How to create and launch your first campaign

This article is a practical walkthrough for a new user. What you need: registration in Bulko (5 minutes), at least one SMTP account, a list of recipient emails.

Step 1 — Registration and welcome bonus

Register at bulko.io/register. Immediately after registration, 500 email credits and 50 AI credits are credited to your balance - this is enough to send the first campaign and test the platform. A card is not required at this step.

Step 2 — Connecting SMTP

In the dashboard, open the "SMTP accounts" section and add your first SMTP. The easiest option is Gmail with App Password (see Gmail SMTP guide). For serious volumes, we recommend Amazon SES or warmed-up dedicated accounts from trusted resellers.

After adding, Bulko will check the connection - a "Valid" mark should appear. The daily limit for Gmail is 20 letters by default - this is enough for a test.

Step 3 — Subscriber list

Go to the "Recipients" → "Create list" section. Upload a CSV or paste emails manually, one per line. Bulko will automatically check the format and warn about duplicates.

Tip: for the first test mailing, use 5-10 of your own addresses (work, personal, test) - you will see how the letter looks in a real inbox.

Step 4 — Creating a campaign

Click "New Campaign". Fill in three key fields:

1. Name — for you (recipients do not see it)
2. Subject line — short, without CAPS and spam words. Use the format {Hi|Hello} {{name}} for automatic randomization
3. Email body — short text (3-5 sentences), without links and CTA. The goal of the first email is to get a response, not to sell

In the "Recipients" section, select the created list. Leave your main email in Reply-to - replies will come there.

Step 5 — Launching and monitoring

The "Create Campaign" button sends emails immediately (unless a schedule is set). A progress bar will appear on the dashboard: you can see how many have been sent, opened, and clicked.

After a couple of hours, check the "Responses" section - replies will automatically come there (if IMAP is connected). AI will mark each response: positive / question / bounce. Positive responses are your leads for further follow-up.

Next: configure spintax for unique content, read about SPF/DKIM/DMARC to increase deliverability.