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Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with CloudCusp Mailer in 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

  • CloudCusp Mailer installed and activated
  • WordPress 6.4 or higher
  • PHP 8.0 or higher

5-Minute Setup

1. Configure Email Provider (2 minutes)

  1. Go to CloudCusp Mailer → Settings
  2. Click Email Provider tab
  3. Select provider (WordPress Mail is default)
  4. For SendGrid/Mailgun/SES, enter API credentials
  5. Click Test Connection
  6. Save

2. Create Subscriber List (1 minute)

  1. Go to CloudCusp Mailer → Lists
  2. Click Create New List
  3. Enter list name (e.g., "Newsletter")
  4. Save

3. Add First Subscribers (1 minute)

Option A: Manual Addition

  1. Go to CloudCusp Mailer → Subscribers
  2. Click Add New
  3. Enter email and name
  4. Save

Option B: Import CSV

  1. Go to CloudCusp Mailer → Subscribers
  2. Click Import
  3. Select CSV file
  4. Map columns
  5. Start import

4. Create & Send Campaign (1 minute)

  1. Go to CloudCusp Mailer → Campaigns
  2. Click Create Campaign
  3. Enter subject line
  4. Add email content
  5. Select recipient list
  6. Click Send Now or schedule
  7. Done!

Understanding Core Concepts

Subscribers

Individual email addresses in your system. Each subscriber has:

  • Email address (unique)
  • Name and contact information
  • Status (pending, subscribed, unsubscribed, bounced)
  • List memberships
  • Tags for segmentation

Lists

Groups of subscribers organized by category. Use lists to:

  • Organize subscribers by topic
  • Send targeted campaigns
  • Manage different mailing lists

Tags

Labels applied to subscribers for flexible segmentation. Use tags to:

  • Mark subscriber interests
  • Track campaign engagement
  • Create dynamic segments

Campaigns

Email messages sent to subscribers. Types include:

  • Regular - One-time send to list
  • Recurring - Scheduled repeats (daily, weekly, monthly)
  • Sequence - Multiple emails with delays

Analytics

Track campaign performance:

  • Open rates
  • Click rates
  • Bounce rates
  • Subscriber engagement

Common Tasks

Send Your First Campaign

Campaigns → Create Campaign → Write Content → Select List → Send

Import Subscriber List

Subscribers → Import → Select CSV → Map Columns → Start Import

Add Signup Form to Website

Use shortcode in any page/post:
[ccsp_subscription_form 
    title="Subscribe" 
    button_text="Subscribe Now"
    lists="1"
]

View Campaign Performance

Campaigns → Click Campaign Name → View Analytics

Email Provider Setup

WordPress Mail (Default)

Uses WordPress's native wp_mail() function. No additional setup needed.

Pros: Simple, no external accounts Cons: Limited sending volume, lower deliverability

SendGrid

Best for high-volume sending with good deliverability.

  1. Create SendGrid account at sendgrid.com
  2. Generate API key
  3. Go to CloudCusp Mailer → Settings → Email Provider
  4. Select SendGrid
  5. Enter API key
  6. Save

Mailgun

Good alternative with detailed logging.

  1. Create Mailgun account at mailgun.com
  2. Verify domain
  3. Get API key and domain
  4. Enter in plugin settings
  5. Save

Amazon SES

Cost-effective for high-volume sending.

  1. Set up AWS account with SES enabled
  2. Verify domain/email
  3. Get Access Key and Secret
  4. Enter in plugin settings
  5. Save

Adding Subscriber Forms

Shortcode Method

Add to any page/post:

[ccsp_subscription_form 
    title="Join Our Newsletter"
    button_text="Subscribe"
    show_name_fields="true"
    lists="1,2"
]

Widget Method

  1. Go to Appearance → Widgets
  2. Add "CloudCusp Mailer Subscription" widget to sidebar
  3. Configure settings
  4. Save

Next Steps

After completing quick setup:

  1. Manage Subscribers - Build and organize lists
  2. Create Campaigns - Start sending
  3. Track Analytics - Monitor performance
  4. Setup Automation - Automate campaigns
  5. Configure Webhooks - Integrate external systems

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I prevent duplicate emails? A: Imports automatically detect duplicates. Choose to skip or update existing.

Q: Can I schedule campaigns? A: Yes, when creating campaign, select "Schedule" and choose date/time.

Q: How long does it take to send 10,000 emails? A: Depends on email provider rate limits and batch size (typically 1-3 hours).

Q: Where can I find more help? A: Check Troubleshooting Guide for common issues.

Q: Is there API documentation? A: Yes, see API Overview for webhook and integration details.