Is Mailchimp Safe for Your Business?

Mailchimp is a giant in the world of digital marketing, used by over 12 million people around the globe. Its email campaigns have driven an incredible $100 billion in product sales, and it manages a staggering 6 billion subscriber contacts. With a market share of 61% and a customer satisfaction rate of 95%, Mailchimp is a top choice for businesses, especially small ones - over 80% of its customers are small companies from more than 175 countries.

Did you know?

The average email list size for Mailchimp users is 3,000 contacts
More than 1 billion emails are sent through Mailchimp every day
The open rate for emails sent through Mailchimp is around 21%
Click-through rate for emails sent through Mailchimp is around 2.7%

(Source: wifitalents.com)

What is Mailchimp?

Mailchimp is an all-in-one email marketing platform that allows businesses to create, manage, and send email campaigns to customers. Entrepreneurs and freelancers prefer it because it's user-friendly and packed with handy features, including:

Email Campaign Creation: Design newsletters, promotions, and other emails without needing advanced design skills.
Audience Management: Keep track of customer lists, including email preferences and engagement.
Automation: Set up automated emails based on customer behavior, such as welcome emails or product recommendations.
Analytics: Monitor how well your emails perform, including open rates, clicks, and conversions.

Mailchimp also seamlessly integrates with over 300 other popular business tools, from e-commerce platforms to CRMs and social media.

The Potential Security Risks of Using Mailchimp

While Mailchimp can be a straightforward way to stay connected with customers, the platform does come with some potential security vulnerabilities that businesses need to be aware of:

Data Breaches: As an online platform, Mailchimp can be targeted by hackers who want to steal your business and your customers' data.
Phishing Attacks: Cybercriminals may try to impersonate your business or Mailchimp support team through fake emails to trick you into sharing sensitive information.
Weak Account Security: If your Mailchimp account has a weak password or isn't secured with two-factor authentication, it becomes vulnerable to unauthorized access.
Device Security: If you or your team access Mailchimp on unprotected devices, it can lead to data exposure or malware infections.
Human Error: Mistakes like sending emails to the wrong audience segment or accidentally sharing private customer information are also potential risks.

How to Use Mailchimp Safely

Step 1: Set a Strong Password

A strong password is the first line of defense for your Mailchimp account.

Choose a Unique Password: Don't reuse passwords from other accounts. Make your password different from those you use for other services, especially critical ones like email or banking.
Consider Using a Password Manager: It can help you create and store complex passwords securely.

To update your password in Mailchimp:

Log in to your Mailchimp account.
Click on your profile icon at the bottom left and select Account.
Go to Settings > Security and update your password.

Step 2: Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second verification step (like a code sent to your phone) in addition to your password.

To set up 2FA in Mailchimp:

Go to Account > Settings > Security.
Under Two-Factor Authentication, click Enable.
Choose whether you want to receive codes via SMS or use an authenticator app like Google Authenticator.
Follow the prompts to complete the setup, including verifying your phone or authenticator app.

Step 3: Review and Set Account Permissions

If you have a team that accesses Mailchimp, it's important to set permissions carefully. You can assign different access levels to ensure that only trusted team members handle sensitive information.

To manage permissions:

Go to Account > Users.
Here, you'll see a list of people who have access to your Mailchimp account. You can add new users or update current permissions.
For each user, choose the appropriate role:
- Viewer: Can view campaigns but not edit.
- Author: Can create and edit campaigns.
- Manager: Has more control over settings and campaigns.
- Admin: Has full access and control over the account.
Limit the number of Admins to only those who truly need it.

Step 4: Use IP Whitelisting (If Available)

IP whitelisting can limit access to Mailchimp from specific, approved IP addresses, which adds another security layer.

To set up IP whitelisting:

Go to Account > Settings > Security.
Scroll down to the IP whitelisting section and enable it.
Enter the IP addresses that you want to allow access from, such as your office or other secure locations.

Step 5: Monitor Login Activity

Keeping an eye on login activity helps detect suspicious behavior, such as logins from unfamiliar devices or locations.

To view your login history:

Go to Account > Settings > Security.
Under Login Activity, you can view the most recent logins, including location, device type, and date.
If you see any unfamiliar activity, immediately reset your password and notify your team.

Step 6: Set Privacy Controls for Your Audience

Mailchimp collects a lot of data on your audience, including email preferences and engagement metrics. It's important to review privacy settings to limit exposure of sensitive information.

To manage privacy settings:

Go to Audience and select the list you'd like to configure.
Click Settings > Audience Settings and Defaults.
Review the Data Permissions section, which allows you to manage how audience data is shared or accessed by others on your team.
Adjust settings based on your needs. For example, you may choose to limit data visibility to only specific team members or remove unnecessary audience details.

Step 7: Educate Your Team on Device Security

For Mailchimp to be safe, it's also essential that each team member accessing it has a secure device. Here's what each team member should do:

Install Antivirus Software: Make sure all devices have reputable antivirus software installed and updated.
Keep Software Updated: Encourage your team to enable automatic updates for their devices, operating systems, and browsers to reduce vulnerabilities.
Use Secure Networks: Access Mailchimp only on trusted, secure networks. Avoid public Wi-Fi without a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
Log Out When Not in Use: Remind your team to log out of Mailchimp when they're done and to avoid using shared or public devices.

If everyone follows these steps, your Mailchimp account will be much better protected from potential threats.

Step 8: Turn off Data Analytics and Personalized Advertising Settings

If you're uncomfortable with Mailchimp using your data, you can disable these settings.

1. Click your profile icon and choose Account.

2. Click Settings and choose Manage my data.

3. To opt out, scroll to the Data analytics setting heading and uncheck the box next to Include my data in Mailchimp's data analytics projects and the one with Include my information in Mailchimp Personalized.

4. Click Save.

Is Your Business Safe?

To protect your business on all levels, platforms, and socials, consider getting Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security.

You will have the following:

Email Protection. Scans and blocks phishing emails, suspicious links, and fake invoices and prevents employees from accidentally clicking on malicious links.

Scam Detection. Scam Copilot monitors emails, texts, and chats for fraud. It alerts you and your employees when a scam attempt is detected, providing real-time guidance on how to handle it.

Password Management. Password Manager automatically generates strong, complex passwords that meet security best practices.

Secured Remote Work. The VPN protects your team from unsafe public Wi-Fi networks (like those in coffee shops or airports). Ensures all communication between remote employees and your business systems is fully secure.

Device Protection: Detects and blocks malware in real-time, including viruses, ransomware, and spyware on all laptops and smartphones.

Monitoring of Your Business's Digital Identity. Monitors your business's online presence for potential data leaks, unauthorized use of your business name, and exposure of sensitive information, even on the dark web, alerting you to any breaches.

Check out the plans here.

FAQs

Is Mailchimp Safe for Businesses to Use?

Mailchimp is generally considered a secure and reliable email marketing platform for businesses of all sizes. However, like any online tool that handles sensitive customer data, Mailchimp does carry some inherent security risks that companies need to be aware of and proactively address.

The main security concerns with Mailchimp include potential data breaches, phishing attacks targeting Mailchimp users, weak account passwords, unsecured devices and networks being used to access the platform, and human errors leading to data exposure. But these risks can be effectively mitigated through best practices like using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, carefully managing user permissions, monitoring login activity, educating your team on Mailchimp security protocols and using Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security.

What Can Mailchimp Do for My Business?

Mailchimp offers a comprehensive suite of email marketing tools and capabilities that can benefit businesses of all sizes:

Reach People Across Channels: In addition to core email marketing functions, Mailchimp enables you to connect with customers through landing pages, digital ads, and social media posts - all from a single, integrated platform.

Build Your Email List: Mailchimp provides easy-to-use templates and signup forms to help you grow your email subscriber base organically.

Automate Your Marketing: Set up automated email workflows, such as welcome series, cart abandonment reminders, or product recommendations, to nurture leads and customers on autopilot.

Track Campaign Performance: Gain visibility into key email metrics like open rates, click-throughs, and conversions to continuously optimize your marketing strategy.

Integrate with Other Tools: Mailchimp seamlessly connects with over 300 popular business apps, from e-commerce platforms to CRMs, to streamline your marketing tech stack.

The user-friendly interface, powerful features, and extensive integration capabilities make Mailchimp a versatile, all-in-one email marketing solution that can drive real results for growing businesses.

Do I Need a Business Email to Use Mailchimp?

While you don't necessarily need a dedicated business email address to use Mailchimp, it's highly recommended. Using a professional, branded email domain (e.g. [email protected]) rather than a personal email account (e.g. [email protected]) can have several benefits:

Improved Deliverability: Email providers like Gmail and Yahoo may be more likely to mark messages from personal email addresses as spam, whereas business domains typically have better inbox placement.

Enhanced Professionalism: Sending marketing emails from a business email establishes a more polished, credible brand image compared to using a consumer email service.

Easier List Management: Having a dedicated email address makes it simpler to manage your Mailchimp audience, handle bounces and unsubscribes, and maintain consistent branding.

Better Data Tracking: Business email addresses provide cleaner, more accurate data for analyzing the performance of your Mailchimp campaigns.