> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding Mailchimp subscribers from WordPress

> Learn how you can add subscribers directly to your Mailchimp mailing lists from WordPress. Follow our easy, step-by-step instructions to get started!

You can add subscribers directly to a Mailchimp mailing list from WordPress. This article describes two methods to do this:

* Use a WordPress plugin.

* Add HTML form code to a WordPress widget.

<Warning>
  **Important**

  This article assumes that you have already signed up for and configured a Mailchimp account. For information about how to do this, please see [this article](/docs/signing-up-for-a-mailchimp-account).
</Warning>

## Method #1: Use a plugin

There are numerous plugins that enable you to integrate WordPress with Mailchimp mailing lists. This method describes how to install and configure the popular [Mailchimp for WordPress plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/mailchimp-for-wp).

<Note>
  To view a complete list of Mailchimp plugins on the official WordPress site, please visit [http://wordpress.org/plugins/search.php?q=mailchimp](http://wordpress.org/plugins/search.php?q=mailchimp).
</Note>

### Installing the plugin

To install the Mailchimp for WordPress plugin, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the WordPress site as the administrator.

2. In the left pane, click **Plugins**.

3. Click **Add New**.

4. In the **Search Plugins** text box, type `mailchimp for wordpress`, and then press Enter.

5. Locate **Mailchimp for WordPress** in the list of search results, and then click **Install Now**.

6. After WordPress finishes installing the plugin, click **Activate Plugin**.

7. In the left pane, click **Mailchimp for WP**, and then click **Mailchimp**. The **Mailchimp for WordPress: Mailchimp Settings** page appears.

8. Under **Mailchimp API Settings**, the **Status** field is set to **NOT CONNECTED**. To connect your WordPress site to your Mailchimp account, in the **API Key** text box, paste your Mailchimp API key.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you do not know your Mailchimp API key, or have not generated an API key yet, follow these steps:
   >
   > * Log in to your Mailchimp account.
   >
   > * On the top menu bar, click your name, and then click **Account**.
   >
   > * Click **Extras**, and then click **API keys**:
   >
   >   * If you have already generated an API key, in the **API key** column, copy the entire alphanumeric string.
   >
   >   * If you have not generated an API key yet, click **Create a Key**. In the **API key** column, copy the entire alphanumeric string.

9. Click **Save Changes**. The **Status** field should now be set to **CONNECTED**. If it is not, review the API key you provided in step 8, and then try again.

### Configuring the plugin

After you install the Mailchimp for WordPress plugin, you're ready to integrate subscription options with your site. There are two ways to do this:

* **Check boxes:** You can add subscription check boxes to comment and registration forms. For example, the comment section of your posts can have a check box that says "Sign me up for your newsletter!".

* **Forms:** You can add a subscription form to pages and posts. For example, readers can submit their e-mail address and then click "Sign up".

For detailed information about how to configure these options, please visit [https://mc4wp.com/kb](https://mc4wp.com/kb).

## Method #2: Add HTML form code to a widget

If you don't want the extra overhead of a plugin on your WordPress site, you can manually add HTML form code to a widget. The HTML code contains all you need to add a subscription form to your WordPress site's sidebar.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Mailchimp account.

2. On the top menu bar, click **Lists**.

3. Locate the list for which you want to add a signup form, and then click the ![Mailchimp - List options icon](https://static.hosting.com/kb/kb-mailchimp-list-options.png) icon.

4. Click **Signup forms**. A list of available forms appears.

5. Next to **Embedded forms**, click **Select**.

6. Under **Embedded forms**, select the tab for the overall style you want for the form, such as **Classic** or **Super Slim**.

7. Under **Form options**, select the options and fields you want to appear in the form.
   > 👍 Tip
   >
   > As you make changes, the **Preview** area dynamically updates what the form will look like.

8. When you are done making changes to the form, in the **Copy/paste onto your site** text box, copy the entire block of HTML code.

9. Log in to WordPress as the administrator.

10. In the left pane, click **Appearance**, and then click **Widgets**. The **Widgets** page appears.

11. Drag a **Text** widget from the **Available Widgets** section over to the **Widget Area** section.
    > 👍 Tip
    >
    > You can rearrange the order of widgets in the sidebar. To do this, drag and drop a widget within the **Widget Area** section to its new position.

12. In the **Title** text box, you can add a title to the form, or leave it blank.

13. In the **Content** text box, paste the HTML code that you copied in step 8.

14. Click **Save**. The signup form appears in your site's sidebar immediately.

## Related articles

* [Sending e-mail in WordPress](/docs/sending-e-mail-in-wordpress)

* [Signing up for a Mailchimp account](/docs/signing-up-for-a-mailchimp-account)