How To Perfectly Send Test Emails using Mailchimp - Mystrika

Sending an email campaign without thorough testing is like launching a website without responsive design checks – you’re likely to have a suboptimal experience for users. That’s why learning how to perfectly send test emails in Mailchimp is so essential for marketers. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore Mailchimp’s built-in test sending capabilities in depth, uncovering pro tips to catch issues early, maximize effectiveness, troubleshoot problems, and optimize campaigns for peak performance. Ready to become a test sending pro? Let’s dive in!

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Overview of Sending Test Emails with Mailchimp

Before you hit send on an email campaign, it’s essential to test it out first. As digital marketing legend David Ogilvy said, “You cannot bore people into buying your product.” Let’s explore why testing is so crucial for Mailchimp campaigns, how the limits work, and ideal use cases for test emails.

Why Test Your Email Campaigns?

Would you build a website without thoroughly testing how it looks across browsers and devices first? Probably not! Then why send a campaign blindly without previewing the experience in different email clients?

Here are three key reasons for testing Mailchimp emails before sending:

Verify presentation and rendering: Emails can display very differently depending on the receiving client. Images may break, fonts could change, and content can shift. Testing allows you to confirm everything looks as intended.

Check deliverability factors: From spam filters to blocked images, many obstacles can prevent your target’s inbox from seeing your message. Test sends enable diagnosing deliverability problems.

Improve results through optimization: Nothing beats seeing your email actually land in a real inbox. Testing allows refining content, design, subject lines, send times, and more to boost open and click-through rates.

In short, properly testing and optimizing is table stakes for running effective email campaigns. The data backs this up too, with tested emails generating 300% higher click-through rates on average.

Understanding Mailchimp’s Test Email Limits

Now, Mailchimp can’t have folks sending unlimited tests that congest inboxes, so test sends are rate-limited per account. Here’s a quick rundown of the major test send limits to know:

12 test emails per campaign for free plans: You get 12 test sends per individual campaign on a free account.
70 test emails per campaign on paid plans: Upgraded paid accounts allow up to 70 tests per campaign.
24 total daily tests on free plans: Across all campaigns, you can send a maximum of 24 tests per day on free plans.
200 total daily tests on paid plans: On paid plans, your daily total test send limit jumps to 200.
6 test email addresses per send on free plans: Each test email can have up to 6 recipient addresses on free plans.
20 test email addresses per send on paid plans: Paid plans support up to 20 recipients per test email.

So in a nutshell, paid Mailchimp accounts unlock more tests per campaign, per day, and per individual send. Check out Mailchimp’s testing limits article for full details.

When to Use Test Emails in Mailchimp

Given the rate limits, it’s important to use test sends strategically for campaigns where they matter most. Here are three recommended use cases:

1. For your main high-value campaigns: Testing is most important for your major promo blasts, key customer newsletters, and other high visibility emails with large recipient pools.

2. When making major changes: If you significantly alter content, design, or core components like images, re-test before sending to your full list.

3. To optimize performance: Use testing to experiment with improvements to boost open rates, clicks, and conversions over time.

Of course, these are general guidelines, not hard rules. Ultimately, lean on test sends whenever you feel another set of eyes could improve a campaign. Just stay mindful of daily limits and over-testing fatigue!

Step-by-Step Guide to Send Test Emails

Ready to put test sends into practice for your Mailchimp campaigns? Let’s walk through a simple 4-step process to preview and test emails before sending them out to your subscribers.

Accessing the Campaign Editor in Mailchimp

First, you’ll need to access the campaign editor for the email you want to test. Here’s how:

Log into your Mailchimp account and click on “Campaigns” in the top nav bar.
Locate the campaign you want to test and click the drop-down arrow next to it.
Select “Edit” to open up the campaign builder.

This will launch the drag-and-drop editor where you can make changes to your email content.

For reference, you can also get to the campaign editor when you:

Click “Edit” directly on a draft campaign’s main page.
Click on the Preview image from the Content section of a sending campaign.

Either way, the campaign editor is your springboard for everything test related.

Using the Preview Mode for Testing

Once the editor is open, it’s time to preview how your email looks and functions. Here are the steps:

Click on “Preview” in the top toolbar of the editor.
Select either “Desktop” or “Mobile” to see how the email renders on each.
Scan the full preview, checking things like:
- Content formatting and alignment
- Image sizing and placements
- Link formatting and destinations
- Spacing, indents, and text wrapping
- General visual appearance
Open the “Header Info” panel to view the From address, Subject Line, Preview Text, and other key details.
Toggle the “Enable Live Merge Tags” slider to check dynamic content merging.
Review the inbox view for different devices and clients using the “Inbox” tab, if available on your plan.
Make any needed adjustments directly in the campaign editor.
Return to Preview to verify changes and iterate as needed.

Repeat this process until satisfied with how the email looks in the Preview environment.

Sending a Test Email from the Campaign Editor

Preview mode is great, but you really want to get the email directly into an inbox to test. Here’s how to send a test email:

From the editor, click the “Send a Test Email” button below the Preview area.
Enter one or more email addresses to receive the test email.
Optionally, add instructions or notes to the test recipient(s).
Click the “Send Test” button to queue the email for sending.

That’s it! Check your inbox and junk folders shortly to see if the test email arrived safely.

It’s also possible to send a test right from the main campaign builder page using the same process.

Be mindful of daily test send limits based on your account plan when sending tests. Each test recipient counts as an email against your limits.

Checking Delivery and Inbox Rendering of Test Emails

The final and most important step is to verify your test emails successfully delivered and look great in an actual inbox.

Here are a few things to validate after sending a test:

Check spam folders: Make sure the test didn’t get flagged as spam by the receiving provider.
Confirm rendering: Open the email and check the formatting, layout, images, links, and content mirror your expectations.
Forward to inboxes: Forward to personal and work inboxes from various providers like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.
Check mobile experience: Open the email on your smartphone and on tablets to ensure mobile friendliness.
Compare against Preview: Cross-check that the real inbox experience matches what you saw in Preview mode.
Scrutinize ‘From’ details: Validate that your From name, address, and avatar look as intended.

Monitoring tests closely will surface anySender Blacklisting

Ideally, you’ll discover and resolve most issues prior to sending your full subscriber list. Use test feedback to continually optimize your campaigns!

Advanced Test Email Tactics

You’ve mastered the basics of sending test emails in Mailchimp. But a few advanced techniques can take your testing to the next level. Let’s look at some pro tips for previewing, diagnosing issues, optimizing performance, and more.

Testing with Mailchimp’s Spam Filter Tool

One concern when sending emails is accidentally getting flagged as spam. Mailchimp’s built-in Spam Filter tool lets you preview how your test emails will fare against spam algorithms.

Here’s how to use it:

From the campaign editor, click “Spam Filter” in the top toolbar.
Mailchimp will analyze the test email and generate a spam rating score.
Review the detected spam triggers Mailchimp identified.
Make edits to your email content to correct any high-risk spam flags.
Click “Re-Test Spam Filter” to see your new score after optimizations.
Repeat steps until you get a low spam score.

Ideally, you want your test emails scoring 5 or lower before sending your full campaign.

A few common triggers that increase spam risk include blank “From” names, overuse of ALL CAPS, missing email authentication, and inappropriate image-to-text ratios. Refer to Mailchimp’s spam filter guidelines for more details.

Leveraging Mailchimp’s Inbox Preview for Cross-Platform Testing

Another prime way to test is taking advantage of Mailchimp’s “Inbox Preview” tool. This shows how your email will appear across various email clients, browsers, and mobile devices.

To use Inbox Preview:

In the Preview modal, click on the “Inbox” tab.
Browse through the different client options like Outlook, Gmail, iPhone, Android, etc.
Check how elements like stacking columns, floating images, and embedded fonts render.
Identify any formatting inconsistencies needing improvement.
Make adjustments and return to Inbox Preview to confirm fixes.

Inbox Preview takes the guesswork out of testing for different platforms. Note that it requires a paid Mailchimp plan to access, unlike basic Preview and test sends.

Using Test Segments to Evaluate Deliverability

Sometimes you may want to test how your campaign emails will deliver to a specific subscriber segment before sending it widely.

You can do this by:

Creating a small test segment in your audience containing, say, 5-10 members.
Designing your campaign email through the Preview and Spam Filter steps.
Sending the campaign initially only to your test segment.
Checking inbox deliverability and talking to test segment members.
Make any further optimizations necessary.
Schedule the email for your full list once satisfied with test performance.

Test segments allow previewing how your emails interact with the unique attributes of audience subsets before blasting your entire list. Segment accordingly to cover your audience diversity.

A/B Testing Subject Lines and Content with Test Sends

Finally, test sends enable A/B testing different email components like subject lines and content blocks.

To A/B test a subject line:

Clone your campaign and edit the subject line copy in the clone.
Send test emails for each subject line version to a consistent group of addresses.
Analyze which subject line garnered higher open rates to determine a winner.

You can take a similar approach to test opening paragraphs, images, calls-to-action, or other content elements.

Leverage test sends to experiment and let data guide your optimization efforts. Just be mindful of daily test limits as each campaign clone counts separately.

Maximizing Test Email Effectiveness

Now that you’re a Mailchimp test email expert, let’s talk about optimizing your testing approach. Follow these best practices for ideal results within the constraints.

Test Sending Best Practices

Keep these tips in mind to maximize the impact of your test emails:

Test every campaign before sending. No exceptions. Even small changes warrant a test.
Test a wide range of device types and platforms. Don’t just rely on your personal inbox. Verify mobile, desktop, webmail, and native app experiences.
Scrutinize formatting, images, and links closely. Pixel-perfect accuracy matters, especially on mobile.
Always preview merge tag content. Use the “Enable Live Merge Tags” preview option.
Send yourself the test emails as well. Experience them as a real subscriber would.
Forward tests to colleagues for second opinions. Fresh eyes can surface issues you may overlook.
Check spam folders and sender details. Confirm nothing triggers filters or looks suspicious.
Compare against preview mode. Inbox reality should match preview expectations.
Review quickly to avoid changes. Test environment should mirror live sending scenarios.

Following best practices consistently will help surface and solve issues rapidly.

Being Mindful of Daily Sending Limits

While testing is crucial, don’t go overboard. Sending limits exist for a reason, so be mindful of over-testing by:

Tracking your account plan’s daily limits. Note sends per campaign, total daily sends, and recipients per test send.
Reviewing remaining limits before sending tests. Check your status in Account Settings.
Avoiding unnecessary duplicate tests. If a test already passed, don’t retest without reason.
Consolidating feedback from multiple testers. You don’t always need a 1:1 tester to send ratio.
Using Preview and Inbox modes wisely. They don’t consume test sends.
Testing a draft first before copying to a live campaign. Each copy counts separately.

With some restraint and optimization, you can achieve sufficient testing within the generous Mailchimp limits.

When to Use Single Versus Multiple Test Email Addresses

Another quick tip is to think about when to send to one tester versus multiple:

Use single tester emails for rapid iteration. Quick changes are easiest to coordinate with an individual.
Use multiple testers for final validation. Get broad test coverage as the last sanity check.
Stick to 1-2 testers for heavy content changes. Avoid resending redundant tests to a large group.
Test key segments separately. For example, test a VIP promo with actual VIPs who get it.
Remember multiple inboxes each count! This eats your test send limit faster.

As a best practice, lean towards testing with individuals first and expanding to larger groups at the end.

Testing for Mobile and Desktop Readability

This may sound obvious, but directly testing each test email on both mobile and desktop is worth emphasizing:

Preview mode alone isn’t sufficient. Also open directly on devices in addition to previewing.
Test common mobile and desktop clients. Such as iOS Mail, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.
Check each major section separately. Focus tests on hero images, stacked columns, tables, dividers, etc.
Zoom and resize windows. Items behaving responsively may still break at certain sizes.
Try both orientations. Rotate mobile devices horizontally and vertically checking for issues.
Forward tests to mobile users. Get feedback from recipients actually on mobile devices.

Don’t assume that previewing mobile in a desktop browser window equals testing real mobile clients. Plan device test coverage into your strategy.

Troubleshooting Test Email Issues

Even seasoned Mailchimp users encounter the occasional hiccup with test emails. Let’s explore some common problems and troubleshooting techniques.

Debugging Problems with Test Email Delivery

If your test emails aren’t arriving, a delivery issue may be occurring. Try these debugging steps:

Check spam folders closely. Overzealous spam filters could be blocking delivery.
Review sender address details. Warnings like “via Mailchimp” hint at potential issues.
Send tests from a different campaign. Isolate if the problem is account-wide or campaign-specific.
Verify the subscriber email address. Typos or invalid entries could cause bounces.
Check account reputation and activity. High complaint rates and spam scorings impact deliverability.
Contact Mailchimp support if needed. They can diagnose blocked IPs, throttling limits, and other account-level send problems.

Identifying the root cause will guide any further troubleshooting and correction steps.

Fixing Rendering and Display Errors

If test emails look broken or inconsistent across inboxes, you’ll need to address rendering problems:

Strip styling and rewrite HTML from scratch. Corrupted CSS or styles in email clients can cause widespread issues.
Host images on absolute image URLs. Reference issues cause missing images in many cases.
Inline CSS and compress HTML. Mail clients ignore external CSS files and long HTML.
Avoid floated columns and complex multi-column layouts. Tables and simper structures render most reliably.
Use common cross-client fonts. Web fonts often fail, leading to broken designs.

Tackle rendering issues methodically, starting with foundational HTML/CSS fixes before addressing specific styling inconsistencies.

Handling Merge Tag Failures in Test Emails

Custom merge tags not populating in test emails? Things to check:

Enable live merge tag preview. This tests using actual subscriber data.
Review merge tag syntax errors. Mismatched tags or braces can break parsing.
Check merge field names match data. Typos or data sourcedisconnects prevent populating.
Use test data containing those merge tags. Allows properly testing dynamic content execution.
Limit test send variables. Sending all merge tags inflates fields displayed as *|*.
Try sending to actual subscribers. May workaround issues caused by dummy test data.

Carefully validate merge tag syntax, mappings, preview toggling, and test data when diagnosing issues.

Dealing with High Spam Scores on Test Sends

Consistently high spam filter scores on your test emails call for further optimization:

Avoid spam trigger words. Remove Viagra discounts, free gift offers, and other red flag terms.
Improve your sender reputation. Monitor complaint rates and authentication issues impacting your domain.
Add more text content. Extreme image-heavy emails often trigger filters.
Avoid strange formatting. Odd indents, centering, underlines, and CAPS are suspicious.
Personalize content per subscriber. Segmented offers improve legitimacy over blasting nada.
Use double opt-in and permission. Spam filters target emails sent without consent more aggressively.

Spam filters are complex beasts, but methodically addressing known factors will steadily improve your test email scores.

Optimizing Your Account for More Test Sends

If you’re hitting account test send limits faster than desired, a few upgrades and optimizations can help multiply your testing capacity.

Upgrading for Higher Test Send Limits

The obvious solution if you need more daily test emails is to upgrade to a paid Mailchimp plan like Standard or Premium:

Higher per campaign limits – Up to 70x the tests per individual campaign
Higher total daily limits – Up to 200x more total test emails per day
More addresses per test – Up to 20 recipients per test email

These increased limits accommodate higher campaign volumes and more rigorous testing needs. Run the numbers based on your typical send counts and test scenarios to right-size your plan.

Upgrading your account is the most straightforward path to more testing power. You’ll also benefit from things like more automations, landing pages, CRM data, premium templates, and priority support.

Using Multiple Test Accounts to Multiply Limits

If upgrading isn’t feasible, another tactic is creating additional free test accounts:

Each free account = 25 emails per day – Scale by making more accounts
Use unique test scenarios per account – Such as promos, onboarding flows, etc.
Consolidate feedback across accounts – No need to check each individually
Standardize test data and tools – Easy to replicate and cross-test

The one catch is that free test accounts will each need their own audience and test contact data. But with some planning, having multiple instances can really expand your testing ability.

Recycling Draft Campaigns to Reset Test Counters

On a single account, you can recycle drafts to effectively send more tests:

Save a basic template as draft – Like a Plain Text draft
Copy it to a new draft for each test scenario – This resets the test counter
Delete each draft copy after testing is done – Preserve your template draft
Name drafts logically – For example, Promo Test 1, Promo Test 2, etc.

While perhaps more tedious, this approach maximizes tests for a given campaign within the account limits. Use it to push the boundaries until other optimizations can be made.

Alternative Testing Methods to Complement Mailchimp

While Mailchimp provides excellent integrated email testing capabilities, you can augment with a few additional tactics using external tools.

Testing with Dedicated Testing Tools like Mailtrap

Services like Mailtrap offer powerful email testing features that integrate with Mailchimp:

Dedicated test inboxes – Use standalone inboxes purely for testing without clutter.
Email previews – See emails formatted exactly as subscribers would.
Spam score checks – Validate spam filter friendliness.
Inbox rendering tests – Confirm consistent appearance across email clients.
Team collaboration – Share tests and feedback across multiple reviewers.
Automated screenshot diffing – Easily spot rendering inconsistencies.
Email forwarding – Experience tests directly on mobile and desktop.
API integrations – Programmatically inject test data and automate validation.

Tools like Mailtrap provide advanced testing capabilities while integrating seamlessly with Mailchimp campaigns through fake SMTP injection.

Building Your Own Local Mail Server for Testing

If you have the technical skills, setting up your own local mail server for testing allows complete control:

Bypass external send limits – No restrictions on test volume.
Script and automate tests – Programmatically generate and validate test emails.
Integrate with CI/CD platforms – Make testing part of deployment pipelines.
Reduced security risks – Keep test data fully isolated from production.
Customize to your needs – Tailor server-side Rules to guide routing.
Emulate your live environment – Mirror configurations for accurate testing.

While more complex, a DIY mail server may suit teams with automation skills and high testing needs already bumping limits.

Testing Opt-In and Signup Flows Before Import

Don’t just test the final delivered email – also test the actions triggering a campaign:

Manually walk through opt-in flows – Validate form processing from end-to-end.
Check data capture and mappings – Test integrating with your CRM, database, etc.
Build signup scripts to generate test leads – Emulate how actual prospects convert.
Use tools like Selenium to automate – Scale up regression testing flows.
Check confirmation messaging – Make sure welcome/opt-in messaging is all set.

By ensuring your opt-in and data flows work properly first, downstream campaign testing becomes simpler.

Testing Automations Before Pushing Live

Similar to opt-in flows, you can test automation logic and messaging:

Step through automation workflows manually – Walk through each decision branch and outcome.
Use Mailchimp’s preview tool – Visualize how triggered emails will appear.
Check segmentation logic – Validate groups are assigned and filtered properly.
Import test contacts to mirror subscribers – Test with data mimicking production skews.
Send initial trigger events to test accounts – Sign them up, have them make purchases, etc.

With creative setup, you can feel confident your automations function as intended before impacting subscribers.

Key Takeaways for Sending Test Emails with Mailchimp

Testing your Mailchimp campaigns is essential for maximizing email marketing success. Here are the key lessons:

Rigorously test every campaign before sending to catch issues early. Preview mode and test emails are invaluable.
Understand Mailchimp’s test send limits based on your account plan. Be mindful not to over-test and exceed daily quotas.
Follow best practices like cross-client tests, spam checks, and personal inbox reviews when testing. Treat each test send as a learning opportunity.
Use tools like Inbox Preview, spam scoring, and A/B subject line testing to optimize campaign effectiveness beyond basic tests.
Troubleshoot test email delivery problems, rendering inconsistencies, merge tag failures, and spam filter blocking through methodical debugging.
Consider upgrades, multiple free accounts, automation testing, and services like Mailtrap if needing more testing flexibility than Mailchimp alone provides.
Above all, take a continuous improvement mindset. Use testing insights to incrementally boost open rates, clickthroughs, compliance, and relevance over time.

Consistent, comprehensive email testing pays dividends across critical performance metrics and subscriber satisfaction. Follow these tips and best practices to maximize the value of Mailchimp’s test sending capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why should I test my Mailchimp campaigns before sending?
A: Testing allows you to preview how your email will look in different clients, check spam scores, validate links, troubleshoot potential issues, and optimize elements like subject lines to boost performance. Thorough testing helps improve deliverability, open rates, and subscriber satisfaction.

Q: What are the test sending limits in Mailchimp?

A: Limits vary based on your account plan, but free plans allow 12 test emails per campaign, 24 total per day, and 6 recipients per test. Paid plans offer up to 70 per campaign, 200 daily, and 20 recipients per test.

Q: How do I send a test email in Mailchimp?

A: From the campaign editor, click “Send a Test Email” and input recipient addresses. You can also test right from the main campaign builder. Check your inbox and spam folders to verify successful delivery.

Q: Can I preview my campaign without using a test send?

A: Yes, use the Preview mode in the campaign builder to view desktop and mobile rendering without spending test emails. The Inbox Preview feature also shows different client views.

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with my test emails?

A: Check spam folders, sender details, rendering on different devices, spam scores, merge tag syntax, and account reputation for clues. Methodically isolate the issue and correct it.

Q: What are some ways to do more testing if I hit send limits?

A: Consider upgrading your Mailchimp plan, using multiple free test accounts, recycling campaign drafts, testing automation flows externally, and using dedicated testing tools like Mailtrap.

Q: How can I optimize my campaigns using test emails?

A: Try different subject lines, content, designs, segments, etc and analyze open/click rates. Fix formatting inconsistencies. Improve compliance and personalization. Treat every test as a learning experience.