As you make the decision to continue growing your blog (or business), you will inevitably be faced with having to choose an email list technology. And there are so many options out there for you to choose from, that it is a good idea to research systems that are now – and will be later – best suited for your own requirements.
Here, I have put together a list of tips for you to consider when searching out the system that you will need:
Get Really Clear On What Your Marketing Budget Will Be.
Naturally, as with anything, you will want to know your budget in advance. If you aren’t clear on this (or honest with yourself), it will be difficult to find an emailing system that is truly a good fit for you. Email list technology can even come for free in some cases… and some more complex full-featured ones will be hundreds of dollars per month. There is a large scale out there for you to choose from, so sit down and get clear on what it is you really need right now (while leaving room for potential growth).
Just How User Friendly Is the Email Technology, Exactly?
When you have researched and uncovered a few options that are within your budget (and which include all of the features that you require), start off with their free offers – or low-cost sign-up rates. Create an account in order to take them for a test run. You will most certainly find that some software options will seem to flow more easily for you than others. You want to be sure that it’s not too difficult for you to learn to use, and you want it to be intuitive to you. You may also want to check for any free training that they offer to their new subscribers.
Take Down Notes on How You Will Plan to Use the Email Technology.
What do you have prepared right now for your readers and your blog community? And what do you want to create for them down the road? Will you be emailing auto-messages to all subscribers (like an ecourse, or perhaps a monthly robust newsletter)? Take the time to map out your plans for your mailings. Create a list of all of your ideas, and how you plan to use the technology. This will take you on a deep dive into your own ideas and plans so you can uncover which email technology will suit you best.
Decide Early On Whether or Not You Will Be Outsourcing.
Consider this in conjunction with the user-friendly question. If you think that you may eventually outsource it’s best to get some assistance prior to choosing your emailing technology. Perhaps you already have a virtual assistant, in which case you should ask them to advise you on which email list technology they would highly recommend. It will be easier for your assistant to work with the system they are already used to. You will also want to check in with them about the reasons they prefer certain systems and technology – again, this will help you in your own learning process and uncovering of knowledge!
Be Sure to Check Out Delivery Rates of Your Potential Email Provider.
Go online and read some reviews. Really take the time to study them – as you read more and compare, you will learn more about email technology in general. This is really good stuff to know. Keep in mind that some software packages which can be put on your own servers may not have as high a delivery rate as some of the email list technology that uses their servers (rather than yours). When you take the time to learn about how delivery rate technology works, you will be better prepared to make a sound choice for your blog or business.
Now, if you use WordPress (as so many blog owners do), there is a handy little feature from WPForms that simplifies the delivery process and helps to ensure your messages are delivered securely. WP Mail SMTP Pro is a great plugin which helps to keep your emails from being blocked. Here’s how it works: you send an email, WP Mail SMTP Pro authenticates emails to ensure they are sent via trusted third parties (so they are not blocked or marked as spam). After all, if you’re putting all of this work in to gain subscribers and create your community, you want to be able to rest assured that your messages are reaching your readers as smoothly as possible! They also have a nice White Glove Setup feature, where their experts install and configure the plugin for you.
Think About What Other Features You Might Need. For example:
- Sign-up forms
- Email newsletters
- Multi-list management
- Subscriber management
- Attractive email templates
- Personalization
- Allows HTML
- Autoresponder technology
- RSS to email
- Social media integration
- Tracking features
- Email marketing API
- Subscriber segmenting
- High deliverability rate
- Great customer service
- Fair pricing plans
This list above is of course not necessary for everyone (and not even necessary for the vast majority of bloggers), but these are terms you will most likely come across. To simplify the process, just be sure you understand how you’re going to use the technology (and how large you plan for your list to become) to know which is best for you. Check out this video from Neil Patel, which gives some great insight into email marketing for today.
Go through the tips I’ve listed here, and you’ll have a solid idea of what you need even before you begin searching. Decide if you would prefer software on your own server or if you’d rather a service that uses their own server. Then you will have a clearer picture of how that affects functionality, price, and your personal readiness and creativity time frame. Most importantly, and as always, have fun!
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