Introduction
Email marketing can be a daunting task for most small-business owners or amateur bloggers. Thankfully, there are a number of services out there to automate the process, and they’re growing ever more sophisticated. One service that has been growing ever more popular recently – particularly with authors and bloggers – is ConvertKit. But do they offer enough to lure customers away from the likes of Mailchimp, Aweber or Infusionsoft?
Main Features
ConvertKit is largely targeted at the creative end of the internet – bloggers, YouTubers and other content creators, rather than techies. As a result, it aims to be as user-friendly and easy to understand as possible, with minimalist email templates and a simple-to-use control panel. Some additional features include:
- Visual Automation Editor
Unlike many email marketing services, each step in the automation process – for example, editing your email – will take you to a new screen. ConvertKit simplifies this process with its natty Visual Automation Editor, which presents your whole campaign on one screen and allows you to edit individual parts right there.
- Extensive Segmentation Options
Segmentation – the process of tailoring your emails to specific target groups – is an increasingly essential part of any email marketing campaign. ConvertKit allows you to edit your individual emails using conditional tags – extra sections of text that can be inserted or removed into an email depending on its target audience, making segmentation a lot easier.
- Auto-Resend Options
Worried that most of your subscribers missed that last email you sent out? ConvertKit allows you to resend unopened emails to your mailing list with only the click of a button. Plus you can edit the subject bar if you felt it didn’t land so well last time.
Plans and Pricing
All this doesn’t come cheap, however. While ConvertKit does have a free option, it will only support up to 500 subscribers. For any more than that, prices scale depending on the number of subscribers, starting at $29 per month for up to 1000 and rising to as high as an eye-watering $3,999 per month for up to 900,000. Any more than that and you’ll have to contact ConvertKit to hash out a deal.
Like many online subscription services, you can save a bit of money by opting for an annual rather than a monthly contract – here prices start at $24 per month for up to 1000 subscribers.
Both the free and paid services offer unlimited, customizable CTAs, 30+ landing page templates, unlimited traffic, customizable domain set-up and Unsplash integration. Besides that, you get the following:
– Free
- Manage up to 500 subscribers.
- Send email broadcasts.
- Subscriber Tagging.
- No Reporting.
- No Visual Automation Funnel.
- No Automated Email Sequences.
- No direct integrations.
- No API.
- Creator Community Support.
– Complete
- Manage 500+ subscribers (prices scale based on number of subscribers).
- Send email broadcasts.
- Subscriber Tagging.
- Reporting.
- Visual Automation Funnel.
- Automated Email Sequences.
- 90+ Direct Integrations.
- API.
- Premium and Creator Community Support.
- Free Migration.
Pros:
– Easy to Use
ConvertKit’s Visual Automation Editor makes planning an email marketing campaign a piece of cake. With everything on the same easy-to-understand page, you’re far less likely to lose track of your thoughts as you work. The minimalist email templates might lack the flash of some other providers, but they’re a doddle for non-techies to use.
– Great Segmentation Options
ConvertKit provides plenty of options for segmenting your audience. The powerful tagging system lets you group your target audience by interest and tailor your emails to them, greatly increasing potential engagement.
– Good Support
ConvertKit’s paid servives offer support via the ticket system, and by all acounts they’re generally responsive and provide good advice. Their website also hosts a number of useful, well-written tutorials for all of their services.
Cons:
– Relatively Pricey
Compared to services like Mailchimp, ConvertKit charges a pretty high rate for what it provides – you’ll be looking at paying a hefty $24 per month minimum. It may not sound like much, but with all the other associated costs of starting a website it can add up. Admittedly there is a free service, but with just 500 potential subscribers any serious blogger will be looking into the paid subscriptions.
– Limited Templates
While ConvertKit’s templates are easy to use, the lack of customisation options (text only) may be a little limiting for bloggers hoping for a bit more pizazz in their emails.
Wrap-up
ConvertKit provides a user-friendly alternative to the likes of Mailchimp and Aweber, and might prove to be a godsend for non-techie types. However, the high prices and limited options might be a little off-putting for some.
Note: this article contains links to one of our affiliates. If you do decide to sign up, please do so through one of our links as it will help support us at GuruShop, at no extra cost to you. Thank you. Read more