Introduction
There are multiple ways to achieve a connection between WooCommerce and MailBlue. Different options are available to establish this connection, allowing you to determine which option best suits your needs.
In this article, we will cover:
When selecting the right connection, it is important to consider the type of subscription (Lite, Plus, or Professional) you have with MailBlue.
Do you have a Lite subscription? Then it is possible to create a contact in MailBlue based on an order and assign a tag. The tag's name depends on the purchased product. Using this tag, you can start an automation to follow up on contacts based on specific products. This is useful, for example, to request a review after a certain time or to offer a suitable upsell.
With a Plus subscription, you can use a direct Deep Data connection, allowing you to follow up on contacts based on specific products. Additionally, you can display order data for contacts in your MailBlue account. This data can be used to target your contacts even more specifically. It is also possible to synchronise historical order data so that past orders are also displayed in MailBlue.
Finally, WooCommerce can also be connected to MailBlue via Zapier. This connection is possible with all MailBlue subscriptions. Zapier is a paid tool that makes it easy to connect two or more applications/software. If you want to use Zapier with WooCommerce, you will also need to purchase a paid plugin for this purpose. The Zapier connection allows you to connect a third party outside of WooCommerce and MailBlue if desired.
We will briefly mention the advantages and disadvantages of each connection. For each connection, we will indicate the type of subscription required to establish the connection. Finally, we will explain step by step how to set up the connection and test it.
ES WooCommerce ActiveCampaign
For Lite accounts, the 'ES WooCommerce ActiveCampaign' plugin (ES) is the most commonly used option to connect your WooCommerce environment to MailBlue. Since the plugin is free to download, it provides many with the opportunity to start working with e-commerce automations. Based on the product a contact purchases, product data can be linked in the form of a tag. This tag enables automatic follow-up on the purchase, as well as the creation of unique segments.
Below you will find a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the ES plugin.
Advantages
- Compatible with all MailBlue subscriptions.
- The integration is free.
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Easy to install and connect.
- Extra opt-in possibility for, for example, a newsletter
Disadvantages
- Contacts can only be placed on one list within MailBlue, regardless of the purchased product.
- No quick support from the developer in case of issues with the plugin itself.
- Historical data cannot be synchronised.
Where can I download the plugin?
You can easily and freely download the plugin via WordPress. Log in to the back end of your website and look in the left menu for ‘Plugins’ and then click on ‘Add New Plugin’. In the search bar, type ‘ES WooCommerce ActiveCampaign’.
How do I connect the plugin to my MailBlue account?
To connect your WooCommerce environment to your MailBlue account, it is important to fill in your MailBlue API details within the settings of the plugin. You can find these details within your MailBlue account under ‘Settings’ > ‘Developer’. We recommend using the API details of the admin user. Do you only have one user in your account? Then this is by default the admin account.
A renewed plugin
On 5th April 2022, Equal Serving, the developer of the ES plugin, released an update in the plugin for the first time in two years (version 2.0.0.). Depending on how you have set up the automation, you may need to adjust your current flow within the automation. Product IDs are no longer automatically transferred as a tag in MailBlue. If you used this tag within your automation as a start trigger, it means that contacts will no longer be placed directly in the automation. For this reason, you need to indicate within the plugin settings which tag(s) you want to transfer, and then adjust your start triggers accordingly.
You can find more information in the video below:
Purchased Product Tags
Within the ES plugin, you can allow a lot of order data to be added as tags to your contacts. When creating a new product within WooCommerce, a unique Product ID is automatically linked to this product. To find the ID, you can hover your cursor over the product in question. The ID will then appear in grey.
Since the ID is a fixed value, it is convenient to pass this as a tag by default to MailBlue. To set this up, you need to enter #ID# under the heading 'Purchased Product Tags'.
Additionally, we recommend getting started right away with Stock Keeping Units (SKU). This simplifies the process of placing repeat purchases (see ‘Repeat purchases’). The SKU is an alternative way to indicate which products have been purchased. Since you need to set the SKU yourself, you are completely free to use your own method, so there is no need to come up with a complicated article number. Our advice is to simply use the product name as the SKU. This makes it much easier later on in MailBlue to look up who has purchased which product. To link the SKU to the contact, you need to fill in #SKU# within the plugin settings, under the heading ‘Purchased Product Tags’. We recommend placing a test order after establishing the link (see ‘Testing the link’). This way, you can see if the link has been set up correctly and how the tags will appear in your MailBlue account.
Through ‘Settings’, you can access the plugin settings. Below, each step will be described on how to fill them in and where to find the data in your MailBlue account.
Subscribe event
With this option, you set when a signal should be sent to MailBlue to create a contact. Generally, we recommend doing this as soon as possible, at the time the order is created. In this case, you select ‘Order Created’. Of course, this may vary for each business. For example, do you want to first check the order yourself in WooCommerce before forwarding it to MailBlue? Then set the subscribe event to ‘Order completed’.
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Main List
Within the plugin, it is not possible to put contacts on a unique list per product. For this reason, we recommend creating a general list in MailBlue, for example: 'Customers list'. This way, all contacts will come together in the same place in your account. Through automations and tags, you can still place these contacts on a specific list from MailBlue.
Contact Tag
If you have the need to assign a standard tag to all customers, regardless of the product they purchase, within MailBlue, you can set it up here. The advantage of this is that based on such a tag, you can instantly see which contacts have made a purchase. This makes it easier, for example, to build segments in your MailBlue account.
Display Opt-In Field
In version 2.0.0, it is now also possible to add an additional opt-in to your purchase process. In the past, contacts were not created in MailBlue without this opt-in. For this reason, we advised hiding the opt-in field and checking it by default. This ensured that contacts were always correctly forwarded. This is no longer necessary and allows for an additional opt-in field. Contacts can now also subscribe to your newsletter. Customers who check the opt-in field will then be assigned the tag 'newsletter_opt_in' within MailBlue.
Opt-In Field Label (Optional)
If you choose to use the additional opt-in, you can specify the text of the opt-in field yourself. Your specified text will then be displayed next to the checkbox.
Opt-In Field Position Above Order Notes (Optional)
From here, you can set where exactly the opt-in will be visible when customers make a purchase.
The connection is made, how can I follow up on customers product-specifically?
Now that the connection between WooCommerce and MailBlue has been established, we can start working with automations. After placing an order, the Product ID of all purchased products will be linked as a tag to your contact in MailBlue. Based on this tag, you can further follow up on the customer from an automation (start trigger: 'Tag is added').
Testing the integration
We recommend testing the integration after setting it up. Simply do this by placing a test order and checking if a contact is created in MailBlue. This way, you can verify if the integration is working correctly.
Repeat purchases
As previously described, it is wise to link both the Product ID and the SKU (product name) as tags within MailBlue. The reason for this is that the automation will start when a contact receives the ID tag. If a contact already has a tag, it is not possible to link the exact same tag again. For this reason, the contact will not be placed in the automation for the second time when he or she purchases the same product again, even if the runs are set to 'Multiple times'. To solve this, we immediately remove the Product ID tag, which the automation starts with, using the 'Remove a tag' action. This is an important step because this allows the respective tag to be linked again in the future. Since we also push the SKU from the plugin, it remains visible in your MailBlue account which products have been purchased.
Customer service
The plugin was developed by Equal Serving, a group of web developers based in Syria. Since the plugin was developed externally, we at MailBlue simply use the plugin.
Of course, we can assist you in correctly setting up the plugin and going through the settings. However, if there is actually something wrong with the plugin causing contacts not to be transferred to your MailBlue account, it is difficult to address this directly. Although Equal Serving does have a support page, experience shows that it is not easily accessible to provide support for certain issues.
The plugin necessary for Deep Data integration (available from a Plus account) is internally developed. If this is an important criterion for you, we recommend choosing this option.
WC-AH Hook
The 'WC-AC Hook' is a free WooCommerce plugin that can be used to link WooCommerce to MailBlue. After linking, customers making a purchase will automatically be added as contacts in MailBlue. Historical data will not be synchronised (as it is not a Deep Data integration).
Once a customer is added as a contact, you can automatically follow up with them based on their purchase through MailBlue. The plugin allows you to add a tag for each product. This way, you can see which purchases each contact has made. This information can be used to set up product-specific automations and create segments. Understanding the interests of your contacts is an important step in getting more out of your email marketing.
Below you will find a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the 'WC-AC Hook' plugin.
Advantages
- Compatible with all MailBlue subscriptions.
- The integration is free.
- Easy to install and connect.
- You can create a tag for each product (except variables within one product).
- Easily add an opt-in checkbox to the checkout.
- Add multiple standard tags (to track how customers landed on your lists through a purchase).
Disadvantages
- Unable to add unique tags when using product variables (one product with multiple options, such as colour or size).
- Limited developer support if it stops working as desired.
- Historical data cannot be synchronised.
- You need to assign a tag per product, Product ID or SKU is not automatically linked.
Where can I download the plugin?
You can easily and freely download the plugin via WordPress. Log in to the backend of your website and look in the left menu for 'Plugins', then click on 'Add New Plugin'. In the search bar, type 'WC-AC Hook'. The first search result is the correct one (the purple icon).
Once you have found the plugin, click on 'Install Now'. Once the installation is complete, you can activate the plugin immediately.
How do I connect the plugin to my MailBlue account?
Now that the plugin is installed and activated, we can proceed with the integration. In the overview of all installed plugins, look for the 'WC-AC Hook' plugin and click on 'Settings'.
From 'Settings', you will see the settings below (see image). Each step will be described below on how to fill them in and where to find the data in your MailBlue account.
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ActiveCampaign URL and ActiveCampaign API Key (API data)
The API data is unique to each user and links your WooCommerce webshop to your Mailblue account. We recommend using the API data from the admin user in your MailBlue account. You can find the data in your MailBlue account under ‘Settings’ > ‘Developer’
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ActiveCampaign List ID
Every list you create in MailBlue has a unique ID in the form of a number. When you open a list, you will see the unique ID in the URL bar of your browser.
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Default Tag(s)
You can assign a default tag to all customers who make a purchase. This allows you to easily segment all contacts who have ever made a purchase within MailBlue. This tag is not based on the purchased product.
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Add / Update Contact
In this step, you determine when a contact is created within MailBlue. You have the choice to create a contact while the order is not yet completed or when it is. By default, a contact is only created upon a completed order.
- Track Order Status
This allows you to add the order status to a contact through tags. Tags such as ‘Processing, On-hold, Completed’ will be added.
We recommend not enabling this due to the number of tags that can be linked to a contact. It can become confusing in your MailBlue account. - Debug Log
If checked, a log will be kept, which can be used to identify the issue in case of an error message. -
Sign-up to marketing
This indicates whether a checkbox should appear on the checkout page allowing contacts to subscribe to the newsletter. Making a purchase does not mean that you can simply send newsletters to them. Contacts must explicitly give permission for this.
You have three options:- No: no checkbox on the checkout page
- Opt in: checkbox is visible and pre-checked
- Opt out: checkbox is visible but not pre-checked
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Checkbox Label
From this setting, you can customize the text displayed next to the checkbox on the checkout page as desired.
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Marketing Form ID
When contacts indicate they want to receive the newsletter, they are not automatically added to a list. Instead, you link a form to the checkbox. In other words, the actions linked to the form will be executed. You can create a newsletter form in MailBlue for this purpose, which ensures that contacts are subscribed to the newsletter list.
Once you create the form, similar to lists, you will see a unique ID at the top of the bar for that specific form. You fill in this ID number at this step, after which contacts will be neatly added to the list, if they indicate so.
After completing all the steps, save the changes. You have now successfully created a connection between your webshop and MailBlue.
Testing the connection
We recommend performing a test after creating the connection. Simply do this by placing an order and checking if a contact is created in MailBlue. This way, you can verify if the connection is working properly. During the test, it's important to monitor if the contacts are being added to the correct list(s). You can test if the newsletter sign-up through the checkbox works.
Additionally, this way you can see exactly how the tags come through, so they can be used as starting triggers for product-specific automations.
Repeat purchases
Each tag can only be linked to a contact within MailBlue once, and is therefore only valid as a starting trigger once. If a contact purchases a product again two months later, the automation will not start because the contact already has the tag.
You can solve this by removing the tag at the top of the automation and replacing it with another tag. We recommend using the Product ID for the tag and therefore the starting trigger, and replacing it with the name of the product. Within the automation, you can use the 'Remove a tag' and 'Add a tag' steps for this.
In short, you change the Product ID to the name of the product. Using the Product ID for linking is less error-prone and the name of the product works more easily in MailBlue.
This is an important step because the Product ID tag can be reconnected in the future. This allows you to effectively track repeat purchases.
Testing the connection
We recommend testing the connection after setting it up. Simply do this by placing an order and checking if a contact is created in MailBlue. This way, you can verify if the connection is working correctly. During the test, it's important to monitor whether the contacts are being added to the correct list and if the tag is being assigned correctly.
Customer service
The plugin was developed by Matthew Treherne, an external plugin developer. Since the plugin was developed externally, we at MailBlue simply make use of the plugin.
Of course, we can assist you in setting up the plugin correctly and going through the settings. However, if there is an actual issue within the plugin causing contacts, for example, not to be forwarded to your MailBlue account, we rely on the developer. Our experience is that they respond relatively quickly to inquiries.
The plugin necessary for Deep Data integration (available from a Plus account) is internally developed. If this is an important criterion for you, we recommend choosing this option.
Unsubscribes (general)
As we need to initiate automation based on a tag, this entails some compromises when contacts unsubscribe from one of your follow-up emails. The lists from which contacts are removed when they unsubscribe from an automation depend on two factors:
- the way contacts enter the automation;
- the lists the contacts are on when they enter the automation.
When the start trigger of the automation is 'Subscribes to list', the contact will be removed from this list and all other lists linked to the respective automation after unsubscribing. Attention: The connection between automation and lists can be established in various ways, such as: Tags, 'Start new automation', 'Add to list', etc. Even if a contact unsubscribes via an email from an automation with a start trigger other than 'Subscribes to list', the contact will be removed from all lists. In this case, the system cannot determine which lists the automation is linked to.
When a contact unsubscribes from an automation with the start trigger 'Contact gets Tag', they will be unsubscribed from all lists within the account.
Zapier
htmlZapier is a standalone tool that allows you to connect two or more apps or other software. With Zapier, you can also create a connection between WooCommerce and MailBlue. When a purchase is completed in your webshop, the contact will automatically be added to your MailBlue account, where you can further manage it from there.
To use Zapier, you need a separate subscription. If you subscribe directly to Zapier, you will pay $20 per month. If you have no more than 100 tasks per month, then this software is free. You can set up and manage the Zap yourself to establish the connection.
You can also have us do this for the same cost (€20 per month), but unfortunately, we cannot provide the free 100 tasks per month. This is because we will manage and set up the Zap for you. If you are interested, you can purchase Zapier from us in the MailBlue portal. You will then receive an email with some follow-up questions. After your response to the email, we will schedule a time to set up the Zap for you.
Please note: a paid 'WooCommerce Zapier' plugin is also required to make this connection. The cost is €59 per year, which is in addition to the monthly subscription costs of Zapier.
Prefer to build your own Zaps/connections? Then read this guide from Zapier.
Below you will find a brief overview of the pros and cons of a Zapier connection. Please note: this overview is specifically written for Lite accounts, but the tool is of course also useful when you have a Plus (or higher) MailBlue subscription.
Advantages
- Lite accounts with many contacts have more flexibility in setting up the connection.
- You can send your own MailBlue fields.
- A list can be created per product.
- You can use Zap filters.
- Zapier can often be connected to other software as well.
- Free version available up to 100 tasks per month.
Disadvantages
- Zapier is a paid tool (€20 per month).
- Plugin is required and also paid (€59 per year).
- Possibilities can be overwhelming.
How do I create a WooCommerce integration with Zapier?
With Zapier, you can ensure that data is pushed from one system to another. In this guide, we describe step by step how to connect a WooCommerce webshop to your Lite MailBlue account. However, it is always important to think carefully about your desired workflow beforehand. The following questions can help you with that:
- Which software needs to be connected to MailBlue?
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Which triggers and actions need to be set up?
More information can be found at Zapier.com.
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Go to the website of Zapier.com and log in to your account. Then click on 'Zaps' in the left menu and then on the black or blue 'Create Zap' button.
- Give your Zap a desired name. If you plan to create multiple Zaps related to the same software, also think carefully about the structure of your name. For example: 'WooCommerce > MailBlue - Product Name - SKU.'
- A Zap consists of a 'Trigger' and an 'Action' by default. You could potentially add an extra (intermediate) step, but more on this later in this guide. Under 'App Event', you can click on the desired software. If it is not displayed in the list below, you can search for it under 'Search apps'.
- Set your desired 'Trigger Event'. This trigger will initiate your Zap. Generally, you will mostly use 'Order' because orders come in your WooCommerce webshop. However, you could also choose 'Product' for example if you want to trigger an automation indicating that a new product is available.
Below you will find an overview of all possible triggers of the WooCommerce software:
- Log in to your WooCommerce account so that Zapier has access to your webshop environment and can monitor the 'Trigger Events' for you.
- Under 'Set up trigger', provide specifications so that Zapier knows how you want to set up the 'Trigger Event'. In this example, 'Order' and 'Order is added' have been chosen.
- Click on 'Test trigger' so Zapier can confirm that the created Zap trigger is properly linked to the correct WooCommerce account. You will now see an overview of the data that can be transferred. When the test results match, click on 'Continue'. You have now successfully created a 'Trigger'.
- Now you can set an 'Action', which is what needs to be done when the 'Trigger' from step 3 starts the Zap. The MailBlue integration in Zapier is always done with ActiveCampaign, as MailBlue is the Dutch partner reseller of the American ActiveCampaign.
- Set your desired 'Action Event'. This is the action that will be performed once the Zap is triggered. Our experience shows that 'Create/Update contact' is the most common trigger, as you want to have contacts in your MailBlue account that you can follow up with from there.
- Log in to your MailBlue account so Zapier can access your email marketing environment and monitor the 'Action Event' for you.
You will be asked for your API details. These details are unique to each MailBlue user and link your WooCommerce webshop to your MailBlue account. We recommend using the API details of the admin user in your MailBlue account. If you only have one user in your account, this is typically the admin user. You can find the details in your MailBlue account under 'Settings' > 'Developer'.
- In 'Set up action', you can match the desired fields in your MailBlue account with the WooCommerce data, so Zapier knows exactly what to do with the 'Action Event' from step 9. It is important to always fill in an email address, as an email address is mandatory in the MailBlue email marketing software.
Additionally, you can link a list, send the first and last name of your contacts to your MailBlue account, and include any tags. Especially the latter is useful when you have linked specific product tags to your products in WooCommerce (#SKU).
- Click on 'Test & Review' so Zapier can test the created Zap 'Trigger Event' from step 4 with the desired 'Action Event' from step 9. You will then see an overview of the data that is being transferred from your WooCommerce account to your MailBlue account.
- When the test results match, click on the blue 'Turn on Zap' button or on the toggle in the black bar, so your Zapier connection will be successfully activated.
Where can I purchase the WooCommerce Zapier plugin?
You can purchase the required 'WooCommerce Zapier' plugin through the WooCommerce website for €59 per year. Click here to visit the correct website.
Please note: if your website is hosted on WordPress.org, the WooCommerce website will prompt you to log in to your WordPress account when you proceed to the payment page. If you have your own WordPress.com website, you will not see the message below.
After purchasing the paid plugin, a Zip file will be automatically downloaded. You will then need to go to 'Plugins > Add New' in your WordPress account and click on 'Upload Plugin'. A screen will appear where you can upload the downloaded Zip file.
Once the upload of the Zip file is complete, you can activate the plugin immediately. You will find the plugin in your WordPress account under 'Plugins > Installed Plugins'.
The integration is set up, how can I track customers product-specifically?
You can do this using filters in Zapier. With the help of a filter, you can set the Zap to only perform an action that you define yourself. When you set certain conditions in the Zapier filter, your Zap will only proceed when the data from your 'Trigger' meets that filtered condition. You can add a 'Filter' as an (intermediate) step in your Zap between 'Trigger' and 'Action' by clicking on the plus sign (+). Three options will then appear on the side:
When you click on 'Filter', you will need to specify the conditions in the next step.
For example, you can select a specific Product ID or SKU field under 'Choose field'. Then, set the rule/condition you want to use, and finally the value you want to compare with the 'Choose field'. This is similar to creating segments within your MailBlue account.
Not sure which ID corresponds to which product? In your WooCommerce account, go to 'Products' and hover over a product name with your mouse. Your product ID will then appear. If you have used multiple variations within a product, the ID of the variation will also be displayed. You can find this by opening your product and clicking on 'Variations'.
In addition to the Zap filter described above, you can also use two other Zap filters. The other Zap filters are 'Format' and 'Delay'. Our experience shows that these are less frequently used, but we will briefly explain them below:
- Format: You can use the text transformation of 'Format' to change text in your Zap. There are different text transformations you can use to convert texts, numbers, and other data into the data you need, instead of the data that comes in through your 'Trigger'.
- Delay: With a delay step, you can pause your Zap for a certain amount of time before your 'Actions' are executed. You can use delays to schedule emails, receive notifications of incomplete tasks, send automatic follow-ups, and automate other tasks on your timeline.
Testing the connection
Zapier actually already tests by default whether a correct connection has been made with the desired WooCommerce webshop and the respective ActiveCampaign/MailBlue account. It is important to have the correct login details and API key/URL of the software with which the Zap needs to be created.
If the Zap is set up for a webshop, a 100% discount code is required to complete the connection. Afterwards, when the Zap is fully set up and live, you can place a test order on your website. Once you have completed the test order, you can search within MailBlue for your test contact and see exactly what information is being sent. Based on that, you can further expand automations in your MailBlue account. This could include setting a desired start trigger, for example: "Tag X is added".
If you notice that something is not going as desired, you can view 'Zap History' on the main screen of your Zapier account to see where things might be going wrong and make changes to your Zap settings.
Repeat purchases
If you start your automation with the trigger 'Tag X is added', you must immediately remove the tag and replace it with a similar tag. If a contact already has the tag, it is not possible to link the exact same tag again. For this reason, the contact will not be placed in the automation for the second time when the same product is purchased again, even if the runs are set to 'Multiple times'. By replacing the original tag with a similar one, the similar tag will still show which product was purchased in the individual contact information.
Customer service
If you have us set up a Zap for you, MailBlue's support department is always your first point of contact. We can check the Zap for you, make any necessary changes or fixes. Of course, when making adjustments, we will always retest the connection and ensure its correctness.
If you have created the Zap yourself and have questions about it, MailBlue's support can assist you to a certain extent. If more guidance is needed, you should purchase Zapier directly through MailBlue.
Curious about what other software you can connect to MailBlue using Zapier? Check out this overview.