The eCommerce or online shop world has grown exponentially over the past few years, providing consumers with more choice and convenience when buying items. With nearly 3.86 billion consumers now accessing the internet on a daily basis, online shops have become a common sight on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, online shopping has now become a common way for people to discover products they love and subsequently buy them, with 72% of web traffic being driven by content recommendations.
With more people discovering products through online shops and social media, email marketing has emerged as one of the most effective ways of reaching potential customers and encouraging them to make a purchase. The key is in the fact that consumers have come to expect to get regular marketing emails from brands, so much so that they often ignore them or delete them without reading, which means businesses can capture less people’s attention and make a bigger impact with their marketing.
This is where email marketing can help eCommerce businesses. With the right approach, a brand can potentially acquire new customers and encourage repeat purchases by tying their emails to a discount or anniversary offer, or they can use the platform to simply stay relevant to their audience.
To get started, first you will want to identify the best email marketing tools for your business. There are a variety of options to choose between, so you can find the one that works best for your needs. Keep in mind that no matter which one you choose, you will need to figure out a way to stay organized and keep track of all the different campaigns you are running, otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to keep up with everything and make sure you are reaching your audience with the right content.
Choosing The Right Email Marketing Software
There are a number of software companies who’ve created email marketing applications that operate on a SaaS or subscription model, which means you do not need to purchase expensive software to use them. In fact, you can take advantage of their services without ever leaving your inbox.
To help you find the right email marketing software for your business, we have compiled a list of the top 10 email marketing tools for eCommerce businesses, along with a brief description of what makes each product unique.
1. Mailchimp
Founded in 2003 and already one of the world’s most popular email marketing tools, Mailchimp’s tagline is “The easy way to send powerful emails.”
The reason behind this popular slogan is the fact that Mailchimp is incredibly easy to use and extremely affordable, even for those with smaller email marketing lists. Whether you’re just getting started or are looking for an affordable way to keep up with the ever-changing world of email marketing, Mailchimp is the perfect choice.
2. Campaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor is the world’s #2 most popular email marketing tool, which offers both free and paid plans.
The paid plan gives you access to all the features of the software, along with being able to connect with a variety of marketing professionals to help get the most out of your campaign. However, if you’re just getting started or are looking for a tool that can be managed by one person, the free version should fit your needs perfectly.
3. HubSpot
If you’re looking for a tool that can help you manage the complexity of growing a business, HubSpot is the right choice. Weighing in at #3 on our list of top 10 email marketing tools, HubSpot’s tagline is “The software everyone uses to send effective emails.”
As the name implies, HubSpot helps businesses and marketers track and analyze email campaigns, creating a database of user activity that can be accessed and sorted through online dashboards. With its robust set of features and the ability to continually evolve your approach as your business changes, HubSpot is an indispensable tool for any eCommerce business.
4. Vertical Marketing Group
Also making the list of the top 10 email marketing tools is the Vertical Marketing Group, which offers a free plan with basic functionality. If you’re looking for a tool that can help you automate your email campaigns, along with tracking open and click rates, and getting feedback from customers through surveys, the free version of Vertical Marketing Group is a good choice.
The paid plan incorporates all the features mentioned above as well as allows you to access a database of customers, view detailed reporting, and take advantage of integrations with other marketing software.
5. Mad Mimi
Mimi is currently the world’s #5 most popular email marketing tool, with the tagline being “The simpler, the better.”
The main reason behind Mimi’s popularity is its simplistic design, which makes it easy for even beginners to get started with. You can build and send automated emails with just a few clicks of the mouse, and you can also customize the text of each email.
Due to its lightweight and minimalistic approach, Mimi is the perfect choice for those who want to quickly send out automated emails on a regular basis. Its simplicity also makes it ideal for businesses with no marketing or email admins, as it can be overseen and managed entirely by one person. As the name implies, Mimi is also suitable for use with kids’ email lists, as its simplicity means children can easily use the app without training or assistance needed.
6. Drip
Drip is the only email marketing tool on our list of top 10 email marketing tools that’s specifically designed for use by or with children. Its tagline is “A safe and effective way to send news and information to kids.”
Whether you’re a parent who wants to keep up with your kids’ activities or a teacher looking for a simple and effective tool to keep your students engaged, the free version of Drip is the perfect choice. The main difference between the free and paid plans is that the former lacks some of the more advanced features, like being able to monitor and track email campaigns across multiple platforms, and integrate with third-party tools for analytics.
As the name suggests, Drip is designed for children, with features like “mini games,” stories, and easy-to-use animation making it a fun and engaging experience for kids, while also keeping them engaged with content (i.e., news articles) relevant to their age group.
7. Marketo
Founded in 2001 and also making the list of the top 10 email marketing tools is Marketo. Not only does it offer a free plan with basic features, but Marketo also provides a free API so that developers can integrate its tools into their own apps.
The main purpose of Marketo is to help businesses segment and analyze their target audiences to gain a better understanding of who their customers are and how they can be persuaded to buy the products or services they offer. The platform can be used to create and send email campaigns, along with using social listening and digital marketing to discover what is trending across various platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Additionally, Marketo can be integrated with many different third-party applications, including Salesforce and Slack, which means businesses can gain even more benefit from the software.
8. AgoraPay
Also making the list of top 10 email marketing tools is AgoraPay, a Canadian company who’s tagline is “Getting paid what you’re worth.”
The main purpose of AgoraPay is to use technology to provide transparency and audit proof of payments which enable businesses to work with freelancers and contractors confidently without the fear of mis-payment or fraud. Through the use of distributed ledger technology, AgoraPay seeks to eliminate intermediaries and provide users with the freedom to work with ease, security, and confidence.
Just as with the other tools on this list, AgoraPay provides both a free plan and a paid plan, with the former being extremely limited in its functionality, and the latter providing you with access to additional features, like integrations with invoicing systems and the ability to track and analyze the effectiveness of email marketing campaigns. The paid plan also provides you with the ability to create automated email campaigns, track opens and clicks, and get insights from the data collected through the use of surveys.
9. MailChimp
Once again, we come back to MailChimp, the world’s #2 most popular email marketing tool, with the tagline: “The easy way to send powerful emails.”