Constant Contact Review

Intro

Constant Contact is one of the earliest and most popular email marketing platforms, known for its user-friendly design and small business focus. It offers a variety of tools for email marketing, automation, event management, and even basic website creation. This review will dive into Constant Contact’s features, benefits, and drawbacks, helping you assess if it’s the right choice for your business.

Features and Capabilities of Constant Contact

1. Email Campaign Builder

Constant Contact’s email editor is designed for simplicity, allowing users to create and customize emails quickly. The platform offers numerous templates that can be tailored to specific industries or occasions, making it a versatile choice for many businesses.

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Constant Contact’s drag-and-drop editor makes it easy for beginners to build professional emails without coding. Users can rearrange elements, add images, and customize colors to match brand identity.

• Personalization Options: With options to insert dynamic content, users can create personalized messages that improve engagement by addressing subscribers’ specific interests.

2. Marketing Automation

Constant Contact provides basic automation tools that help users manage repetitive tasks and maintain consistent communication with their audience. While not as advanced as some competitors, these automation features are reliable for straightforward email workflows.

• Auto-Responders: Set up automated welcome emails for new subscribers or schedule birthday and anniversary emails to keep customers engaged.

• Behavioral Triggers: Although limited, users can set up emails triggered by specific actions, like a click or a sign-up, ensuring timely follow-ups.

3. Event Management

One unique feature of Constant Contact is its event management tool, which allows businesses to create and promote events directly from the platform. This is particularly beneficial for nonprofits, community organizations, and event-based businesses.

• Registration Forms and Tickets: Users can create event registration pages, collect RSVPs, and even sell tickets through Constant Contact, making event planning seamless.

• Automated Reminders: Set up automated reminder emails for registered attendees to ensure higher attendance and engagement.

4. Social Media Integration and Ads

Constant Contact also supports social media marketing and advertising, enabling users to create and schedule posts across social channels and manage basic paid ads.

• Social Posting and Tracking: Users can manage posts for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, integrating social media campaigns within email strategies.

• Facebook and Instagram Ads: Constant Contact allows users to create and manage Facebook and Instagram ads, bringing social media and email marketing under one roof for a unified approach.

5. Reporting and Analytics

Constant Contact’s reporting tools provide valuable insights into email performance, social campaigns, and overall engagement, helping users refine their marketing strategies based on data.

• Email Performance Metrics: Track open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates to assess email success. Heatmap data helps identify which parts of the email attract the most attention.

• Real-Time Reporting: Constant Contact offers real-time reporting for immediate insights, allowing marketers to monitor campaign success and make adjustments as needed.

6. Integration and E-commerce Tools

Constant Contact integrates with popular platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, and Zapier, expanding its functionality to cover essential business needs. It also offers basic e-commerce tools for building and managing a store, making it a versatile choice for small businesses.

Pros of Using Constant Contact

• Easy to Use: Constant Contact’s interface is straightforward, with a focus on simplicity that’s ideal for beginners.

• Comprehensive Support: Constant Contact offers excellent customer support, including live chat, phone support, and helpful resources like webinars and guides.

• Event Management Tools: The platform’s event management features, including ticketing and RSVP tracking, make it unique among email marketing platforms.

• Social Media Integration: Constant Contact’s social media posting and ad tools enable businesses to manage both email and social campaigns in one place.

Cons of Using Constant Contact

• Limited Automation: While Constant Contact offers automation, it’s relatively basic compared to other platforms, which may be limiting for businesses with complex workflows.

• Higher Pricing for Features: Constant Contact can become costly as businesses scale up, especially when opting for advanced features or higher contact lists.

• Limited Customization for Templates: The platform’s template options are decent, but some users find them limited compared to competitors with more design flexibility.

Comparison with Ranktracker’s Capabilities

Constant Contact and Ranktracker serve distinct yet complementary functions in digital marketing.

• Marketing Focus: Constant Contact specializes in email and social media marketing, making it ideal for customer engagement. Ranktracker, however, focuses on SEO and analytics, which are key for boosting organic search traffic.

• Automation Differences: Constant Contact’s automation supports basic engagement workflows. Ranktracker’s automation, in contrast, is SEO-focused, covering tasks like keyword tracking and SERP monitoring.

• Analytics and Data: Constant Contact provides engagement metrics for email and social campaigns. Ranktracker’s analytics dive into SEO performance, allowing users to track keyword rankings and optimize their websites for search engines.

By combining Constant Contact’s email and social tools with Ranktracker’s SEO features, businesses can create a balanced marketing approach that boosts both customer engagement and online visibility.

Pricing Overview

Constant Contact offers two primary pricing plans based on business needs:

• Core Plan: Starting at $9.99/month, this plan covers essential email marketing features, including customizable templates, basic automation, and reporting.

• Plus Plan: Starting at $45/month, the Plus plan includes more advanced features like automation series, event management, and social ad tools. Pricing scales based on the size of your contact list, which can increase costs as your list grows.

Constant Contact also offers a free trial, allowing users to test out the platform and see if it aligns with their needs.

Is Constant Contact Right for You?

Constant Contact is an ideal choice for small businesses and organizations looking for an easy-to-use platform that covers basic email marketing and social media integration. Its event management tools make it especially appealing to event-focused businesses, while the intuitive design caters to users with limited marketing experience.

For businesses focused on SEO, Ranktracker offers a more targeted set of tools for keyword tracking, competitive analysis, and site audits. These SEO tools complement Constant Contact by helping businesses enhance their search visibility and drive more organic traffic.

Final Verdict

Constant Contact remains a strong contender in the email marketing space, particularly for small businesses and nonprofits that need an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution for email, social media, and event management. The platform’s simplicity, robust support, and event features make it ideal for businesses with straightforward marketing needs. However, its limited automation and higher costs for advanced features might not suit larger organizations with complex requirements.

Ranktracker, on the other hand, enhances digital marketing with a focus on SEO. Where Constant Contact excels in engagement through email and social media, Ranktracker boosts visibility through search engine optimization, creating a well-rounded strategy for businesses focused on both customer engagement and search performance.