Email marketing is a type of digital marketing which is used to promote products and services via email messages. The purpose of these messages is to inform and remind current or potential customers about a product or service. Marketing via email involves using email marketing platforms which range from free to premium versions.
This article will compare the main features of the most popular email marketing platforms, so you can pick the one that suits your needs best. We will cover things like cost, usability, and features to help you make the right decision.
Features
One of the first things that you will notice about most of these platforms is that they are very feature rich. This is mostly thanks to the fact that they have been around for many years and have evolved with the times. Most of these platforms offer a free version, so you will likely not miss out on the basic features just because you are not paying for them.
Customers can become complacent with the amount of features that these platforms offer, so it’s important to note that some of them only have a basic account which is free while others offer advanced features such as A/B testing, segmentation, and targeting. The more features that a product offers, the more complex it becomes for a consumer to use it effectively. For this reason, make sure that you try out the various features before buying a product or service which relies heavily on this type of software.
One of the major differences between these email marketing platforms is how they handle delivering the email messages to your subscribers. Some of them, like MailChimp and HubSpot, use a ‘drip’ strategy where messages are gradually released to subscribers over time. Others, like Benchmark, use an ‘all-at-once’ approach where they send out all of the messages at once.
Usability
Another important factor to consider when choosing an email marketing platform is how easy it is to use. Most of these platforms are designed to be very user-friendly, so that even people with no technical experience can easily get up and running with minimal effort. This ensures that even a non-profit can quickly and effectively start an email marketing campaign without needing help from a professional.
The importance of usability in this case is that you want someone—a non-profit, student group, or even a parent who is just learning about digital marketing—to be able to successfully use your product without any trouble. If they have trouble, then it may be difficult to gain initial traction with your message, which could result in a lower open rate or worse conversion rates. This becomes even more important if you are trying to perform a specific task which requires a certain level of expertise and you do not have enough time to train your users on how to operate your product effectively.
Cost
Besides all of the features and usability that they offer, it is also important to look into how much it costs to use these platforms. The answer to this is that most of them are very affordable—especially compared to other types of software which are designed for marketing and sales operations. The cost of these tools is mainly driven by the amount of users that you have, and how much you use their services.
For example, if you have a small business with five to 10 employees, you may not need a dedicated email marketing manager. In this case, a simple free account which allows you to send a maximum of 100 emails per day may be sufficient. On the other hand, if you have a large business which is sending out hundreds of emails per day, then you may need to spend more money on a premium account with additional features.
In short, the cost of these email marketing platforms is mainly determined by the amount of users and the number of features which they offer. The price differences between these platforms are so slight that you may not even notice them. However, if your ultimate goal is to find the most affordable option, then MailChimp is the clear winner. They offer a free version with just enough features to get by, and they also have a very affordable paid version with several advanced features.
Final Takeaway
In summary, the main thing to keep in mind when choosing an email marketing platform is that you should go for the one which is most suitable for your needs. In this case, don’t just look at the features, but also how easy it is to use. If you are just getting started, then the simple and affordable MailChimp is the clear winner. However, if you are looking for a high-end tool with several features, then make sure that you check out the HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot platforms as well.