Setting Up the Mailchimp Connector in AI Squared

To integrate Mailchimp with AI Squared, you need to establish a destination connector. This connector will allow AI Squared to sync data efficiently from various sources to Mailchimp.


Step 1: Access AI Squared

  1. Log in to your AI Squared account.
  2. Navigate to the Destinations section to manage your destination connectors.

Step 2: Create a New Destination Connector

  1. Click on the Add Destination button.
  2. Select Mailchimp from the list of available destination types.

Step 3: Configure Connection Settings

To establish a connection between AI Squared and Mailchimp, provide the following details:

  1. API Key

    • Used to authenticate your Mailchimp account.
    • Generate this key in your Mailchimp account under Account > Extras > API Keys.
  2. List ID

    • The unique identifier for the specific audience (mailing list) you want to target in Mailchimp.
    • Find your Audience ID in Mailchimp by navigating to Audience > Manage Audience > Settings > Audience name and defaults.
  3. Email Template ID

    • The unique ID of the email template you want to use for campaigns or automated emails in Mailchimp.
    • Locate or create templates in the Templates section of Mailchimp. The ID is retrievable via the Mailchimp API or from the template’s settings.

Enter these parameters in their respective fields on the connector configuration page and press Continue to proceed.

Step 4: Test the Connection

  1. Use the Test Connection feature to ensure AI Squared can successfully connect to your Mailchimp account.
  2. If the test is successful, you’ll receive confirmation.
  3. If unsuccessful, recheck the entered information.

Step 5: Finalize the Destination Connector Setup

  1. Save the connector settings to establish the Mailchimp destination connection.

Setting Up a Model for Mailchimp

To sync data to Mailchimp, you first need to prepare your data by creating a model based on the source data. Here’s how:

  1. Review Your Source Data Identify the key fields you need from the source (e.g., email, first name, last name, and tags).

  2. Create the Model Select the necessary fields from your source. Map these fields to match Mailchimp’s required parameters, such as email, merge_fields.FNAME (first name), and tags.0.

  3. Save and Validate Ensure the model is structured properly and contains clean, valid data.

  4. Sync the Model Use the model as the basis for setting up your sync to Mailchimp. Map fields from the model to the corresponding Mailchimp parameters during sync configuration.

This step ensures your data is well-structured and ready to integrate with Mailchimp seamlessly.


Configuring the Mapping for Mailchimp

When creating a sync for the Mailchimp destination connector, the following parameters can be mapped to enhance data synchronization and segmentation capabilities:

Core Parameters

  1. email
    Description: The email address of the subscriber.
    Purpose: Required to uniquely identify and add/update contacts in a Mailchimp audience.

  2. status
    Description: The subscription status of the contact.
    Purpose: Maintains accurate subscription data for compliance and segmentation.
    Options:

    • subscribed – Actively subscribed to the mailing list.
    • unsubscribed – Opted out of the list.
    • cleaned – Undeliverable address.
    • pending – Awaiting confirmation (e.g., double opt-in).

Personalization Parameters

  1. first_name
    Description: The first name of the contact.
    Purpose: Used for personalization in email campaigns.

  2. last_name Description: The last name of the contact.
    Purpose: Complements personalization for formal messaging.

  3. merge_fields.FNAME
    Description: Merge field for the first name of the contact.
    Purpose: Enables advanced personalization in email templates (e.g., “Hello, |FNAME|!”).

  4. merge_fields.LNAME
    Description: Merge field for the last name of the contact.
    Purpose: Adds dynamic content based on the last name.

Segmentation Parameters

  1. tags.0
    Description: A tag assigned to the contact.
    Purpose: Enables grouping and segmentation within the Mailchimp audience.

  2. vip
    Description: Marks the contact as a VIP (true or false).
    Purpose: Identifies high-priority contacts for specialized campaigns.

  3. language
    Description: The preferred language of the contact using an ISO 639-1 code (e.g., en for English, fr for French).
    Purpose: Supports localization and tailored communication for multilingual audiences.

Compliance and Tracking Parameters

  1. ip_opt
    Description: The IP address from which the contact opted into the list.
    Purpose: Ensures regulatory compliance and tracks opt-in origins.

  2. ip_signup
    Description: The IP address where the contact originally signed up.
    Purpose: Tracks the geographical location of the signup for analytics and compliance.

  3. timestamp_opt
    Description: The timestamp when the contact opted into the list (ISO 8601 format).
    Purpose: Provides a record for regulatory compliance and automation triggers.

  4. timestamp_signup
    Description: The timestamp when the contact signed up (ISO 8601 format).
    Purpose: Tracks the signup date for lifecycle and engagement analysis.