Email marketing remains a powerful tool for small businesses to connect with customers, promote products and services, and build brand loyalty. But with a wide range of email marketing platforms available, selecting the right one for your business can be a challenge.
This article will guide you through the key features to consider when choosing an email marketing platform for your small business, along with some top recommendations to get you started.
What Small Businesses Look for in Email Marketing Platforms
Here are some of the essential features small businesses should prioritise when evaluating email marketing platforms:
- Ease of use: A user-friendly interface is crucial, especially for businesses without dedicated marketing teams. The platform should be intuitive and allow you to create, manage, and track email campaigns effortlessly.
- Affordability: Pricing plans should scale with your business needs. Many platforms offer free plans for limited subscribers, with paid tiers unlocking advanced features.
- Email Templates: The platform should offer a variety of pre-designed templates and a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor to create professional-looking emails without needing coding expertise.
- Audience segmentation: Building and managing your email list is fundamental. The platform should allow you to import contacts, segment your list for targeted campaigns, and ensure compliance with email marketing regulations.
- Analytics and reporting: Track the performance of your email campaigns with key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribes. This data will help you optimize your future campaigns for better results.
- Available integrations: Integrations with other apps in your tech stack, like your CRM, help to automate tedious tasks.
- Forms and landing pages: Landing pages and forms will help garner opt-ins and grow your mailing list.
Comparison of Email Marketing Platforms
Based on the factors mentioned above, here are some of the most highly-rated email marketing platforms for small businesses:
| Software | Free Plan/Trial | Pricing | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moosend | Yes (30-day free trial) | $7/month | Powerful drag-and-drop editor with advanced functionality |
| Brevo | 300 emails/ day | $9/month | SMS and WhatsApp campaigns |
| MailerLite | Yes, up to 1,000 contacts | $10/month | Sell digital products and subscriptions |
| Campaign Monitor | Unlimited emails 5 contacts | $11 for 500 contacts & 2,500 email sends | Low-volume senders |
| Constant Contact | 14-day trial | $12/month | Event management options |
| ActiveCampaign | 14-day trial | $15/month | Huge variety of automation templates |
| AWeber | Yes | $15/month | Efficient landing page builder |
| GetResponse | 30-day trial | $19/month | Conversion funnels |
| HubSpot | Yes (up to 2,000 emails) | $21/month | All-in-one solution with CRM |
| Klaviyo | Yes, less than 250 contacts | $20/month | Marketing automation capabilities |
| Mailchimp | Yes, up to 500 contacts | $25/month | Pre-built automation journeys |
If affordability your top concern, check out these platforms that offer free plans or a low entry price point:
- Brevo: Brevo is a good option for small businesses because it is affordable and has many features, including email templates, drag-and-drop editing, automation tools, and reporting capabilities.
- MailerLite: A free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers and a generous free tier. MailerLite is a good option for businesses on a tight budget that still need the core email marketing functionalities.
- Moosend: Moosend offers a variety of features, including email templates, drag-and-drop editing, automation tools, and reporting capabilities. Moosend also offers a free plan for businesses with up to 1,000 subscribers.
If you need list segmentation and automation, check out these platforms that are easy-to-use with a variety of templates:
- Mailchimp: A popular and user-friendly platform with a free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers. Mailchimp offers a variety of templates, automation tools, and integrations with other business applications.
- Constant Contact: Another user-friendly platform with a focus on email deliverability and marketing automation. Constant Contact offers a free trial and paid plans that scale with your business needs.
- Campaign Monitor: A powerful platform with advanced features like A/B testing and customer journey mapping. Campaign Monitor is a good option for businesses looking to take their email marketing to the next level.
- AWeber: A well-established platform with a focus on list segmentation and email automation. AWeber offers a free trial and paid plans that cater to businesses of all sizes.
If you need robust marketing automation and integration with CRM, check out these platforms:
- ActiveCampaign is among the most versatile platforms in this category. While it doesn’t support channels outside of email, it brings together tools for a variety of sales and marketing use cases. For example, it has a landing page and form builder, a CRM for keeping track of leads, and a sales engagement and automation solution. ActiveCampaign also has lots of integrations for eCommerce platforms like Shopify, and WooCommerce, CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, and more.
- HubSpot: HubSpot is a great all-in-one platform that includes email marketing, CRM, and marketing automation tools. However, it can be a bit more expensive than some of the other options on this list.
Choosing the Perfect Platform
The best email marketing platform for your small business will depend on your specific needs and budget. Consider the features you prioritize, the size of your email list, and your marketing goals when making your decision.
By taking these factors into account and exploring the recommendations above, you can find the perfect email marketing platform to help your small business thrive.
