What Is Zapier?

Think of Zapier as the middleman.

When one app performs an action, Zapier tells another app what to do next. Each automation is called a Zap.

Every Zap has two parts:

Trigger – Something happens.

Action – Another app responds.

For example:

Someone is added to your client spreadsheet.

↓

They’re automatically added to your Mailchimp audience.

No copy/paste.

No forgotten leads.

Using Zapier

• Connect Your Mailchimp

Start by creating a Zapier account. Choose Mailchimp as one of your connected apps.

Zapier will ask you to log into Mailchimp and authorize access. Once connected, Zapier can securely interact with your Mailchimp account whenever your automations run.

• Choose Your Trigger

Now decide what starts the automation.

Some popular triggers include:

• Website form submissions
• Shopify purchases
• Squarespace forms
• WordPress forms
• Calendly bookings
• Google Forms
• Facebook Lead Ads

Every business has slightly different needs, but the goal is always the same:

Capture information once. Let automation handle the rest.

• Create the Mailchimp Action

Next, tell Zapier what to do.

A common action is:

Add Subscriber to Audience

You’ll choose:

• Your Mailchimp audience
• Subscriber email
• First name
• Last name
• Tags
• Groups (optional)

The information from your trigger automatically fills these fields.

• Add Tags for Better Organization

Tags make your audience far more useful.

Instead of putting everyone into one giant list, consider organizing subscribers by where they came from.

Examples include:

• Website Inquiry
• Free Guide
• Webinar
• Customer
• Newsletter
• Consultation

Later, these tags make email segmentation much easier.

• Test Everything

Before turning on your Zap, always run a test.

Check that:

• The subscriber appears in Mailchimp.
• Tags are applied correctly.
• Names transfer properly.
• No duplicate contacts are created.

Testing now prevents headaches later.

BIG BONUS: Zapier even has built in AI that can help guide you to create whatever process you are looking to do. 

Expand Your Automations

Once you’re comfortable with one Zap, the possibilities grow quickly.

You can automatically:

• Send welcome emails
• Notify your team in Slack
• Add customers to Google Sheets
• Create tasks in Asana
• Trigger follow-up sequences
• Organize leads by service type

Small automations often create the biggest time savings.

One mistake many people make is trying to automate everything immediately. Instead, start with one repetitive task that steals your time every week. Once that’s working smoothly, build another. Automation should reduce stress, not create more of it.

Zapier and Mailchimp make a powerful combination because they remove repetitive work from your day. Instead of worrying whether every lead made it into your email list, you can trust your systems to handle it automatically. That means less administrative work, better organization, and more time doing the work only you can do.

Start with Good Content

Before you even open an editing app, remember this:

Editing enhances good content, it rarely saves a bad one.

Whenever possible:

• Use natural lighting.
• Clean your camera lens.
• Keep your background uncluttered.
• Take multiple versions of the same shot.
• Shoot with plenty of space around your subject so you have room to crop.

Strong content requires less editing and usually looks more authentic.

Adobe Lightroom Mobile

If consistency is your goal, Lightroom Mobile is one of the best investments you can make. Instead of editing every image from scratch, Lightroom lets you save your edits as presets. That means your entire Instagram feed can maintain the same style with just one click.

A consistent visual style helps your audience recognize your content before they even see your name.

Canva

Canva has become one of the most valuable tools for small businesses.

While it isn’t a photo editor in the traditional sense, it’s perfect for creating social media graphics.

You can quickly design:

• Instagram carousels
• Pinterest pins
• Facebook graphics
• Stories
• LinkedIn posts
• Presentation slides

The Brand Kit feature allows you to save your fonts, colors, and logos so every design stays on-brand.

Even better, Canva offers templates that make creating content significantly faster. You can even easily edit out things in your pictures. 

CapCut

If video is part of your marketing strategy, CapCut is one of the easiest editing apps available.

You can:

• Trim clips
• Add captions
• Include transitions
• Adjust audio
• Add music
• Create short-form videos for Instagram Reels and TikTok

Automatic caption generation alone can save hours of editing.

Since many people watch videos without sound, captions help increase engagement and accessibility.

Remove Distractions

Sometimes a photo is almost perfect except for one small detail.

Maybe it’s:

• A trash can in the background
• A power line
• Someone walking through your shot
• Dust on a product

Many editing apps now include AI-powered object removal tools that make cleaning up photos surprisingly easy.

Just remember: the goal is to enhance reality, not completely change it.

Keep Your Brand Consistent

One mistake many businesses make is editing every image differently. One day your feed looks bright and airy. The next day it’s dark and dramatic. Consistency builds recognition. Choose a style and stick with it. Your audience should recognize your content before they even see your logo.

Start with one or two apps that fit your workflow and learn them well. As your confidence grows, so will the quality of your content. The best content doesn’t distract from your message, it supports it. When your visuals look polished and consistent, your audience can focus on what really matters: your expertise, your story, and the value you bring.

Start with One Primary Audience

When you first open Mailchimp, you might be tempted to create multiple audiences for different groups of people.

In most cases, resist that temptation. Instead, create one primary audience and organize subscribers using tags and groups. This approach helps prevent duplicate contacts, simplifies reporting, and makes it easier to manage your list as it grows.

Build a Signup Form That Converts

People are protective of their inboxes, so give them a reason to subscribe.

Instead of saying: “Sign up for our newsletter.”

Offer something valuable, like:

• A free guide
• A checklist
• Early access to products
• Helpful tips delivered monthly

Keep your signup form simple. In most cases, asking for a first name and email address is enough. The fewer fields you require, the more likely someone is to complete the form.

Organize with Tags

Tags help you understand where subscribers came from and what they’re interested in.

For example, someone who downloads a branding guide may have different needs than someone who books a consultation.

Useful tags might include:

• Website Subscriber
• Lead Magnet
• Client
• Inquiry

These tags allow you to send more relevant emails instead of blasting the same message to everyone.

Stay Consistent

One of the biggest mistakes is only emailing when you have something to sell.

Instead, aim to provide value on a regular schedule.Share tips, answer frequently asked questions, highlight client success stories, offer behind-the-scenes insights into your business, or even things you yourself are loving. 

Consistency keeps your audience engaged and reminds them why they signed up in the first place.

Clean Your List Regularly

This is one, I myself, just did. Not every subscriber will stay engaged forever. Every few months, review your list and identify contacts who haven’t opened your emails in a long time.

Consider sending a re-engagement campaign before removing inactive subscribers.

A smaller, engaged list is often more valuable than a large list filled with inactive contacts.Trust me, nothing is worse than having a gigantic list but a dismal open rate. 

An email list isn’t built overnight, but every new subscriber is another opportunity to build trust and strengthen relationships. By starting with a clean Mailchimp setup, organizing your contacts thoughtfully, and consistently delivering helpful content, you’ll create a marketing asset that continues to grow alongside your business.

Your email list isn’t just another marketing channel, it’s one of the few audiences you truly own, making it one of the most valuable tools in your business.

Keep Your Website Fresh

One of the easiest ways to make your website look neglected is to leave outdated information sitting on your homepage. Maybe you’ve changed services. Maybe you’ve updated pricing.

Maybe the smiling headshot on your About page is five years old. (I was guilty of this).

These small details tell visitors whether your business is active and trustworthy.

A good habit is to review your website twice a year. Read through every page as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Look for outdated information, broken links, or sections that no longer reflect your business.

Small improvements over time are much easier than redesigning everything every few years

Swapping Out Images

Images are one of the quickest ways to refresh a website. Maybe you’ve had new branding photos taken. Maybe you want to showcase a recent project.

Or maybe that stock image just doesn’t feel like you anymore.

Inside WordPress, replacing an image is often as simple as editing the page, selecting the current image, and uploading a new one to the Media Library.

A few tips before uploading:

• Resize large photos before uploading to improve website speed. No bigger than 200 KB. 
• Give files descriptive names instead of “IMG_4837.jpg.”
• Add Alt Text to improve accessibility and SEO.
• Use high-quality photos that represent your current brand.

Fresh visuals help visitors connect with your business almost instantly.

Updating Text

Businesses evolve. Your website should evolve with it. Maybe you’ve added a new service. Maybe you’ve narrowed your niche. Maybe your messaging has become much clearer than when you first launched.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite sections as your business grows.

Your homepage, About page, and service pages should all answer three questions:

• What do you do?
• Who do you help?
• Why should someone choose you?

If the answer isn’t immediately obvious, it’s probably time for an update.

Adding a New Blog

One of WordPress’s greatest strengths is blogging.

Adding articles regularly helps your website in several ways:

• Gives Google fresh content to index
• Demonstrates your expertise
• Answers customer questions
• Creates content you can share on social media
• Improves SEO over time

When writing a blog, don’t overthink it. Start with a question customers ask all the time. Helpful content almost always performs better than trying to “sell” every article.

Keep Plugins Updated

Plugins add functionality to your website, but they also need occasional updates.

Keeping plugins current helps:

• Improve security
• Fix bugs
• Increase compatibility
• Improve performance

Before updating multiple plugins at once, it’s always smart to make sure your website has a recent backup. While updates are generally safe, having a backup provides peace of mind.

Check Your Mobile Website

Over half of website visitors are browsing on their phones.

After making any edits, always preview your pages on:

• Desktop
• Tablet
• Mobile

Look for:

• Images that crop awkwardly
• Buttons that are difficult to tap
• Text that’s too small
• Sections with strange spacing

A website that looks beautiful on desktop but frustrating on mobile can quickly lose potential customers.

Review Before You Publish

Before clicking Publish or Update, take a few extra minutes.

Ask yourself:

• Is everything spelled correctly?
• Do all buttons work?
• Are all links active?
• Does this still sound like my brand?
• Is there a clear next step for visitors?

These final checks make a surprisingly big difference.

Your website isn’t a brochure you print once and forget. It’s one of your hardest-working employees. Every update you make helps keep your business relevant, trustworthy, and useful to your audience. The more comfortable you become making simple edits inside WordPress, the easier it becomes to keep your website working for you instead of sitting untouched for months at a time.