Do you want to try email marketing? How do you decide which email platform is best for you? Do you go for an online service provider or do it yourself from your own email account? Should you use pre-designed templates or your own customized option? Single or double opt-in?
We understand it’s confusing and figuring out how to do email marketing can eclipse implementing it. To harness the full potential of email marketing, selecting the right email marketing platform is crucial. Without endorsing a specific option, we’ve put together a list of factors to consider in an email marketing solution.
Email Marketing Platform Features to Consider
Ease of Use
A user-friendly interface is essential for efficient email marketing campaigns. Choose a platform that allows you to easily navigate and utilize its features without a steep learning curve. Look for drag-and-drop editors, customizable templates, and intuitive tools that streamline the campaign creation process.
List Management
Most of the email marketing platforms available offer mailing list management. However, some are more sophisticated than others, so your choice largely depends these factors:
- How big is your list?
- How many lists do you have?
- Do you need cross-referencing capabilities?
A mailing list with a few hundred subscribers has simple needs and managing the list one subscriber at a time is entirely doable. Lists of more than 5,000 names are more complex. Look for options where you can:
- Add or remove subscribers from individual lists or all lists with one command
- Highlight and/or remove addresses after a specified number of bounces
- Choose between single and double opt-in subscriptions on different lists
- Import addresses in bulk without requiring an opt-in
- Collect other information besides just email addresses
- Search and query your list for specific parameters.
Identify what your mailing list looks like now, what it could look like in a year after implementing your marketing strategy, and find an email marketing platform that will comfortably accommodate both ends of the scale.
Email Template Formatting Options
Okay, we aren’t talking about HTML versus plain text here, although you need both. Most email marketing engines offer both, so that isn’t a problem. Look for the ability to choose between standard and customizable templates, or to create and upload your own design. Strategic branding includes making sure that email reflects your company’s brand.
You might not always want to use your standard email template. Email blasts are usually one-offs, focused on a particular product or service. Regular marketing emails may take a different approach, aim at a different market segment, and use a different look and feel. Make a list of all the email marketing opportunities in a year and categorize them according to the layout needed. From this, you can determine whether the platforms you consider have the resources to cope with each situation.
Scheduling and Split-Testing Sending Options
How you send email depends on how many subscribers you have, how many lists you anticipate, and how often you’ll send out emails. If you send a weekly email marketing newsletter, you don’t need to schedule the send. If you’re sending out two emails a day to different segments, check if any subscribers are on both lists and schedule your emails a few hours apart. It isn’t your subscribers’ fault if they are interested in two different topics and signed up for two mailing lists; if you send them two emails one after the other you risk spamming them and potentially losing them from one or both of your lists.
Most email marketing platforms also allow for split testing. Split testing allows you to write two different subject lines and sends each to a portion of your list, usually 10% each. The subject line that gets the better response will then be used to send the mailing to the remaining 80% of your list.
Scalability and Growth
Your business is likely to evolve, and so should your email marketing efforts. Select a platform that can scale alongside your business, accommodating an increasing number of subscribers, campaigns, and features. This ensures that your chosen platform remains a valuable asset as your business expands.
Analytics and Reporting
To refine and optimize your campaigns, access to detailed analytics and reporting is essential. Look for a platform that provides insightful data on key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and subscriber behavior. This information will empower you to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve your email marketing strategy.
Compliance and Security
With privacy regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM in place, compliance is non-negotiable. Choose a platform that prioritizes data security, follows industry regulations, and provides features like double opt-in and unsubscribe options to keep your campaigns in compliance.
Always use an email marketing service provider. The fines, according to the CAN-SPAM Act, run to $16,000 per individual email if you get this wrong. Also, most personal-business email accounts prohibit marketing use.
Single vs Double Opt-In for Email Marketing
The decision between single opt-in and double opt-in for email marketing depends on various factors, and each approach has its advantages and considerations. Let’s explore both options to help you make an informed decision based on your specific goals and audience.
Single Opt-In
Pros:
- Simplified Process: Single opt-in makes the signup process quick and straightforward. Users only need to provide their email address without the additional step of confirming their subscription.
- Higher Initial Conversion Rates: Since the signup process is simpler, you may experience higher initial conversion rates as users can join your list with minimal effort.
Cons:
- Risk of Invalid or Mistaken Email Addresses: With single opt-in, there’s a higher risk of collecting invalid or mistaken email addresses, leading to a less clean and engaged subscriber list.
- Potential for Spam Complaints: Users might forget they subscribed, leading to potential spam complaints and deliverability issues.
Double Opt-In
Pros:
- Enhanced Data Accuracy: Double opt-in requires users to confirm their subscription by clicking on a verification link sent to their email. This extra step ensures that the provided email address is valid and reduces the chances of typos or fake submissions.
- Better Engagement: Since subscribers actively confirm their interest, you’re more likely to have a more engaged and interested audience.
- Improved Deliverability: Confirming subscriptions reduces the likelihood of spam complaints and improves your sender reputation, positively impacting deliverability rates.
Cons:
- Potential for Lower Initial Conversion Rates: Some users may not complete the confirmation process, leading to lower initial conversion rates compared to single opt-in.
- Added Step: The double opt-in process introduces an extra step, and some users might find it inconvenient or may not check their email promptly to confirm.
Selecting the right email marketing platform is a crucial step toward achieving success in your digital marketing efforts. By considering factors such as list management, scalability, and analytics, you’ll be well-equipped to make an informed decision that aligns with your business objectives.
