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How to Import a Custom HTML Email Template into Mailchimp

2026-03-054 min read

Getting your brand into Mailchimp

Mailchimp has plenty of built-in templates, but if you want your emails to look like they came from your actual website and not a generic template gallery, custom HTML is the way to go.

SiteToSend builds a Mailchimp-compatible template from your site's design. Here's how to import it.

Step 1: Grab your Mailchimp template file

Go to your SiteToSend dashboard, find your order, and click the Mailchimp download button. The file you get is already set up with Mailchimp's merge tags and structure.

Step 2: Create a new template in Mailchimp

In Mailchimp, go to Campaigns > Email templates and click Create Template. Choose Code your own, then select Paste in code.

Step 3: Paste the HTML

Open your downloaded HTML file in a text editor, select all the content, and paste it into Mailchimp's code editor. The preview panel on the right will show you what it looks like.

Step 4: Customize your content

Click through the preview to edit things directly, or work in the code editor if you prefer:

  • Swap placeholder images with your real ones
  • Update headlines, body copy, and button text
  • Make sure your links point where they should
  • The footer already includes Mailchimp's required unsubscribe and address merge tags

Step 5: Save and preview

Click Save and Exit when you're happy with it. Before you send a campaign with it, use Preview and Test > Send a Test Email to check how it renders in your inbox.

A few things to keep in mind

  • Mailchimp's free plan limits custom HTML somewhat, but the template will still work. You just might not get the full drag-and-drop editing experience on free accounts.
  • Image hosting: Mailchimp actually has a built-in file manager. You can upload images to their CDN through Content > My Files and then swap in those URLs.
  • Responsive design: Your SiteToSend template is already responsive, so it'll look good on mobile without extra work on your end.
  • Reuse it: Once saved as a template, you can create new campaigns from it over and over. Just swap the content each time.