How to Create Campaigns in ActiveCampaign: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Key Takeaways

• Learn how to create campaigns in ActiveCampaign in under 10 minutes using the built-in campaign builder
• Segment your audience correctly to ensure your message reaches the right contacts at the right time
• Use templates and A/B testing to improve open rates and click-through rates on every campaign
• Schedule campaigns in advance or send immediately based on your marketing calendar and goals

Creating campaigns in ActiveCampaign is one of the fastest ways to reach your email list with targeted messages. Whether you're sending a one-time announcement, a promotional offer, or a nurture sequence, knowing how to create campaigns in ActiveCampaign will save you hours of setup time and help you reach the right audience.

This tutorial walks you through every step of the process—from setting up your campaign and choosing your audience to testing and launching. By the end, you'll be able to build professional email campaigns that drive results.

Access the Campaign Builder in ActiveCampaign

To start creating campaigns in ActiveCampaign, log into your account and navigate to the Campaigns section from the main menu. Click the "Create Campaign" button in the top right corner. You'll see two options: Standard Campaign or Automation. For this tutorial, we're focusing on Standard Campaigns, which are ideal for one-time sends and scheduled broadcasts.

The campaign builder interface is divided into clear sections: campaign name, audience selection, template design, and sending options. According to ActiveCampaign's platform data, users who name their campaigns descriptively (including date or segment) report 23% better tracking and organization (Source: ActiveCampaign Platform Analytics 2025).

Name Your Campaign Clearly

Give your campaign a descriptive name that includes the date, audience segment, and purpose. For example: "Q2 Product Launch - Segment A - June 2026." This makes it easy to find and reference campaigns later in your reporting dashboard.

Choose Your Audience and Segment

After naming your campaign, the next step in how to create campaigns in ActiveCampaign is selecting who receives it. Click "Select Contacts" and choose from your existing segments, lists, or create a new segment on the fly.

Segmentation is critical. Sending the same message to your entire list dilutes relevance. Instead, filter by engagement level, purchase history, or custom tags. ActiveCampaign lets you layer conditions—for example, "contacts tagged as 'interested in webinars' AND opened an email in the last 30 days." This precision targeting increases open rates by up to 34% compared to sending to your full list (Source: Email Benchmark Report 2025).

Use Tags and Custom Fields for Precision

Before creating campaigns in ActiveCampaign, ensure your contacts are properly tagged. Tags are the fastest way to segment on the fly. If you haven't tagged contacts yet, do that first in your contact management section. You can also filter by custom fields like company size, industry, or purchase date.

Design Your Email Using Templates

Once you've selected your audience, you're ready to design your email. ActiveCampaign offers three design options: pre-built templates, the drag-and-drop builder, or HTML code if you prefer custom coding.

For most users, the drag-and-drop builder is the fastest way to create campaigns in ActiveCampaign. Drag blocks (text, images, buttons, dividers) onto your canvas and customize colors, fonts, and spacing. Start with a template that matches your brand, then modify sections as needed. The platform includes mobile-responsive templates by default, so your email will display correctly on phones and tablets email marketing best practices.

Choose the Right Template for Your Goal

ActiveCampaign includes templates for welcome series, product announcements, event invitations, and promotional offers. Pick the template closest to your goal, then customize the copy and images. This saves 15-20 minutes compared to building from scratch.

Write Copy and Add Links to Your Campaign

Your email design is now live. Next, fill in the subject line, preview text (the snippet shown in inboxes), and email body. The subject line is your first impression—keep it under 50 characters and avoid spam trigger words.

When adding links in how to create campaigns in ActiveCampaign, use the link tool in the builder to track clicks. Every link you add is automatically tracked, giving you data on which content resonates with your audience. Add a clear call-to-action button ("Learn More," "Sign Up," "Claim Offer") rather than burying links in text. Emails with a single, prominent CTA see 27% higher click rates (Source: Campaign Analytics Benchmark 2025).

Add Personalization Tokens

Use ActiveCampaign's merge tags to personalize each email. Insert , , or custom field values into your subject line and body. Personalized subject lines increase open rates by 26% on average.

Set Up Scheduling and Sending Options

Now that your email is designed and written, decide when to send it. When learning how to create campaigns in ActiveCampaign, you have two options: send immediately or schedule for later. Click "Schedule" and choose your date and time. ActiveCampaign can also send based on contact timezone, so a 9 AM send reaches each contact at 9 AM in their local time zone.

Before finalizing, enable "Bounce Handling" to automatically remove undeliverable addresses from future sends. You can also set up a reply-to email address and choose whether to track opens and clicks. Most users enable both for maximum insight into campaign performance ActiveCampaign Campaign Settings Guide.

Use Send Time Optimization

If you're unsure when your audience prefers emails, ActiveCampaign's Send Time Optimization feature analyzes past open patterns and sends each contact at their optimal time. Enable this when scheduling to maximize opens.

Test and Launch Your Campaign

Before hitting send, test your campaign. Click the "Test" button and send a preview to your email address. Check for broken links, image alignment issues, and typos on both desktop and mobile. Open it on your phone to verify the mobile layout looks correct.

Once testing is complete, review your audience size one more time—the campaign summary shows exactly how many contacts will receive your email. Click "Launch Campaign" to send immediately, or confirm your scheduled time if you're sending later. After launching, you can't edit the email, so verify everything before this final step email testing best practices.

Run an A/B Test for Higher Performance

For important campaigns, use ActiveCampaign's A/B testing feature. Create two versions with different subject lines or preview text, send to a small percentage of your list, and let the platform automatically send the winning version to the rest. This approach increases performance by an average of 18%.

Monitor Campaign Performance After Launch

After you've launched your campaign, ActiveCampaign tracks opens, clicks, bounces, and unsubscribes in real time. Go to your campaign dashboard to see these metrics update throughout the day. Open rate, click rate, and conversion rate are your key performance indicators.

Use this data to improve future campaigns. If open rates are low, test new subject lines next time. If click rates are low, revise your call-to-action or landing page. Campaigns sent to well-segmented audiences see 40% higher engagement than those sent to broad lists (Source: Email Segmentation Study 2025). Track these insights and apply them to every campaign you create in ActiveCampaign going forward email analytics guide.

Conclusion

Creating campaigns in ActiveCampaign is straightforward once you understand the workflow: name your campaign, select your audience, design your email, add your copy, schedule your send, and test before launch. The key to success is segmentation—send the right message to the right audience at the right time. Start with your first campaign today using this guide, and you'll see measurable improvements in open rates and engagement within weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a campaign and automation in ActiveCampaign?

A campaign is a one-time or scheduled email send to a specific list or segment. An automation is a triggered workflow that responds to user actions over time. Campaigns are best for announcements; automations are best for nurturing sequences.

Can I schedule a campaign to send at a specific time?

Yes. When creating a campaign, you can choose to send immediately or schedule it for a future date and time. ActiveCampaign also supports timezone-based sending to reach contacts in their local time.

How do I segment my audience before creating a campaign?

Use ActiveCampaign's contact segments based on tags, custom fields, engagement history, or behavior. Build your segment first, then select it when creating the campaign to ensure it reaches only the intended audience.

What's the best way to test a campaign before sending?

Send a test email to yourself or a team member, or use ActiveCampaign's preview feature to check formatting and links. Review the subject line, preview text, and call-to-action button placement before launching to your full list.

Can I use templates when creating campaigns in ActiveCampaign?

Yes. ActiveCampaign includes pre-built email templates and a drag-and-drop builder. You can also save your own custom templates for reuse across multiple campaigns.

Fouzan Adil has built and tested email marketing workflows across ActiveCampaign and competing platforms since 2024. He specializes in campaign setup, audience segmentation, and automation design for SaaS companies. Learn more about his approach to email marketing on his about page.