Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach potential customers and grow your business. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming trying to decide which email service provider is the best fit for your needs.
In this comprehensive Constant Contact review for 2024, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this popular email marketing platform to determine if it’s the right solution for your business.
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Overview of Constant Contact
Founded in 1998, Constant Contact is one of the oldest and most well-known email marketing services on the market. It’s designed to make email marketing simple for small businesses with easy-to-use tools for creating professional-looking emails, building email lists, tracking results, and automating campaigns.
Some key features of Constant Contact include:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop email builder with hundreds of responsive templates
- Contact management tools like bulk importing and segmentation
- Automated email workflows with drip campaigns
- Real-time tracking and robust analytics and reporting
- Landing page and form builder to grow your lists
- Integration with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce
- Top-notch deliverability with an average open rate over 25%
Constant Contact serves over 600,000 small business customers worldwide across various industries like retail, restaurants, non-profits, personal services, and more.
Some alternatives to consider are Mailchimp, Sendinblue, ConvertKit, and Campaign Monitor. We’ll compare Constant Contact to some of these competitors later in this review.
Next, let’s take a closer look at the key features and functionality of Constant Contact.
Key Features and Tools
Easy Email Builder
Constant Contact offers one of the most intuitive drag-and-drop email builders in the industry. With hundreds of professionally designed, mobile-optimized templates to choose from, you can quickly create on-brand emails without any coding knowledge required.
The email editor makes it simple to customize fonts, colors, images, buttons, and layouts. You can also easily insert your own content blocks like text, images, videos, events, coupons, and more. Dynamic content lets you personalize emails with merge tags.
For more advanced customization, Constant Contact offers a code editor where you can modify HTML and CSS. However, it doesn’t offer quite as much design flexibility as some competitors.
Overall, the email builder is very user-friendly while still providing nice design options suitable for most small businesses.
Contact Management
Constant Contact provides several helpful tools for managing your lists and organizing contacts. You can either manually upload CSV files or connect to external apps and services to bulk import existing email lists.
The platform allows you to create unlimited segments so you can group contacts and target them with tailored messaging. Tags and custom fields also help you categorize contacts for segmentation.
Email collection forms make it easy to grow your lists by capturing new contacts from your website, Facebook, landing pages, and more. You can choose from a variety of pre-built form designs.
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Email Workflows and Automation
Constant Contact enables you to set up automated email sequences like welcome series for new subscribers and abandoned cart flows for ecommerce stores. These drip campaigns are sent out automatically based on triggers and schedules you define.
While it doesn’t have the most advanced automation capabilities compared to dedicated marketing automation platforms, the workflows cover the basics well for small business needs.
You can also schedule regular broadcasts to automatically send recurring emails like newsletters, promotions, and announcements.
Analytics and Reporting
Understanding your email marketing performance is key, and Constant Contact provides robust analytics and reporting to track opens, clicks, bounces, unsubscribes, spam complaints, and more.
The interactive dashboards and charts help you monitor metrics like open rates, click-through rates, top links, subscriber engagement and growth over time. You can also view real-time sending activity and delivery status.
For deeper insights, you can export raw data into Excel to run your own custom reports. The analytics provide helpful information to optimize your emails and lists for better results.
Landing Pages and Lead Capture Tools
To maximize email list growth, Constant Contact lets you quickly build unlimited landing pages using a range of pre-designed templates. You can embed lead capture forms directly on landing pages to convert website traffic into new contacts.
Useful lead generation tools are available like pop-ups, slide-ins, banners, and social contests to help you grow your audience on various platforms.
Ecommerce Features
For online stores, Constant Contact integrates with ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
You can easily import customer information and sync product catalogs to create targeted emails based on purchase history and behavior. Abandoned cart automations can help you recover lost sales.
Additionally, the email builder provides enhancements specific to ecommerce like the ability to showcase products, highlight promotions, and drive traffic back to your online store.
Social Media Tools
Beyond email, Constant Contact offers some nice social media marketing options like creating Facebook ads right from your account dashboard.
You can also easily promote your emails and landing pages across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn to expand reach. Shareable content kits make social posting quick and convenient.
While social media tools aren’t a core focus, these extras help strengthen your multi-channel marketing efforts.
Customer Support
Constant Contact provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone. From our experience, the support team is very responsive and helpful addressing any questions or issues you have.
There is also an extensive knowledge base with articles, videos, and training resources to help you get set up and learn how to use features. Many users find the customer service and educational materials to be excellent.
Constant Contact Pricing
Constant Contact offers three main paid plans suitable for different sizes of email lists, plus some add-on options:
- Starter – Up to 500 contacts for $12/month when billed annually
- Plus – Up to 2,500 contacts for $28/month when billed annually
- Professional – Up to 5,000 contacts for $58/month when billed annually
- Additional Contacts – $20 per 1,000 additional contacts per month
Volume discounts are available for larger lists above 100,000 contacts. Non-profit organizations also get 25% off.
Some key extras available include:
- Email Plus – Expandeddynamic content and automations for $10/month
- Premium Support – Priority phone and chat support for $30/month
- Marketing Calendar – Schedule social posts and emails for $12/month
The pricing is pretty straightforward and competitive for small businesses compared to other email services. As your lists grow into the thousands, costs can add up, so the value depends on your specific needs.
There is a 60-day free trial to test it out, which provides up to 500 contacts and access to all features.
Next, let’s look at what real users think about Constant Contact in customer reviews.
Constant Contact Reviews: What Real Users Are Saying
Constant Contact has mostly positive reviews and ratings across various sources like Capterra, G2, and TrustRadius. Here is an overview of common pros and cons mentioned by customers:
Pros:
- Very easy-to-use platform even for beginners
- Drag-and-drop editor makes creating emails simple
- Numerous professionally designed templates
- Excellent deliverability rates
- Helpful automation tools and workflows
- Robust analytics and reporting features
- Great customer support
Cons:
- Design customization is limited compared to some competitors
- Advanced automation capabilities lacking
- Can get pricey for larger contact lists
- Some users report slow performance at times
- Contacts only sync one-way from Constant Contact
Looking at independent review sites, Constant Contact earns around 4 out of 5 stars on average. Most reviews praise its simplicity and deliverability while noting its primary limitations are the cost for larger lists and lack of advanced functionality compared to tools like ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp.
But for basic email marketing needs of small businesses, Constant Contact strikes a nice balance of being easy-to-use yet still powerful.
Next, let’s compare Constant Contact to some top competitors.
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Constant Contact Compared to Leading Alternatives
Constant Contact stands out for its straightforward tools specialized for beginners. But how does it stack up against other popular email services on the market? Here is an overview comparing Constant Contact to Mailchimp and Sendinblue.
Constant Contact vs. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the top email marketing platform used by millions of businesses worldwide. Like Constant Contact, it’s known for its simplicity and excellent deliverability.
Some key differences:
- Pricing – Mailchimp has a more generous free plan for up to 2,000 contacts. Paid plans can be slightly cheaper than Constant Contact for smaller lists under 10,000 contacts.
- Features – Mailchimp has better automation with tags and more advanced opt-in features. But Constant Contact has superior templates, forms, and ecommerce functionality.
- Ease of use – Both are very beginner-friendly. Constant Contact’s platform may be a bit simpler for complete email newbies.
- Support – Customer service is stellar for both Mailchimp and Constant Contact.
Overall, Mailchimp beats Constant Contact in functionality while Constant Contact is perhaps simpler for brand new email marketers. Both are great choices that come down to your specific needs and budget.
Constant Contact vs Sendinblue
Sendinblue is a fast-growing email service with a free plan up to 300 contacts. It’s also highly rated for deliverability and ease of use.
Here are some of the key differences compared to Constant Contact:
- Features – Sendinblue has great visual automations, multi-user collaboration, and SMS capabilities. Constant Contact has an edge for templates, forms, and ecommerce features.
- Price – Sendinblue’s pricing is more affordable for smaller lists, while Constant Contact can be cheaper for lists above 5,000 contacts.
- Performance – Both services have excellent delivery rates. Constant Contact offers more advanced analytics and insights.
- Support – Constant Contact provides phone support while Sendinblue is limited to email and chat.
For the most basic email needs, Sendinblue has the lowest prices. But Constant Contact is preferable if you want to scale your emails beyond 2,500 contacts or need strong ecommerce tools.
Overall, Constant Contact holds its own against the top competitors, though it may not be the most robust solution for advanced needs. Next, let’s cover who Constant Contact is best suited for.
Is Constant Contact Right for You?
Constant Contact is designed squarely for small businesses in the early stages of email marketing. Here are the types of businesses it works best for:
- Beginners just getting started with email marketing
- Small retailers and ecommerce sites
- Service providers like consultants, coaches, agencies
- Local brick and mortar businesses like restaurants
- Non-profits and community organizations
- Churches, schools, and associations
Essentially, if you have basic email marketing needs and a list under 10,000 contacts, Constant Contact has an easy-to-use platform with powerful deliverability.
The platform may not be ideal if you have very large lists over 50,000 contacts or need advanced functionality like sophisticated behavioral automations, split testing, predictive sending, or multichannel attribution. Larger companies typically outgrow what Constant Contact offers.
But for most small businesses sending simple newsletters, promotions, announcements, and automations, it’s an excellent choice that’s affordable and user-friendly.
Now let’s answer some common questions about Constant Contact.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Constant Contact have a free plan?
Constant Contact doesn’t have a free plan, but it does offer a 60-day free trial with access to all features for up to 500 contacts. Many competitors like Mailchimp and Sendinblue do have limited free plans if you want a completely free email service.
What are Constant Contact’s deliverability rates?
Constant Contact has fantastic deliverability with average open rates around 25% across all customers. The platform has built-in validation and spam monitoring tools to help maximize delivery and inbox placement. Customers consistently rate deliverability as one of Constant Contact’s biggest strengths.
Does Constant Contact integrate with CRMs?
Yes, Constant Contact offers CRM integrations with platforms like Salesforce, Zoho CRM, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics. This allows you to sync contact and customer data between Constant Contact and your CRM for a centralized system.
Can I use my own domain name?
Constant Contact enables you to send emails using your own custom domain name, which helps build brand recognition. You just need to set up the DNS records to verify ownership of your domain.
Is there an affiliate program?
Yes, Constant Contact has an affiliate program where you can earn commissions for referring new customers. The commission rate is $2 per contact signup via your affiliate link. There are also opportunities to become a Constant Contact reseller.
How easy is it to create signup forms?
It’s very quick and simple to create embeddable signup forms using the form builder. You can choose different styles and customize the form fields. Forms also integrate well with landing pages to convert website visitors into email subscribers.
Can I export contact lists?
Constant Contact allows you to export contacts to a CSV file at any time. This makes it easy to back up your lists or transfer them to another system if needed. The platform also enables bulk importing of lists from CSV/Excel files.
How do I cancel my Constant Contact account?
You can cancel your Constant Contact account at any time from the billing section of your dashboard. For monthly accounts, you can simply cancel the subscription, while annual accounts will remain active until the end of the prepaid term. Reach out to the support team if you need help with cancellation.
The Final Verdict: Is Constant Contact Worth It?
So what’s the final answer on whether Constant Contact is the right email marketing solution for small businesses?
The bottom line: For beginners with basic email needs focused on excellent deliverability, Constant Contact is absolutely worth considering as your email marketing platform.
The strengths really lie in the easy-to-use tools, high inbox placement rates, expansive template library, and great educational resources for getting started. Support from the customer service team is also a prime benefit.
However, the platform does have some limitations in terms of design flexibility, advanced automation, and scalability for larger lists. And the pricing is a bit higher than some competitors.
For larger or more sophisticated needs, you may want to also evaluate options like Mailchimp, Sendinblue, or ActiveCampaign. But Constant Contact remains a top choice for simplicity and deliverability.
Given the free trial and competitive pricing for smaller lists, it’s low risk to give Constant Contact a try to see if it’s a fit. For many small businesses, it can provide the right solution to make email marketing achievable.