two-way sync.

During the initial sync, if there is a match on contacts between Keela and Mailchimp, what subscription status will be retained in Keela (Mailchimp or Keela)?

During the initial sync, we will prioritize Mailchimp's subscription status for contacts already in Keela. After initial sync this will be a two-way sync, so a change in either system will update the other.

During the initial sync if there is a match on contacts between Keela and Mailchimp, what CRM fields will be retained in Keela (Mailchimp or Keela)?

During the initial sync, we will prioritize Mailchimp's data in the CRM fields for contacts already in Keela, including name fields. After initial sync this will be a two-way sync, so a change in either system will update the other.

Note that any empty values from Mailchimp will not replace filled values in Keela. For example, if a Mailchimp contact has an empty value for the birthday field this field will not replace a birthday field already in Keela.

How do I sync New Keela Contacts into Mailchimp?

Did you sync over Mailchimp Tags into Keela? If so, once your MailChimp lists have been set up in Keela as Tags, you will be able to sync any new Contacts from Keela to the MailChimp system by simply adding them to the Mailchimp Tags.

How often does the integration sync contacts?

The MailChimp > Keela sync occurs every 5-minutes or whenever you manually select to Sync. The Keela > MailChimp sync occurs roughly every 10-hours. As a result, if changes need to be made to a contact, we recommend doing so in MailChimp.

What happens to synced Contacts in Keela if I delete the contact from Mailchimp?

When you delete a Contact in Mailchimp that is synced with Keela, Mailchimp sends an 'unsubscribed' notice for that Contact in Keela. In short, the Keela Contact will be Opted-out. You will need to manually opt them back in by Managing Email Preferences for a Contact.

Can you sync to multiple MailChimp Audiences simultaneously?

No, it is only possible to sync to one MailChimp Audience. We'd recommend using a single audience, and then separating and segmenting these contacts using Tags.

I want to update the email address of the contact. Where do I update it?

If you have a contact that came from the Mailchimp sync and you want to update their email address, you'll need to update it on Mailchimp and that information will be carried over to Keela.

What happens if I archive contacts in MailChimp?

The archived contact will be "Opted-Out" in Keela. If you unarchive this contact in Keela, they will then be "Opted-In".

What happens if I disconnect Mailchimp?

If you disconnect Mailchimp from Keela, any contacts that you have synced over from Mailchimp to Keela will remain in Keela and will not be affected.

Important note: If you plan on deleting contacts in the Mailchimp platform, but want to keep the contacts in Keela, make sure you disconnect the integration first! If you delete contacts in Mailchimp while the integration is still connected to Keela the synced contacts in Keela will be unsubscribed.