The worldwide email marketing revenue has increased from $7.5 billion in 2020 to $10.89 billion. The figures are predicted to rise in the coming years, so now is the best time for businesses to venture into email marketing. A great email marketing campaign calls for a reliable email marketing platform.
In this article, we will go over the different email marketing platforms and how you can choose the best for your business.
What is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is a strategic digital marketing approach where your business can send commercial messages to a group of people, popularly called subscribers, via email. It involves crafting targeted content and sending it to a segmented audience to promote products, services, events, or engage subscribers.
With email marketing, you can nurture leads, build customer relationships, drive traffic to your website, and increase sales. It’s an effective tool for communication and relationship-building, offering a direct line with your audience.
By personalizing messages, optimizing send times, and analyzing metrics like open and click-through rates, you can continually refine your email marketing strategy to better resonate with your audience and achieve your business goals.
Email marketing is a versatile and cost-effective method for staying connected with your audience. It allows you to tailor your messages based on your subscribers’ interests, behaviors, and demographics, fostering a more personalized experience.
What is An Email Marketing Platform?
An email marketing platform is a comprehensive software tool designed to create, manage, and analyze email marketing services and campaigns. It serves as a centralized hub for all your email marketing activities, providing a range of features to streamline the process.
With an email marketing platform, you can create visually appealing email templates, segment your audience based on various criteria such as demographics or past behavior, and schedule automated campaigns to send at optimal times. These platforms often include tools for A/B testing subject lines, tracking open and click-through rates, and analyzing campaign performance through detailed metrics and reports.
Additionally, many platforms offer integrations with other marketing tools and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, allowing for seamless data sharing and a more holistic approach to customer engagement.
An email marketing platform empowers you to effectively manage your email campaigns, optimize performance, and drive meaningful results for your business.
What are The Best Email Marketing Platforms?
It is not atypical for a business to choose the best tools to deliver equally best results. The internet offers numerous email marketing platforms, making it hard to come up with a decision as to what platform to use. Which site is best for email marketing?
We have curated a list of the paid and best free email platforms to narrow your choices and make the right decisions for your brands.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is renowned for its user-friendly interface and robust features that are suitable for beginners and experienced marketers. Its drag-and-drop email builder makes it easy to create visually appealing campaigns without coding skills. Mailchimp offers advanced segmentation options, A/B testing, and detailed analytics to optimize campaign performance.
It also provides marketing automation features for sending targeted messages based on subscriber behavior. Mailchimp offers a free plan with limited features and paid plans starting at $9.99 monthly for additional features like automation and custom branding.
Constant Contact
Marketers and businesses know Constant Contact for its simplicity and wide range of customizable templates. This email marketing platform offers powerful automation tools to send targeted messages based on triggers such as email opens or clicks. Constant Contact provides robust list management features, including segmentation and list hygiene tools to maintain email deliverability.
Its email tracking and reporting features provide insights into campaign performance. Constant Contact’s pricing starts at $20 monthly for up to 500 contacts, with additional features like eCommerce integrations available in higher-tier plans.
We have a Constant Contact review you can read for all the platform’s details.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit is an email marketing platform tailored for content creators and bloggers, offering intuitive automation workflows and subscriber tagging features. Its visual automation builder allows you to create complex email sequences effortlessly.
The platform emphasizes simplicity and focuses on providing features meant for creators, such as customizable opt-in forms and landing pages. You can use ConvertKit for only $29 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, with unlimited emails and landing pages included in all plans.
HubSpot
HubSpot offers a comprehensive marketing suite, including email marketing, CRM, and automation tools. The tool’s all-in-one platform enables seamless data integration and provides a better view of customer interactions. HubSpot’s email marketing features include customizable templates, A/B testing, and personalization options.
You can also access the platform’s advanced analytics and reporting to track campaign performance and ROI. HubSpot’s pricing varies based on the features and number of contacts, with a starter plan starting at $45 per month for up to 1,000 contacts.
You can check out our HubSpot review to see the platform’s details.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is known for its powerful automation capabilities and advanced email segmentation features. You can use the platform to access a visual automation builder and create complex workflows based on subscriber actions and behaviors.
This email marketing platform also provides dynamic content options for personalized messaging and split testing for optimizing campaigns.
Its CRM integration enables deeper customer insights and seamless lead management. Pricing for ActiveCampaign starts at $15 per month for up to 500 contacts, with additional features like lead scoring and SMS marketing available in higher-tier plans.
MailerLite
MailerLite is known for its simplicity and affordability, making it ideal for small businesses and entrepreneurs. This email marketing platform has an intuitive email editor with drag-and-drop functionality and customizable templates. MailerLite provides automation features such as autoresponders and email workflows for nurturing leads and engaging subscribers.
Furthermore, you can access advanced segmentation options and A/B testing capabilities. MailerLite’s monthly pricing starts at $10 for up to 1,000 subscribers, with additional features like landing pages and custom domains available in higher-tier plans.
GetResponse
GetResponse is known for its versatile marketing automation features and comprehensive email marketing toolkit. It offers a drag-and-drop email editor, A/B testing, and advanced segmentation options. GetResponse’s automation workflows enable you to create personalized customer journeys based on subscriber behavior.
Furthermore, the platform provides a landing page and webinar hosting capabilities. You can use the platform for a minimum of $15 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, with higher-tier plans offering more features such as automation builder and CRM integration.
Campaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor stands out for its elegant email templates and customizable design options. It offers an intuitive email builder with drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to create professional-looking campaigns. Campaign Monitor provides robust analytics and reporting tools to track campaign performance and subscriber engagement.
It also offers segmentation and personalization features for targeted messaging. Campaign Monitor’s pricing starts at $9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, with additional features like automation available in higher-tier plans.
Sendinblue
Sendinblue is an email marketing platform famous for its affordability and comprehensive marketing automation features. It offers an easy-to-use email builder with mobile-responsive templates and A/B testing capabilities.
The platform provides advanced segmentation options and transactional email capabilities for eCommerce businesses.
Best of all, its CRM integration and lead-scoring features enable effective lead management and nurturing. Sendinblue’s pricing starts at $25 per month for up to 10,000 emails per month, with additional features like SMS marketing available in higher-tier plans.
Drip
Drip is a powerful email marketing platform designed for eCommerce businesses. It offers robust automation features, including behavior-based triggers and personalized product recommendations. It provides detailed customer insights and segmentation options to deliver targeted messaging.
It also has a visual workflow builder, enabling you to create complex automation sequences effortlessly. Drip’s pricing starts at $19 per month for up to 500 subscribers, with unlimited emails and advanced features like revenue attribution available in higher-tier plans.
How Do You Choose An Email Marketing Platform?
And how do you evaluate an email marketing platform to identify whether or not it is suitable for your business?
You already have a fair list of what we believe are the best email marketing platforms today. The next question to answer is, “How do I choose the best email marketing platform?”
You cannot use all the platforms and tools on the list above, so you must pick a platform with standout features relevant to your email marketing needs and goals. Here are some choosing the right email marketing platform examples and points to consider:
Define Your Marketing Needs and Goals
Before selecting an email marketing platform, clearly outline your objectives and requirements. First, determine what you aim to achieve with your email campaigns: increasing sales, growing your subscriber list, or enhancing customer engagement. Then, consider factors such as the size of your audience, the complexity of your campaigns, and your budget constraints.
By understanding your needs upfront, you can narrow your options and find an email marketing platform that aligns with your goals.
Ease of Use and User Interface
Assess the platform’s user interface and ease of use. Look for an intuitive interface with features like drag-and-drop editors and customizable templates that simplify the email creation.
A user-friendly platform minimizes the time spent learning the platform, allowing you to focus on crafting engaging content rather than grappling with complex tools. Test the platform’s demo or trial version to evaluate its usability and determine if it meets your preferences.
Features and Functionality
Evaluate the features and functionality offered by each email marketing platform. Consider essential features such as list management, segmentation, automation, and analytics.
Assess whether the platform provides advanced capabilities like A/B testing, personalization, and integration with third-party tools such as CRMs and eCommerce platforms. Ensure the platform offers scalability to accommodate your future growth and evolving needs.
Deliverability and Compliance
Email deliverability ensures messages reach your recipients’ inboxes rather than being marked as spam. Choose a platform with a strong reputation for deliverability and compliance with email regulations, such as GDPR and CAN-SPAM.
Look for features like authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and spam testing tools that optimize deliverability rates. Additionally, look into the platform’s data security measures to safeguard sensitive information.
Customer Support and Resources
Assess the level of customer support and resources the email marketing platform provides. Look for platforms that offer responsive customer support through various channels, such as live chat, email, or phone support.
In addition, consider the availability of resources such as tutorials, documentation, webinars, and community forums that can help you maximize the platform’s capabilities and troubleshoot issues effectively.
A supportive and knowledgeable support team can be invaluable in overcoming challenges and achieving your objectives.
Pricing and Scalability
Consider the pricing structure and scalability of the email marketing platform. You may compare the pricing plans and subscription tiers to determine which option aligns with your budget and anticipated usage.
Then, evaluate whether the platform offers flexible pricing based on the size of your subscriber list or the volume of emails sent. It is also vital for you to assess the platform’s scalability to accommodate your business growth and expansion without paying for additional costs.
Take advantage of free trials or demo periods to assess the platform’s suitability before committing to a subscription.
Choose An Email Marketing Platform Wisely
Investing in an email marketing platform requires a relatively big chunk of money off your budget. Hence, it is crucial to choose a platform wisely and ensure that you are getting your money’s worth.
Learn more about email marketing in our “Email Marketing: Types, How to Do It, and Tools” article.
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