Getting Started With GetResponse: The Complete Beginner Guide

Everyone says “the money is in the list”, but when you sit down to build one, the first questions are practical: which tool, how do I set up a list, how do I get a signup form on my blog, and what do I send? This guide walks through getting started with GetResponse from signup to your first newsletter and welcome email, updated for the GetResponse interface and plans in 2026. Want an overview first? Read our GetResponse review.

Step 1: Sign Up and Pick a Plan

Start with the 30-day free trial (no credit card needed) through the button below. After the trial, the plans are:

• Starter ($19/month for 1,000 contacts): newsletters, autoresponders, one automation workflow, landing pages, forms, AI email generator.
• Marketer ($59/month): unlimited automation, lead scoring, ecommerce tools.
• Creator ($69/month): adds webinars, a website builder, and course tools.

Prices rise with list size; annual billing saves about 18 percent. For a new blog, Starter is enough.

After signing up, confirm your email address and complete the short onboarding questions. GetResponse then asks you to verify your sending address and, ideally, your domain.

Step 2: Authenticate Your Sending Domain

This step did not exist in older guides, and it now matters more than anything else for getting into inboxes. Since 2024, Gmail and Yahoo require bulk senders to authenticate their domain. In GetResponse go to Email marketing > Sender details > Domains (or the setup checklist), add your domain, and copy the DKIM and SPF records it shows into your domain’s DNS settings at your registrar or Cloudflare. Add a basic DMARC record too. Send from an address on your own domain (you@yourblog.com), never a free Gmail address.

Step 3: Create Your List

GetResponse creates a default list from your account name. Create one with a clearer name under Contacts > Lists > Create list (for example “Blog Newsletter”). Then open the list settings:

• Sender: your name and the authenticated address.
• Double opt-in: on. Subscribers confirm by clicking a link, which keeps your list clean and is expected in the EU.
• Confirmation page: send people to a thank-you page on your blog, or straight to the free download you promised.
• Company details: your postal address for the email footer, which anti-spam law requires.

Step 4: Import Existing Subscribers (If You Have Any)

Go to Contacts > Import contacts. You can upload a CSV or Excel file, paste addresses, or connect another service such as Mailchimp. Only import people who agreed to receive your email; GetResponse checks lists for quality and may ask where the contacts came from.

Step 5: Add a Signup Form to Your Blog

Go to Lead generation > Forms and popups and choose a template: inline form, popup, slide-in, or bar. Edit the text (offer a reason to subscribe, such as a checklist or a weekly tip), connect it to your list, and publish.

To show it on WordPress, install the official GetResponse for WordPress plugin, connect your account with an API key, and choose where the form appears (below posts, in the sidebar, or as a popup). Alternatively, paste the form’s embed code into a Custom HTML block. If you already use an opt-in plugin, connect it to GetResponse instead; see our list of email marketing plugins for WordPress.

Step 6: Set Up a Welcome Email

A welcome email gets the highest open rate you will ever see, so set it up before anyone subscribes. Go to Email marketing > Autoresponders > Create autoresponder, choose your list, set it to send on day 0 (immediately after signup), and write a short note: thank them, deliver anything you promised, tell them what to expect and how often, and link to your three best posts. Later, add messages on day 2 and day 5 to make a short welcome series.

Step 7: Send Your First Newsletter

1. Go to Email marketing > Create newsletter.
2. Name it, choose the sender, and write a subject line (short and specific beats clever).
3. Pick a template or let the AI email generator draft one from a short description, then edit it in the drag and drop editor.
4. Click Send test to check it on your phone and desktop, and use the spam and inbox preview check.
5. Choose the list or segment, then send now or schedule it (Perfect Timing can send at each subscriber’s best time).

Step 8: Watch the Reports and Improve

Under Reports, check open rate, click rate, and unsubscribes after each send. Healthy blog newsletters typically see open rates of 25 to 45 percent and click rates of 2 to 5 percent. If opens drop, test subject lines with A/B testing; if clicks drop, send fewer, more focused links.

What to Set Up Next

• An RSS-to-email newsletter that sends your new posts automatically.
• Tags and segments so readers get emails about the topics they signed up for.
• A landing page for your lead magnet, built in GetResponse.
• An automation workflow (Marketer plan) that tags readers who click affiliate links or product pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GetResponse free?

There is a 30-day free trial with no card required, but no permanent free plan. Starter is $19 a month for 1,000 contacts.

Why are my emails going to spam?

Most often because the sending domain is not authenticated (step 2) or you are sending from a free email address. Also avoid importing old lists that never opted in.

How often should I email my list?

Once a week is a good rhythm for most blogs. Consistency matters more than frequency; subscribers who hear from you rarely forget who you are.

Can I move from Mailchimp to GetResponse?

Yes. Use Import contacts > Another service to connect Mailchimp, or export a CSV from Mailchimp and upload it.