How to Set Up Your First Email Campaign in Brevo (Step-by-Step Guide)

Email marketing has survived every major shift—algorithm changes, new platforms, rising ad costs—because it remains the one channel you fully control. When done right, email can nurture loyal customers, boost brand engagement, and consistently increase revenue without burning your marketing budget.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) has become a go-to choice for beginners and experienced marketers alike, thanks to its affordability, powerful automation features, and beginner-friendly interface. Whether you’re launching your first newsletter, promoting a product, or sharing an announcement, Brevo makes the process surprisingly smooth.

In this comprehensive step-by-step guide, you’ll learn exactly how to set up your first email campaign using Brevo—from account setup to campaign launch—based on proven marketing principles and hands-on experience.


Why Brevo Is the Perfect Tool for Your First Email Campaign

Before jumping into the tutorial, it’s important to understand why Brevo stands out in a crowded email marketing space.

1. It’s Beginner-Friendly

Brevo’s interface is clean, intuitive, and built for marketers—not developers. You don’t need coding skills or technical experience.

2. Affordable (Even Free) for Beginners

Brevo’s free plan includes:

  • 300 emails per day
  • Unlimited contacts
  • Drag-and-drop email builder
  • Automation for basic tasks
    This is something you rarely see in competing tools.

3. Professional-Level Features

Even if you’re just starting out, Brevo gives you:

  • Automation workflows
  • Transactional email
  • Contact segmentation
  • A/B testing
  • SMS & WhatsApp marketing

4. High Deliverability

Emails sent via Brevo consistently land in inboxes instead of spam folders — a major advantage for new senders.

5. All-in-One Platform

You can handle:

  • Email campaigns
  • CRM
  • SMS
  • Email automation
  • Landing pages
    —in one place.

Now that you know why Brevo is worth using, let’s move into the hands-on part of the guide.


Step 1: Create and Verify Your Brevo Account

Setting up your account correctly is crucial for deliverability and branding.

1. Go to Brevo’s website

Visit Brevo.com and sign up using your business email.

2. Confirm Your Email

Brevo will send a verification link. Make sure you use a legitimate email address that matches your website domain for better sender reputation.

3. Complete Your Profile

Brevo asks for:

  • Business name
  • Website URL
  • Industry
  • Contact details

Providing accurate information helps Brevo determine optimal sending configurations.

4. Verify Your Phone Number

This step unlocks full account functionality and prevents suspicious activity.

5. Set Up a Sender Identity

Your “sender identity” is the name and email that will appear in recipients’ inboxes.

You can use:

Tip: Emails sent from domain-based addresses perform better and build trust instantly.


Step 2: Prepare Your Contact List

Before creating your first campaign, you need contacts to send your email to.

Option 1: Manually Add Contacts

You can add individuals one by one if you’re just starting.

Option 2: Import a Contact List

Brevo allows you to upload:

  • CSV files
  • Excel files
  • Copy/paste data

You can import names, emails, segments, and custom fields.

Important: Follow Best Practices

Never import purchased or scraped email lists. It harms:

  • Deliverability
  • Sender reputation
  • Campaign performance

Only upload subscribers who have explicitly agreed to receive emails from you.

Create Segments

Segmentation increases engagement and reduces unsubscribe rates.

Examples:

  • New subscribers
  • Customers
  • Downloaded a lead magnet
  • High-engagement users

Brevo makes segmentation easy by letting you filter contacts based on behavior or characteristics.


Step 3: Navigate to “Email Campaigns”

Once your contacts are ready:

  1. Go to the Brevo dashboard
  2. Click Campaigns
  3. Choose Email

This will take you to the campaign creator screen.


Step 4: Create Your First Email Campaign

This is where the real fun begins.

1. Give Your Campaign a Name

This internal name helps you track your campaigns later.

Examples:

  • Welcome Email – Feb 2025
  • Product Launch Campaign
  • Weekly Newsletter #1

2. Choose a Subject Line

Your subject line is the single biggest factor in email open rates.

Best practices:

  • Keep it short (40–50 characters)
  • Use curiosity or benefit-driven words
  • Avoid spammy language

Examples:

  • “Welcome to the Fozur Community 🎉”
  • “Your Exclusive Access Is Here”
  • “A New Update You’ll Want to See”

Brevo also allows you to preview how your subject line appears on mobile.

3. Add a Preview Text

This small text snippet shows below the subject line in inboxes.
Use it to support or extend your subject line.

Examples:

  • “Here’s everything you need to get started.”
  • “Your special guide is inside—don’t miss it.”

4. Customize the Sender Name & Email

Use something recognizable such as:

  • Fozur Marketing Flow
  • David from Fozur Marketing Flow

Step 5: Select Your Email Editor

Brevo offers 3 options:

1. Drag-and-Drop Editor (Recommended for Beginners)

The most user-friendly option.

You can add:

  • Text blocks
  • Images
  • Buttons
  • Social icons
  • Product listings
  • Columns

2. Rich Text Editor

Perfect for simple, personal-style emails.

3. Custom HTML

Ideal if you’re using a custom-coded template.


Step 6: Choose or Create Your Template

Brevo provides hundreds of beautiful templates.

Categories include:

  • Newsletters
  • Product promotions
  • Seasonal offers
  • Welcome emails
  • Event announcements

Select a template or create your own from scratch.

Good practices for your first campaign:

  • Use large, readable fonts
  • Add your brand colors and logo
  • Write short, clear paragraphs
  • Use a strong call-to-action (CTA) button
  • Add alt text to all images
  • Keep your email width between 600–650px

If you’re writing a newsletter:

  • Add a feature section
  • Add a secondary section
  • Add links to your articles or products

Step 7: Write Your Email Content

Here’s a simple email structure that always works:

1. A Friendly Greeting

“Hey [First Name], welcome!”

2. A Clear Purpose

“Here’s your first newsletter…”
“Here’s the guide you requested…”

3. Deliver Value Immediately

Share what the email is about and why it matters.

4. Add Helpful Content

Examples:

  • A story
  • A tip
  • A promotion
  • A tutorial
  • A resource

5. Add Your CTA Button

Make it actionable:

  • “Start Now”
  • “Download Guide”
  • “Read More”
  • “Shop Now”

6. Add a Clean Signature

Keep it human and personable.

7. Footer Section

Brevo automatically includes:

  • Unsubscribe link
  • Contact information
  • Legal compliance

Step 8: Configure Campaign Settings

Brevo lets you fine-tune how the email is sent.

Options you should configure:

1. Choose Recipients

Select:

  • All contacts
  • Specific segments
  • Exclusions

2. A/B Testing (Optional)

Great for testing:

  • Subject lines
  • Content variations
  • CTA designs

3. Scheduling

You can:

  • Send immediately
  • Schedule for a specific date/time
  • Use “best time” optimization

Tip: Email open rates are highest on:

  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
    Between 9 AM — 1 PM

Step 9: Test Your Email Before Sending

Never send without testing.

Brevo allows:

  • Inbox preview
  • Test emails
  • Mobile view
  • Spam score check

Look for:

  • Formatting issues
  • Broken links
  • Typos
  • CTA visibility

Remember: A single broken link can cost you conversions.


Step 10: Send or Schedule Your Campaign

Once everything is tested and approved, simply hit:
Send Now or Schedule

Brevo will handle the rest.


Step 11: Analyze Your Campaign Results

Email marketing doesn’t end after sending. You must analyze performance to improve future campaigns.

Brevo shows:

  • Open rate
  • Click rate
  • Deliverability
  • Bounces
  • Unsubscribes
  • Device type
  • Best-performing links

Key metrics to watch:

Open Rate:
Healthy range: 25–45%
Improves with good subject lines.

Click Rate:
Healthy range: 2–8%
Improves with CTAs and layout.

Bounce Rate:
Keep it below 2%.

Unsubscribes:
Higher than 1% means your content or targeting needs revision.

Use these insights to improve your next email.


Pro Tips to Make Your First Campaign Perform Better

Here are expert tips you can implement from day one:

1. Use Personalization

Example:
“Hi John, your weekly tips are here 🎉”

Brevo makes it easy with placeholders.

2. Keep Your Email Simple

Clean designs perform better than overly complicated layouts.

3. Use One Primary CTA

More choices = lower clicks.
Give readers one clear action.

4. Clean Your List Regularly

Remove inactive contacts to improve deliverability.

5. Use Segmentation

Sending personalized content increases engagement by up to 60%.

6. Use Automation After Your First Email

Examples:

  • Welcome sequence
  • Abandoned cart email
  • Lead magnet delivery
  • Product onboarding

Conclusion: Your First Brevo Campaign Is Just the Beginning

Setting up your first email campaign in Brevo is incredibly simple once you understand the workflow. Brevo is designed for beginners but powerful enough for long-term growth—giving you a full toolkit for email marketing, automation, CRM, and multi-channel messaging.

You’ve now learned:

  • How to set up your account
  • How to import contacts
  • How to design a professional email
  • How to configure and send your campaign
  • How to analyze performance
  • And how to improve future campaigns

If this is your first step into email marketing, you’re starting with the right tool and the right process.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s)

1. Is Brevo good for beginners who have never created an email campaign before?

Yes, Brevo is one of the easiest beginner-friendly email marketing tools available. Its drag-and-drop editor, pre-made templates, simple navigation, and step-by-step campaign setup make it ideal for users with zero technical experience. Even first-time marketers can build and send a professional email campaign in minutes.


2. Do I need a business email or domain to send my first campaign in Brevo?

You can start using Brevo with a regular email, but using a domain-based email (e.g., hello@yourdomain.com) is highly recommended. A branded email significantly improves deliverability, increases trust, and prevents your campaigns from landing in spam. Brevo also allows domain authentication (DKIM, SPF) for better sender reputation.


3. Can I send marketing emails on Brevo’s free plan?

Yes. Brevo’s free plan allows you to send up to 300 emails per day to unlimited contacts. You can access the drag-and-drop builder, automation basics, and segmentation. This makes it perfect for new users testing their first campaign before upgrading to a paid plan for higher volume and advanced features.


4. How long does it take to create an email campaign in Brevo?

If your content and design assets are ready, you can create a complete email campaign in Brevo in 10–20 minutes. The platform’s editor, templates, and guided prompts make the process fast. More advanced features like A/B testing, segmentation, and automations may take longer depending on your strategy.


5. What metrics should I track after sending my first email campaign in Brevo?

The key metrics to monitor include:

  • Open rate – shows how effective your subject line is
  • Click-through rate (CTR) – measures engagement with your CTA
  • Bounce rate – helps analyze list quality
  • Unsubscribe rate – indicates content relevance
  • Device data – shows where your audience reads your emails

Brevo’s analytics dashboard provides clear insights to help improve future campaigns.

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