How to Start Email Marketing for Free in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

Email marketing remains one of the highest-ROI digital marketing channels in 2026, generating an average return of $36 for every dollar spent. The good news is that you do not need a big budget to get started. With free tools like Brevo, you can launch professional email campaigns today without spending a single penny.

This step-by-step guide will take you from zero to sending your first email campaign, even if you have never done email marketing before.

Step 1: Choose the Right Email Marketing Platform

Your email marketing platform is the foundation of everything. You need a tool that lets you collect email addresses, design emails, send campaigns, and track results. For beginners, we recommend starting with Brevo’s free plan because it offers 300 emails per day, stores up to 100,000 contacts, and includes automation features that most platforms lock behind paid plans.

To sign up, visit Brevo and create your account with your email address. The entire setup takes about three minutes. You will need to verify your email and provide some basic information about your business.

Step 2: Build Your Email List the Right Way

Before you can send emails, you need people to send them to. Building an email list organically is crucial — never buy email lists as this will destroy your sender reputation and violate anti-spam laws.

Here are proven methods to build your list from scratch:

Create a signup form on your website. Brevo lets you build customizable signup forms that you can embed on your website. Place them in high-visibility areas like your homepage, blog sidebar, and at the end of articles.

Offer a lead magnet. Give people a reason to subscribe by offering something valuable in return. This could be a free ebook, checklist, template, discount code, or exclusive content. The key is that it should solve a specific problem your target audience faces.

Use landing pages. Create dedicated landing pages for your lead magnets. Brevo’s Business plan includes a landing page builder, but you can also use your website to create simple opt-in pages.

Add signup opportunities to social media. Include links to your signup form in your social media bios, stories, and posts. If you create content on platforms like YouTube or Instagram, mention your email list and what subscribers get.

Step 3: Set Up Your Sender Identity

Before sending your first email, configure your sender information in Brevo. This includes your sender name (usually your business name or your personal name), sender email address (use a professional email on your domain, not a Gmail address), and reply-to address.

Also set up email authentication by adding SPF and DKIM records to your domain’s DNS settings. Brevo provides step-by-step instructions for this. Proper authentication significantly improves your email deliverability — meaning more of your emails land in the inbox instead of the spam folder.

Step 4: Design Your First Email Campaign

Now comes the exciting part. In Brevo, click on “Create a Campaign” and select “Email.” Choose one of the pre-designed templates as your starting point. The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to customize everything.

Keep these email design best practices in mind:

Write a compelling subject line. This is the single most important factor in whether people open your email. Keep it under 50 characters, create curiosity or urgency, and avoid spam trigger words like “FREE” in all caps or excessive exclamation marks.

Keep your email focused on one main topic or call-to-action. Trying to accomplish too many things in one email leads to confusion and lower engagement.

Use a clear call-to-action button. Whether you want readers to visit your website, read a blog post, or check out a product, make the action obvious with a prominently placed button.

Optimize for mobile. Over 60 percent of emails are opened on mobile devices. Use a single-column layout, large text, and buttons that are easy to tap with a thumb.

Step 5: Send and Analyze

Before hitting send, use Brevo’s preview feature to check how your email looks on both desktop and mobile. Send a test email to yourself first. Check every link to make sure it works correctly.

When you are satisfied, schedule your campaign or send it immediately. After sending, give it 24 to 48 hours and then check your analytics. Pay attention to these key metrics:

Open Rate — The percentage of recipients who opened your email. A good open rate varies by industry, but 20 to 25 percent is a solid benchmark for beginners.

Click-Through Rate — The percentage of recipients who clicked a link in your email. Aim for 2 to 5 percent as a starting point.

Bounce Rate — The percentage of emails that could not be delivered. Keep this below 2 percent by maintaining a clean list.

Unsubscribe Rate — Some unsubscribes are normal and healthy. If you see more than 0.5 percent per campaign, review your content strategy.

Step 6: Set Up Basic Automation

Once you have your first campaign under your belt, set up these essential automated emails:

Welcome Email — Automatically sent when someone joins your list. Introduce yourself, set expectations for what they will receive, and deliver the lead magnet they signed up for.

Follow-Up Sequence — A series of 3 to 5 emails sent over the following days or weeks. Share your best content, build trust, and gradually introduce your products or services.

Brevo’s automation builder makes this straightforward. You create a workflow with triggers (like “contact joins list”), then add the emails you want to send with delays between them.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Do not send emails without permission. Only email people who have explicitly opted in to receive messages from you.

Do not email too frequently or too infrequently. Start with one email per week and adjust based on your audience’s response.

Do not ignore your analytics. Every campaign is a learning opportunity. Use the data to improve your subject lines, content, and send times.

Do not forget to include an unsubscribe link. This is legally required in most countries and is automatically included by Brevo.

Start Today

Email marketing does not have to be complicated or expensive. With a free Brevo account and the steps outlined above, you can start building meaningful relationships with your audience today. The sooner you begin, the sooner you will see results.

→ Create Your Free Brevo Account and Send Your First Campaign Today