Introduction
Email marketing is an effective way for small businesses to reach their target audience, raise brand awareness, and increase sales. With the proper email marketing platform, organizations can design, send, and measure efficient email campaigns that resonate with their customers.
In this post, we’ll look at the top five email marketing platforms for small businesses, including their features, benefits, and pricing.
1. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing solutions for small businesses, with over 12 million subscribers globally. Its user-friendly interface, customisable themes, and automation tools make it an excellent alternative for businesses wishing to send professional-looking emails without requiring technical knowledge.
Key features:
Features include customizable templates, a drag-and-drop editor, and audience segmentation and personalization options.
- Automation workflows and triggered emails
- A/B testing and analysis
- Integrate with major tools like Shopify, WordPress, and Google Analytics.
Pricing:
Mailchimp provides a free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month. Paid options begin at $9.99 per month for up to 500 subscribers and include advanced features like automation, bespoke branding, and support.
2. Constant contact.
Constant Contact is a powerful email marketing platform with a variety of features for small businesses, such as email automation, social media integration, and e-commerce capabilities. Businesses can develop and send compelling emails with ease because to its intuitive UI and huge template library.
Key features:
Features include customizable themes, a drag-and-drop editor, and email automation with triggered emails.
- Social media integration and sharing.
- E-commerce Tools & Donation Collection
- A/B testing and analysis
Pricing:
Constant Contact provides a 60-day free trial for up to 100 contacts. Paid options begin at $20 a month for up to 500 contacts, which include unlimited emails, automation, and support.
3. SendinBlue.
Sendinblue is a comprehensive email marketing platform that provides email, SMS, and chat marketing solutions to small businesses. Its advanced automation tools, real-time data, and low price make it a popular choice for firms wishing to expand their marketing operations.
Key features:
- Customizable templates and a drag-and-drop editor.
- Email, SMS, and chat marketing.
- Automation workflows and triggered emails
- Landing page and form builder
- Real-time reporting and analysis
Pricing:
Sendinblue provides a free plan for up to 300 emails daily. Paid options begin at $25 per month for up to 10,000 emails and include additional features like A/B testing, elimination of the Sendinblue branding, and phone assistance.
4. Get Response
GetResponse is a complete email marketing platform with numerous features for small businesses, including automation, webinars, and e-commerce capabilities. Its user-friendly interface, flexible layouts, and reasonable price make it a popular choice for organizations trying to expand their email list and enhance sales.
Key features:
Features include customizable templates, a drag-and-drop editor, and automation workflows with triggered emails.
- Webinars and Conversion funnels
- E-commerce tools and abandoned cart recovery.
- A/B testing and analysis
Pricing:
GetResponse provides a 30-day free trial for up to 1,000 subscribers. Paid plans cost $15 a month for up to 1,000 subscribers and include unlimited emails, automation, and support.
5. Moosend.
Moosend is a cheap email marketing platform with a variety of capabilities for small businesses, including automation, landing pages, and subscription forms. Its user-friendly interface, flexible templates, and real-time analytics make it an excellent choice for firms that want to build and send efficient email campaigns.
Key features:
Features include customizable templates, a drag-and-drop editor, and automation workflows with triggered emails.
- Landing pages and subscription forms.
- Real-time reporting and analysis
- Integration with popular technologies including WordPress, Shopify, and Google Analytics.
Pricing:
Moosend provides a free subscription with up to 1,000 subscribers and unlimited emails. Paid options start at $10 per month for up to 2,000 subscribers and include additional features like automation, logo removal, and phone assistance.
Key Differences Between Mailchimp and Constant Contact
Mailchimp and Constant Contact are two popular email marketing platforms for small businesses, but there are several major differences that organizations should consider when deciding which platform is best for their needs.
1. Features.
Mailchimp has more capabilities than Constant Contact, including advanced automation, A/B testing, and interaction with popular platforms like Shopify, WordPress, and Google Analytics. Constant Contact, on the other hand, has more e-commerce options and contribution collection features, making it an excellent choice for businesses who sell items or services online.
2. Pricing.
Mailchimp offers a free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month, but Constant Contact provides a 60-day free trial for up to 100 contacts. Mailchimp’s paid subscriptions start at $9.99/month for up to 500 subscribers, whereas Constant Contact’s services begin at $20/month for 500 contacts.
3. User Interface.
Both Mailchimp and Constant Contact feature easy-to-use interfaces, but Mailchimp’s is more modern and intuitive. Mailchimp’s drag-and-drop editor and customisable templates enable businesses to create professional-looking emails without the need for technical expertise. Constant Contact’s UI is equally easy to use, although its template collection is less vast than Mailchimp’s.
4. Customer support.
Mailchimp provides email and chat help with its subscription services, whereas Constant Contact provides phone, email, and chat support. Constant Contact’s customer service is known to be more responsive and helpful than Mailchimp’s.
5. Deliverability
Both Mailchimp and Constant Contact have good delivery rates, however Constant Contact’s is somewhat higher due to its more stringent email certification process. This means that Constant Contact may be a better option for organizations with a large number of subscribers or who send a lot of emails.
6. Analytics
Mailchimp has more comprehensive analytics and reporting options than Constant Contact, including as A/B testing, click-through rates, and conversion tracking. Constant Contact provides basic analytics and reporting services, including as open and click-through rates.
Mailchimp and Constant Contact are both excellent email marketing platforms for small businesses, but they have some key differences that businesses should consider when choosing the right platform. Mailchimp offers more features, a more modern interface, and more advanced analytics, while Constant Contact offers more e-commerce tools, better customer support, and higher deliverability rates.
Ultimately, the choice between the two platforms will depend on the specific needs and goals of the business.
SEO best practices for improving email deliverability and open rates
Improving email deliverability and open rates is essential for small businesses that want to get the most out of their email marketing campaigns. Here are some SEO best practices that can help businesses improve their email deliverability and open rates:
1. Use Descriptive Subject Lines and Preheader Text
The subject line and preheader text are the first things that subscribers see when they receive an email. Using descriptive and engaging subject lines and preheader text can help businesses grab the attention of their subscribers and encourage them to open the email.
2. Optimize Images with Alt Tags and Compress File Sizes
Images can help make emails more visually appealing, but they can also slow down email load times and cause deliverability issues. Optimizing images with alt tags and compressing file sizes can help improve email load times and ensure that they are delivered to subscribers’ inboxes.
3. Include Clear Calls-to-Action and Links to Your Website
Including clear calls-to-action and links to the business’s website can help drive traffic and conversions. It’s essential to make sure that the links are working correctly and that they are easy to click on mobile devices.
4. Use Email Marketing Platforms’ Built-In SEO Tools
Email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact offer built-in SEO tools that can help businesses improve their email deliverability and open rates. These tools can help businesses optimize their subject lines, preheader text, and email content for search engines and improve their overall email marketing strategy.
5. Segment Your Email List
Segmenting the email list based on subscribers’ interests, behaviors, and demographics can help businesses create more targeted and relevant emails. This can help improve open rates and engagement, as subscribers are more likely to open and engage with emails that are relevant to their interests.
6. Clean Your Email List Regularly
Cleaning the email list regularly can help businesses remove inactive subscribers and improve their overall email deliverability. This can help businesses avoid spam filters and ensure that their emails are delivered to subscribers’ inboxes.
7. Test and Optimize Your Emails
Testing and optimizing emails can help businesses improve their open rates and engagement. This can include A/B testing subject lines, email content, and calls-to-action to see what works best for their audience.
8. Use Double Opt-In
Using double opt-in can help businesses ensure that their subscribers are engaged and interested in receiving their emails. This can help improve open rates and engagement, as subscribers are more likely to open and engage with emails from businesses that they have intentionally signed up for.
9. Avoid Spammy Content and Practices
Avoiding spammy content and practices can help businesses improve their email deliverability and open rates. This includes avoiding excessive use of exclamation points, all caps, and salesy language, as well as avoiding buying email lists or using misleading subject lines.
10. Monitor Your Email Deliverability and Open Rates
Monitoring email deliverability and open rates can help businesses identify any issues and make necessary adjustments to their email marketing strategy. This can include tracking open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates, as well as monitoring any spam complaints or unsubscribes.
By following these SEO best practices, small businesses can improve their email deliverability and open rates, and get the most out of their email marketing campaigns.
Conclusion
Choosing the right email marketing platform is crucial for small businesses looking to connect with their audience, build brand loyalty, and drive sales. The top 5 email marketing platforms for small businesses listed above offer a wide range of features, benefits, and pricing options to fit any budget and business need.
By selecting the right platform, small businesses can create, send, and track effective email campaigns that resonate with their customers and help grow their business.