3 Things Beginners Look for in an Email Marketing Software Tool

At the surface, all email marketing services might look the same minus a few features. But there’s much more to it. Some are much better if you’re a beginner, for instance. Some will make it almost impossible for you to migrate content from other platforms. And others will have disadvantageous pricing structures that you’ll only figure out once your needs expand.

This is why it’s very important that you do your homework and know what to look for when picking an email marketing provider for your operation. Here are some of the main features you should consider when picking a marketing software tool.

User Friendliness

If you’re new to email marketing, one of the first things that you should look for is a tool that is user-friendly. For instance, tools like MailChimp are usually mentioned as being great for beginners, but some of the features are not very intuitive. However, lesser-known tools like MailerLite are just as capable, but much more simple to use.

If you want to know the differences between both tools, PieSync runs them down. They compare both options, and for whom each one is a better choice. They also look at factors such as template selection and customization, list management, and deliverability, among other things.

Visual Editor

This is another very important thing to look for if you’re just getting started. You want a visual tool that has as many drag and drop functions as possible. You also want an intuitive and easy to use WYSIWYG editor.

WYSIWYG stands for “what you see is what you get”, and is exactly what it sounds like. These are tools that allow you to edit templates like you would any other document. All the coding is done on the back end. This allows you to create elaborate templates without knowing HTML.

Other things you should be looking for include responsive templates, built-in photo editing, and the ability to import your own HTML/CSS easily.

Analytics and Reporting

If you want to be able to make the most out of your email marketing efforts, you absolutely need to have your analytics down. This will allow you to do some split testing, see which mailings work better, see open rates, better times to send mailings, etc.

The tool should have an easy to understand dashboard that will allow you to look at things such as who is reading your emails from mobile or through desktop, heat maps that allow you to see which part of the emails they are paying the most attention to, and whether they print, forward, or delete your emails. You should also be looking for demographic data that allows you to see with whom your emails are connecting the most, and how long they’re spending reading your emails.
Conclusion

Now that you know a little bit more about how to pick a tool, make sure that you shop around, and find one that will work for you. Also, don’t be afraid to check a few reviews and ask for second opinions. This could give you more insight into things you may have missed.