Home / WHSR Blog / Which Email Newsletter Service Is Best for Your Blog?
Which Email Newsletter Service Is Best for Your Blog?
Updated: Mar 19, 2020 / Article by: KeriLynn Engel
No matter what your reasons for starting a blog, getting readers to read a post is just the first step. It’s only by developing your relationship with your readers that you’ll achieve your goals.
And email newsletters are a crucial tool for developing those relationships. Social media is useful, but there’s still something uniquely intimate about email: it’s more of a personal, one-on-one conversation, plus newsletters are (still) the top way to convert lead into sales.
You understand the “why” behind email newsletters – but what about the “how”? Which email newsletter service will help you achieve your blogging goals?
Best Email Newsletter Services for Your Blog
Here are the highlights of the most popular ones so you can decide for yourself.
1- Constant Contact
Constant Contact is an email newsletter provider for small businesses and nonprofits.
Founded in the 90s, Constant Contact has been around for a while. Known for their dedicated customer support, they focus on providing email newsletter service for small businesses and nonprofits.
Organize and group your contacts using categories and tags
Create and track eCommerce coupons
Create surveys and polls
Pros
Constant Contact provides support via phone
Easy to use even if you’re not very tech-savvy
Impressive list of add-ons
Cons
Strange auto-respond system
Constant Contact Is Best for:
Small businesses and nonprofits are their main target audience. If you’re not very tech-savvy and phone support is a priority for you, then Constant Contact may be a good choice.
Started in 2001, MailChimp is one of the largest email service providers in the market.
There’s much more to MailChimp than their cute mascot, Freddy. They’re one of the most popular email newsletter providers for a reason. MailChimp is known for their ease of use, intuitive interface, and great email design.
Built-in analytics and Google Analytics integration
Email design preview on various screen sizes
Advanced RSS-to-email newsletters with custom merge tags
Pros
Intuitive interface that’s easy for beginners to learn quickly
Lots of beautiful, mobile-friendly templates
Flexible, easy-to-use drag-and drop email editor – customize everything (font, colors, sizes, etc) without knowing any code
Pay as you go plan for infrequent senders
Cons
Sign-up forms are limited and difficult to style if you don’t know HTML/CSS
Segmentation and automation features are basic
Connect to Shopify store through a third-party app
No phone support
MailChimp Is Best for:
Ecommerce is MailChimp’s primary target audience, and it’s where they really shine. If you’re selling a physical product online, MailChimp is meant for you. MailChimp is also great for bloggers sending simple email newsletters or RSS-driven campaigns to small lists (it’s free for under 2000 subscribers!). MailChimp is the best at RSS campaigns.
Whether you're just starting out or already familiar with email marketing, if you're looking for robust software, solid support, and very good value for money, check out Sendinblue.
4- AWeber
AWeber is one of the most established and well-known email newsletter providers.
Founded in 1998, AWeber is one of the most well-known email newsletter providers. Known for their robust features, they offer a free trial and a money back guarantee.
Key Features
Hundreds of email templates
List segmentation
Proactive spam tool for optimal deliverability
A/B testing
Analytics
Pros
Extensive reporting and analytics; great for businesses with a need to keep all team members on the same page
Flexible: Good balance between ease of use, and advanced functionality
Good customer service via phone, live chat, or email
Includes access to a library of thousands of stock photos
Cons
Segmentation is awkwardly implemented. Subscribers are counted multiple times if they’re on multiple lists – which can drive your pricing up.
Segmentation is very basic. You can’t automatically segment subscribers based on their actions.
The email editor has a reputation for being non user-friendly.
AWeber Is Best for:
AWeber is geared more towards businesses or career email marketers than individuals. Honestly, AWeber offers some good features, but if you’re an individual blogger it’s nothing you can’t get in a better platform for the same price or cheaper.
GetResponse is geared toward email marketers who need in-depth analytics and advanced functionality.
GetResponse used to be our tool of choice here at WHSR for the past 2 years. You can see Jerry’s GetResponse review here.)
Key Features
Advanced segmentation
Automation: trigger specific emails by clicks, transactions, birthdays, etc.
Free images library by iStockphoto
Drag and drop landing page creator
Tons of signup form templates, including exit intent pop-ups, scroll form, shake box, etc.
Webinar integration, including invitations and reminder templates
A/B testing with in-depth analytics
Pros
Great all-in-one system for building your email list, including landing pages and all kinds of opt-in forms
Very strong split testing and reporting features to optimize your email marketing
Cons
Templates are rather limited, and the editor is a little clunky and difficult to use
GetResponse Is Best for:
Digital marketers, especially dedicated email marketers, who need advanced functions will likely find everything they need with GetResponse. If you want to handle everything in one place (landing pages, webinars, analytics, etc.) then try the free trial to see if GetResponse is right for you.
ConvertKit provides email marketing for pro bloggers with advanced segmentation and automation.
Founded in 2013, ConvertKit is the new kid on the block, but they’ve certainly made a splash so far and are still growing rapidly. The founder is a professional blogger who also creates and sells his own products, and he created ConvertKit for a similar audience. It’s meant to help bloggers to manage email lists and drip campaigns in order to increase sales when they launch a product or service.
When I asked a group of online business owners which email newsletter provider they used, many were exuberant in their support of ConvertKit:
Convertkit ROCKS if you have multiple funnels running at the same time or you have multiple ways someone can enter your email list. The use of Triggers and Tags in Convertkit [makes] it super easy to help your customers navigate through the customer journey without mistakes of a client receiving an email that is intended for a prospect. Marissa Stone of Simon Says Social.
Marissa Stone of Simon Says Social.
I was with MailChimp for the longest time – I was grandfathered in so had free automation etc. it was fine until I used it to run a course. I had lots of issues getting people on the right list, issues stopping or starting individual delivery, and if I needed to move someone from one list to another or manually add someone it took me forever. I realized I was spending about half an hour or so every few days just making sure things were working. I moved to Convertkit and really like it. It took me about 15 minutes to recreate my 30 day email series and importing my list was easy and drama free. Super happy to be paying for something that I'm confident in – it's great to know it just works. Helen Stringfellow of Equilateral Design Studio
Helen Stringfellow of Equilateral Design Studio
Key Features
Advanced automation with tons of Triggers and Actions to choose from
Segment and organize subscribers with tags
Analytics, including conversion rates on individual opt-in forms
Email courses and autoresponder series
Pros
Intuitive interface that’s easy to learn
Easy to organize even very complicated lists and subscribers
Integrates with the Rainmaker platform
The only email marketing provider to have a direct Gumroad integration
Nicely designed opt-in forms and landing pages
You can create several different opt-in forms and freebies for one list (great for implementing content upgrades)
Cons
You can’t schedule a sequence to begin on a future date
The email editor is very limited: you can’t customize font/color/size on emails without using code
ConvertKit Is Best for:
ConvertKit is specifically designed for bloggers and digital marketers who want to sell their own products and services. If you want to run an email course, set up complicated funnels or audience segmentation, etc., then ConvertKit is for you.
Omnisend leverages on your social channels to do more than sending the newsletter.
When it’s time to graduate from simple email newsletters to omnichannel marketing automation, Omnisend is there to empower eCommerce marketers. Former exciting up and comer, Omnisend has carved a definitive place in the eCommerce marketing industry by taking email marketing a step further to offer personalized contact with eCommerce shoppers.
Key Features
Easy-to-use visual email builder
Sophisticated marketing automation workflows
Smart segmentation for hyper-precise targeting
Contact capture tools including pop-ups, static forms, landing pages, and a dynamic Wheel of Fortune form
Pros
Ability to add several channels into the same automation workflow
Targeting based on shopping behavior, campaign engagement, and profile data
Visual builder for all marketing aspects with professional templates to help you get started
Bring your channels under one roof: Facebook Messenger, email, SMS, web push notifications, WhatsApp, Viber, etc
Cons
No mobile app
Templates rather limited
Omisend Is Best for:
This platform is for anyone who sells online and needs to build a better relationship with their customers. If it’s time to scale up from simple newsletter to omnichannel marketing automation, Omnisend is the perfect choice for you.
Have you been putting off starting your email newsletter because you’re not sure which provider to use? All of the above providers are good, and many of them provide a free trial or even a free level of service.
Don’t put off starting your list any longer – try one of these email newsletter providers and get started building your list today!
FTC disclaimer: Links to GetResponse, Constant Contact, and MailChimp are affiliate links.
About KeriLynn Engel
KeriLynn Engel is a copywriter & content marketing strategist. She loves working with B2B & B2C businesses to plan and create high-quality content that attracts and converts their target audience. When not writing, you can find her reading speculative fiction, watching Star Trek, or playing Telemann flute fantasias at a local open mic.