How to Add Meta Leads to Mailchimp Customer Journeys

Wanting to send an automated email sequence, or autoresponder, to new Meta Leads? While you can send a single automated email response with LeadSync, for more sophisticated sequences here’s how to use LeadSync with the Mailchimp Customer Journeys feature.

Creating a Customer Journey in Mailchimp

The following step will show you how to prepare an automated email sequence in Mailchimp using their Customer Journey feature. This will be in preparation for adding Facebook Leads to this sequence.

Instead of creating a dedicate audience list in Mailchimp, we’re going to use the Tag feature and add new leads to our main email list.

Why Tags? Because Mailchimp restricts most basic paid accounts to 4 lists and we don’t want to waste a list building this integration.

Step 1: Adding a “Facebook Leads” Tag

Before we build a Journey, we need to create a tag that we’ll attach to new leads so we know they are from your Facebook lead ad campaign. From your Mailchimp Dashboard, go to the Tag section (1), make sure you have your main list selected (2), then click the Create Tag button (3.)

Use “Facebook Leads” or “[Campaign Name] Facebook Leads” if you plan to use different sequences for different Facebook campaigns.

Step 2: Create a Customer Email Journey

Now, navigate to the Automations > Customer Journeys section and click the Create Journey button.

Name your Journey and select the same Audience (list), and Start Journey.

Click Choose a Starting Point, then select Signs up as the starting point.

Now, we want to make sure we only send this email sequence to people who come from our Facebook Lead ads, so we need to add a filter to this starting point, so click the “Get more specific…” link:

Select Contacts from a custom segment, then Tags and the Facebook Leads tag we just added.

Click Save, then Save Starting Point.

Go ahead and build your email sequence. For more details on this, check out Mailchimp’s Customer Journey documentation.

Adding Leads to Your Customer Journey via LeadSync

Now that you’ve build your customer email journey, it’s time to use LeadSync’s Mailchimp integration to add customers to your Journey.

Step 3: Create a Mailchimp Connection in LeadSync

Login to you LeadSync account, go to Connections and click Add Connection.

You will need a Mailchimp API key for the next part. From your Mailchimp account, click on your Account Profile then Account & Billing > Extras > API Keys.

Create and Copy an API key.

Back in LeadSync, past your API key into your Mailchimp connection, name your Connection then click Update Connection.

You’ll then be able to select your list and enter your tag. Make sure you use exactly the same Tag as you set up in Mailchimp. It is case sensitive.

Step 4: Connect your Lead Form to your Mailchimp Connection

In LeadSync, go to your Lead Forms section and click the Add Lead Form Button.

Select your Page, the Form you created for your Facebook Lead ad, the Mailchimp connection we just setup, then be sure to map the fields from your Facebook form to the appropriate Mailchimp fields.

Step 5: Test Your Setup

To ensure everything has been setup correctly, here’s how to test your LeadSync connection.

Once you’ve run a test, you should see that a customer journey has been started in Mailchimp.

PLEASE NOTE: it can take 5-10 minutes for a customer journey to be triggered, so give it some time before you check this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send automated emails to Facebook leads using Mailchimp?

Yes, you can send automated email sequences to Facebook lead ads contacts using Mailchimp Customer Journeys combined with LeadSync. While Mailchimp doesn’t natively integrate with Facebook lead ads, LeadSync bridges this gap by automatically adding new Facebook leads to your Mailchimp list with specific tags, which then trigger your pre-built Customer Journey automations. This allows you to create sophisticated drip campaigns and nurture sequences for leads captured through Meta lead ads.

Key benefit: Unlike sending a single autoresponder, this method enables multi-email sequences with conditional logic, wait times, and personalization.

Why should I use tags instead of separate Mailchimp lists for Facebook leads?

Using tags instead of separate audiences is more efficient for several reasons. Mailchimp’s basic paid plans limit you to only 4 audience lists, and each additional list counts against this quota. By using tags on your main email list, you can segment Facebook leads without wasting a valuable list slot. Tags also make it easier to manage multiple campaigns—you can create different tags for different Facebook campaigns (e.g., “Spring Campaign Facebook Leads” or “Product Launch Facebook Leads”) and trigger unique Customer Journeys for each segment, all within the same master list.

Pro tip: Tags are case-sensitive in Mailchimp, so ensure you use the exact same tag name in both Mailchimp and LeadSync.

How long does it take for a Facebook lead to enter my Mailchimp Customer Journey?

After a lead submits your Facebook lead form, it typically takes 5-10 minutes for the Customer Journey to trigger in Mailchimp. This delay is normal and accounts for the time required for:

1. Facebook to process the lead submission
2. LeadSync to receive the lead data via webhook
3. LeadSync to send the contact to Mailchimp via API
4. Mailchimp to process the new contact and check Journey triggers

During testing, be patient and allow the full 10 minutes before troubleshooting. The lead will appear in your Mailchimp audience immediately, but the Journey automation may take additional time to activate.

What’s the difference between LeadSync’s email autoresponder and using Mailchimp Customer Journeys?

LeadSync offers a built-in single-email autoresponder that sends immediately when someone submits your Facebook lead form—perfect for simple instant confirmations or thank-you messages. However, Mailchimp Customer Journeys provide advanced automation capabilities including:

• Multi-step email sequences (drip campaigns)
• Time delays between emails (e.g., send email 2 after 3 days)
• Conditional branching based on opens, clicks, or other behaviors
• A/B testing for subject lines and content
• Advanced segmentation and personalization
• Performance analytics and reporting

For sophisticated lead nurturing and conversion optimization, Mailchimp Customer Journeys are the superior choice, while LeadSync’s autoresponder works well for immediate single-message responses.

Do I need a paid Mailchimp account to use Customer Journeys with Facebook leads?

Yes, Mailchimp Customer Journeys require a paid plan. The feature is available on Mailchimp’s Standard plan and above (Essentials plan does not include Customer Journeys). However, LeadSync’s basic Mailchimp integration works with any Mailchimp plan, including free accounts—you’ll just be limited to single autoresponders instead of multi-email sequences. If you’re serious about lead generation automation and want to maximize your Facebook lead ads ROI through nurture sequences, investing in at least the Standard plan is recommended.

How do I test my Facebook lead ads to Mailchimp automation before going live?

Testing your setup is crucial before launching your Facebook lead ads campaign. Follow these steps:

1. Use Facebook’s Lead Ads Testing Tool (available in your Facebook Business Manager)
2. Submit a test lead using your actual form
3. Verify the lead appears in LeadSync’s dashboard
4. Check your Mailchimp audience to confirm the contact was added with the correct tag
5. Wait 5-10 minutes, then check if the Customer Journey has been triggered in Mailchimp’s automation dashboard
6. Confirm the first email in your sequence was sent to the test email address

LeadSync provides detailed instructions on using Facebook’s testing tool in their support documentation. Always test with a real email address you control so you can verify the entire experience from the lead’s perspective.

Important: Testing ensures field mapping is correct, tags are applied properly, and automations trigger as expected.

Can I use different email sequences for different Facebook lead ad campaigns?

Absolutely. The tag-based system makes it easy to create campaign-specific automation sequences. Here’s how:

1. Create unique tags for each campaign (e.g., “Webinar Facebook Leads,” “eBook Facebook Leads,” “Demo Facebook Leads”)
2. Build separate Customer Journeys in Mailchimp, each triggered by its specific tag
3. Create separate LeadSync connections for each Facebook lead form, each using the appropriate campaign-specific tag

This approach allows you to:

• Send targeted content relevant to what the lead downloaded or signed up for
• Track performance by campaign source
• Optimize email sequences independently based on conversion data
• Provide a more personalized lead experience

For businesses running multiple Facebook lead generation campaigns simultaneously, this segmentation is essential for maximizing conversion rates.

What happens if a Facebook lead is already in my Mailchimp list?

Mailchimp handles duplicate contacts intelligently. If a Facebook lead submits a form and their email address already exists in your Mailchimp audience:

• The existing contact profile is updated (not duplicated)
• The new tag is added to their existing tags
• The Customer Journey triggers based on the “Signs up” + tag filter you configured
• Field data is updated with any new information from the Facebook form

This means someone could potentially re-enter your Customer Journey if they submit your lead form again. To prevent duplicate email sequences, you can add conditions in your Customer Journey to check if someone has already completed the journey or add additional segment filters.

Best practice: Use Mailchimp’s journey settings to prevent contacts from re-entering the same automation within a specified time period.

What information from my Facebook lead form can I send to Mailchimp?

LeadSync allows you to map Facebook lead form fields to Mailchimp merge fields, giving you flexibility in what data you capture. Common field mappings include:

• Standard fields: Email (required), First Name, Last Name, Phone Number
• Custom fields: Company, Job Title, Industry, Location, or any custom questions you add to your Facebook form
• Hidden fields: UTM parameters, campaign source, ad set information

The key is ensuring your Mailchimp audience has corresponding merge fields created before connecting your form. During the LeadSync setup, you’ll map each Facebook form field to its matching Mailchimp field, allowing you to personalize your Customer Journey emails with the captured data (e.g., “Hi [FirstName]” or referencing their company name).

Remember: The more relevant information you collect and utilize in your emails, the higher your engagement and conversion rates.

Where do I find my Mailchimp API key for connecting LeadSync?

To connect LeadSync to your Mailchimp account, you’ll need to generate an API key. Here’s where to find it:

1. Log in to your Mailchimp account
2. Click on your profile icon/avatar in the bottom left
3. Select Account & Billing from the dropdown menu
4. Click on the Extras tab
5. Select API Keys
6. Click Create A Key button
7. Copy the generated key immediately (you won’t be able to see it again)

Paste this API key into your LeadSync Mailchimp connection settings. Keep your API key secure and never share it publicly, as it provides access to your entire Mailchimp account. If you accidentally expose your key, revoke it immediately from the same location and generate a new one.

Security note: LeadSync stores your API key encrypted and uses it only to send leads to your specified Mailchimp audience.

Can I use Mailchimp’s classic automations instead of Customer Journeys?

While technically possible, Customer Journeys are specifically designed for the tag-based trigger setup described in this integration. Classic automations have limitations that make them less suitable for Facebook lead ads workflows:

• Less flexible trigger conditions
• More rigid email sequence structure
• Limited conditional branching
• Fewer personalization options

Customer Journeys provide the modern, visual workflow builder that makes it easy to create sophisticated sequences. If you’re on an older Mailchimp plan without Customer Journey access, you can use classic automations triggered by “Subscribes to list” with tag filters, but you’ll have fewer optimization options. For the best results with Facebook lead generation, upgrading to a plan with Customer Journeys is recommended.

What should I include in my first Customer Journey email to Facebook leads?

Your first email to Facebook leads is critical for engagement. Best practices include:

Send timing: Immediately or within 5-15 minutes while interest is hot

Content elements:

• Immediate value delivery – Provide what they signed up for (download link, webinar details, etc.)
• Set expectations – Tell them what emails are coming next and when
• Clear call-to-action – What should they do next?
• Reinforce trust – Remind them why they signed up and how you’ll help them
• Mobile optimization – Most leads check email on mobile devices

Subject line tips: Keep it under 50 characters, include their requested offer, and create urgency (e.g., “Here’s your [Free Guide] – Download now”)

Remember, Facebook leads are typically top-of-funnel prospects who may have provided their information impulsively. Your first email needs to validate their decision and build trust before pushing for a sale.