WORDPRESS

Beginner’s Guide to Social Commerce for WordPress Users

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2024

Beginner's Guide to Social Commerce for WordPress Users

One of the questions we often receive from our readers is how to use social media for eCommerce effectively.

Over the years, we’ve built over 2 million followers on various social media channels for WPBeginner. Across our partner brands, we also sell software that is used on over 25 million websites.

A big lesson we have learned is that your social media followers’ expectations of you are different from those of your website audience.

Unfortunately, many small business owners treat their social media followers and their site audience the same way.

In this article, we will walk you through what social commerce is and how you can get started with it, even if you are not a social media expert.

What Is Social Commerce?

Social commerce means the buying and selling of products or services directly through social media platforms.

Think of it like having a virtual storefront built right into your favorite social media apps. While scrolling through friends’ updates, you can discover new products and sometimes even make purchases without leaving the app.

Several popular social media platforms now offer built-in social commerce features.

For instance, Instagram allows businesses to tag products in their posts and display a ‘Buy Now on Instagram’ button. Some profiles may even have a dedicated ‘Shop’ section with a checkout function.

Facebook also lets businesses tag products in photos, where users can then click to view and purchase them.

Similarly, TikTok lets you add a ‘Visit shop’ tab on a brand profile, taking users straight to your product catalog.

Many businesses are making the most out of selling on social media channels.

Take Fjällräven, a popular Swedish outdoor brand whose website is built on WooCommerce. They use Instagram’s shop features to showcase their products and drive sales within the platform.

Bloomscape, another WooCommerce-based business, uses TikTok for social commerce.

They create engaging videos that showcase their beautiful plants and increase traffic to their online store.

What Are the Benefits of Social Commerce?

If you already sell through an online store or an online marketplace, then you may be asking why you should give social commerce a chance.

Social commerce can be beneficial because it simplifies the buying process for customers. This convenience can lead to more sales and happier customers.

Let’s say a customer stumbles upon a photo of a stylish hat on their Instagram feed. With social shopping features, that customer can click a button and buy the hat on their mobile device, all without leaving Instagram.

When a customer interacts with your social commerce store (e.g., by liking or sharing a product), their social network sees it, too. This organic reach can expose your brand to entirely new customer segments you might not have reached through traditional eCommerce.

Other than that, social commerce can be highly beneficial if your business targets a younger audience like Gen Z and Millennials. These demographics often trust influencers more than ads because their recommendations may feel more genuine.

Partnering with micro-influencers in your niche can help you reach a targeted audience and build trust with potential customers.

Finally, social commerce is a cost-effective marketing strategy. By simply connecting your existing social media accounts to your online store, you can start using social commerce to drive eCommerce sales.

You can also use these platforms’ customer data for advertising purposes. They can be useful for creating personalized ad campaigns that resonate with users’ interests and retarget potential buyers in ads.

What Are the Limitations of Social Commerce?

While social commerce offers exciting opportunities, it’s important to be aware of its limitations:

Platform dependence: Social commerce heavily relies on the features and algorithms of specific social media platforms. These platforms can change their rules and functionalities at any time, potentially impacting customer experience.
Limited product display: Compared to a dedicated WordPress website, social commerce platforms often limit the product information you can display.
Difficult to stand out: Grabbing the attention of social media users can be difficult. Hundreds, if not thousands, of brands will be competing with you for users’ attention.
Regional restrictions: Some social commerce features may not be available in all countries. For instance, selling directly on Instagram is only available in the US.

All in all, social commerce is exciting, but it shouldn’t replace your existing online store. Instead, they work best together.

Think of social media like a shop window. You can use it to show off your products and make some sales directly on the app. But if that’s not the best fit for your business, then you can still use social media to get people to visit your website.

eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce offer much better control over your online shopping experience.

It provides a variety of secure payment gateways that may not be available on social platforms. Plus, it allows you to customize the checkout flow for a more convenient buying experience.

What’s more, you can use WooCommerce plugins like FunnelKit to optimize your customer journey. This way, you can increase the chances of new users converting into buyers.

For more details, you can see our complete guide on how to start an online store.

How to Get Started With Social Commerce

Now, let’s see how to get started with your own social commerce strategy. You can use the quick links below to navigate through the article:

Choosing the right platform for your business is the key to driving social commerce sales. After all, different platforms cater to different demographics and product types.

You will want to consider these factors when making your choice:

Target audience: Where does your ideal customer spend their time online? Understanding their social media habits is crucial.
Product type: Are your products visually appealing and well-suited for photo and video content? This might influence your platform choice.
Platform features: Consider the functionalities offered by each platform. Some might offer live shopping events, product tagging capabilities, or chatbots for customer interaction.

Here’s a breakdown of some popular social commerce platforms and who they are best for:

Instagram Shopping: A great option for businesses selling fashion, accessories, homeware, or anything that benefits from high-quality photos and videos.
Facebook Shops: A perfect fit for businesses with established Facebook pages. You can also use Facebook Messenger for customer service inquiries.
TikTok Shopping: Consider this platform if your target audience is active on TikTok. It is also suitable if your products can be showcased through short-form videos and live streams.
Pinterest Product Pins: This is a great option for businesses in the home decor, fashion, or DIY space. Here, users might be searching for ideas and inspiration before making a purchase.

If you haven’t already, then you need to create social media business profiles specifically for your brand. This allows you to access features like social commerce tools and analytics.

First impressions matter, so focus on creating a profile that’s both visually appealing and informative.

Here are the key elements to consider:

Profile picture and cover photo: Choose high-quality images that represent your brand personality. Your profile picture should be clear and easily recognizable, like your logo. The cover photo is your chance to showcase your brand aesthetic.
Engaging bio: Use this space to insert your unique value proposition and a clear call to action. Also, feel free to mention some relevant keywords to your business, as they can help users find you through the platform’s search engine.
Website link: Include a clickable link to your website or online store in your bio. This makes it easy for potential customers to discover your full product catalog and complete their purchase journey.

Now that you have a stunning profile set up, it’s time to start creating engaging content.

You can start by introducing your business. Let your audience know who you are and what your brand is all about. Share your story, your mission, and what makes your products special.

High-quality product photos and videos are essential for social commerce. Use your first few posts to highlight your most popular items or new arrivals.

You can also entice new followers with an introductory discount or special offer. This is a great way to generate excitement and encourage people to check out your products.

Contests and giveaways are a fun way to increase engagement and brand awareness. Offer a free product or discount to a lucky winner and ask users to follow your page, like your post, and tag a friend to enter.

To ensure the success of your giveaway, you can read our case study on how WPBeginner runs giveaways to double traffic and conversions.

Now that you’ve got a captivating profile, let’s create a shoppable social feed. This is where you can integrate product tags directly into your social media posts, making it easier for customers to discover your products.

Keep in mind that the setup process and functionalities for shoppable feeds can vary depending on the country and platform you are using.

Major platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok usually let you add a product catalog to your profile. However, you must check if your region is eligible for enabling an in-app checkout experience or if you need to direct users to your website via links.

Here are some guides you can check out for more information:

The great thing about social commerce is you can repost user-generated content (UGC) and add it to your shoppable social feed.

You can encourage customers to share photos or videos of themselves using and loving your products with a specific branded hashtag. Besides tagging the products, you can also use these photos as social proof in your feed to show real people enjoying your products.

Or, you can add them to your customer reviews page on your website.

If you use Instagram, one thing you can do is embed a shoppable social feed on your online store, like your homepage. Clicking on these posts will take users directly to the product pages on your website, creating a smooth buying experience.

Plugins like Smash Balloon can simplify this process by displaying your Instagram feeds directly on your website and making them shoppable.

For a step-by-step guide, check out our article on how to add a shoppable Instagram feed on WordPress.

How to add a shoppable link to an Instagram post

For more tips and tricks, check out these other articles on integrating social media with WordPress:

Juggling multiple social media accounts can get quickly overwhelming. So, you should consider using a social media management tool to simplify your workflows and save time.

Social commerce tools can help you schedule posts in advance so that they are published when your audience is most active. Plus, they often come with analytics to help you gain valuable insights into your social media strategy. Some may also have a messaging feature to respond to customers.

A great example of this is Semrush Social, which offers a comprehensive suite of social media management features.

Once you’ve signed up, you can connect your social media accounts to Semrush Social. The setup is easy and takes just a few clicks.

From here, you can explore any of the available features to manage your social commerce.

For instance, the Social Poster feature lets you schedule content, set up an editorial workflow, and even gather content ideas, all in one place.

Want to keep an eye on the competition? The Social Tracker tool allows you to monitor your competitors’ social media performance.

Simply enter their brand name or domain, and Semrush will gather data on their social media activity. You can take advantage of all of these valuable insights to improve your own strategy.

You can learn more about the platform in our Semrush review.

5. Make Your Business Visible in the Right Local Market

When you optimize your social profiles for local searches, you will increase the chances of your business showing up in the search results. This means you are attracting qualified leads who are close by and more likely to convert into paying customers.

If you want to localize your social commerce strategy, you can start by making sure your location is clear on your profiles. Include your city and state in your business name or bio, and consider adding your address if it makes sense for your business.

Additionally, you may want to make your ads targeted to people based on location. This means focusing on people within your city, town, or neighborhood, not just anyone scrolling through social media.

Also, remember to optimize the landing page for your ads so that users don’t leave once they land on it.

Other than that, don’t forget the power of hashtags. Adding relevant city or neighborhood hashtags to your posts can help people find you.

Keeping your business information accurate across all online directories can be a pain. Luckily, there are tools like Semrush Local to help.

Semrush Local helps ensure your business information (like your name, address, and phone number) is consistent and accurate across major online directories. This includes social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

This consistency is important for local SEO and can significantly improve your chances of showing up in local searches.

Once you’re inside your Semrush account, just enter your business name. Then, Semrush will check the web to see how your information is listed everywhere.

If anything’s wrong or missing, Semrush can distribute the correct information to relevant websites. It can also help remove duplicate listings that might confuse potential customers.

6. Get Creative With AI Content Writing Tools

Creating consistent and engaging social media content can be time-consuming. If you are looking for an extra boost, then you can try using AI content writing tools. They can help you write product descriptions on your website as well as on your social media posts.

While AI can be a helpful starting point, it’s important to remember that your brand voice and style are unique. Always review and edit the generated content to ensure it resonates with your audience and reflects your brand personality.

One powerful tool you should check out is ContentShake AI from Semrush. It helps you create high-ranking content on your site with AI and Semrush’s SEO data. You can also use it to create social media posts.

To use ContentShake AI, simply provide some details about your business, the type of post you are creating, the desired tone, and the post format. ContentShake AI will then generate several unique social media copy options for you to choose from.

You can then fine-tune your generated content further by interacting with the AI chat function.

This allows you to refine your message, add specific details, or simply get a creative nudge in the right direction.

ContentShake AI also allows you to establish a brand voice for your content simply by pasting existing content.

The tool will analyze your writing style and target audience. This lets you generate future content that aligns perfectly with your brand identity.

You may also want to see our guide on how to use AI to boost your marketing.

Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about social commerce.

Is social commerce rising?

Absolutely. The social commerce industry is booming and projected to grow 3 times faster than traditional eCommerce by 2025. This means social media platforms are becoming increasingly important for businesses to drive sales directly to consumers.

What is the difference between social commerce and social marketing?

Social marketing focuses on building brand awareness and improving relationships with your audience. On the other hand, social commerce has a more direct goal: converting followers into paying customers through your social media channels.

However, these two strategies work hand-in-hand. A strong social media marketing presence can lay the groundwork for successful social commerce efforts.

Is TikTok a social commerce platform?

Yes, TikTok is a major player in social commerce. They’ve introduced features like TikTok Shop, allowing users to discover and purchase products directly within the app. This focus on in-app purchases makes TikTok a leader in social commerce trends.

What is the largest social commerce platform?

While Facebook Marketplace is a major contender, TikTok Shop is currently considered the biggest social commerce platform due to its massive user base in China (where the app is known as Douyin).

Which countries allow Instagram Shopping?

Instagram Shopping is available to businesses in many countries, including the United States, Canada, most of Europe, and many countries in Asia-Pacific. You can find a full list of supported countries in Facebook’s Help Center.

We hope this article helped you learn about social commerce and how to get started with it. You may also want to check out our expert pick of the best Twitter plugins for WordPress and our complete social media cheat sheet.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Source link

Related Topics:Beginners Commerce Guide Social users WordPress

Up Next

This Instagram Print on Demand Account Made $260K in 24 Hours

Don't Miss

New WordPress.com Themes for August 2024 – WordPress.com News

WORDPRESS

John Kostak of Web Dev USA – WordPress.com News

Published

3 days ago

September 6, 2024

Max

John Kostak of Web Dev USA – WordPress.com News

“We can really be dangerous if we want, without being too afraid of it.”

John Kostak has been building websites for longer than most social media networks have even been around. So splashy features don’t interest him much—he’s far more into performance, reliability, and compatibility. Which is why he and his company, Web Development USA, have been using WordPress.com from the start.

In this fun Q&A, John shares more about his WordPress journey, what matters most to him as a developer, and a few of his favorite sites (in spite of the fact that it was like making him pick his favorite child). Note: The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

If John’s love for WordPress.com has you reconsidering your current hosting environment, you can learn more about our specs and get started at WordPress.com/hosting.

Jeremy: How long have you been using WordPress and WordPress.com?

John: I have been building websites for about 15 or 16 years and started in a corporate environment for a large company. We never had an internal digital team and we basically created our own digital agency within this big corporate company. And that was pretty innovative back then.

Then out of that, I spun off and started Web Development USA. That began in 2015, and so next year will be our 10th year, which is crazy to think about. But it went quickly because we really do enjoy this. And we look for people who find this to be a passion, as we do.

Jeremy: Have you been using WordPress.com the entire time?

John: Yes we have. We started doing some testing with SiteGround and Elementor hosting, but we still like WordPress.com the best. You know you can go through a McDonald’s three miles away or 10,000 miles away on the other side of the planet and your lunch is going to be reasonably what you expect. That’s what WordPress.com feels like with its consistency and the familiarity of the UI and getting around.

Jeremy: What do you like most about WordPress.com? Is it about ease of use on your side as a builder? Convenience for the customer? Both?

John: Resiliency. With Jetpack at the core and all the updates that it does, we just don’t have that much of a risk of things exploding, especially when we bring contractors in and out. We can always fall back to a previous state, and we have an exact record of it. We can get into PHP code. We can get into the very, very back end if we want. We can really be dangerous if we want, without being too afraid of it.

Overall, it is certainly the all-around performance, security, and cadence that you use for backing up sites.

Jeremy: What are some of your favorite features when building sites on WordPress? Do you have go-to themes, blocks, plugins, etc.?

John: Well, it’s changed over the years. We used to use standard old-school wireframe and theme templates that were very basic. And then we went into more “custom designer” mode, I would say, with templates and flashy designs. We graduated from Walmart t-shirts to Gucci t-shirts. And, you know, we enjoyed that for a while.

Now we’re going back to robust wireframes and doing more from scratch. What’s more important now is really the entire stack, including performance and compatibility. You know, we just don’t have time to troubleshoot when we have some whizzy feature on the site. We don’t have time to go in and look for why the thing is down. So, we are sort of simplifying certain things and then standardizing on a certain stack.

Jeremy: What excites you about the future of WordPress.com? Are there any new features you’re especially excited to try out and use?

John: Honestly, we just don’t have time to get into a lot of that. We don’t look much to experimental features or anything like that. We’re trusting that by the time the feature or tool makes its way into being a standard of WordPress, it will be tried and true. We’re not looking for early adopter types of things anymore.

The reality is that our value add is more about custom coding for integrations—maybe for a particular reservation system that has to shake hands and stay for a while on the site before it goes out to a third-party point of sale. It takes some custom coding there. That’s where our focus has really been—managed services and then a lot more programming. We’ve been onboarding more programmers in the last 18 months than we did the first eight years of the company.

Jeremy: Do you have a few favorite client sites that you can share?

John: Well, Jeremy, it’s like asking you who’s your favorite child.

Jeremy: Depending on the week, I can give you a pretty good answer. 😊

John: Yeah, that’s a good point! Sure, I have a few:

TuckMusic.com

appalachian-air.com

kdmconsults.com

Get started at WordPress.com today

Even though WordPress.com provides the freedom and tools to create stunningly beautiful and innovative websites, that’s not why developers choose us. Folks like John Kostak rely on WordPress.com because we have the most performant, secure, and compatible infrastructure out there. If you made it this far, you already know that you don’t have to take our word for it.

Learn more about our top-notch hosting and get started:

Source link

WORDPRESS

Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience

Published

4 days ago

September 5, 2024

Max

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience

When I started building my website with WordPress, I stumbled upon Elementor’s plugin. This powerful website builder, known for its drag-and-drop interface, has been my go-to tool, thanks to its user-friendly interface and wide array of design options.

Since then, Elementor decided to take things up a notch by expanding into the hosting space.

Elementor Hosting is a hosting service tailor-made for WordPress users, seamlessly integrated with Elementor’s page builder and WooCommerce. With Elementor hosting, you get a streamlined experience from site creation to publication, all within the Elementor platform.

This article will dive into Elementor’s hosting service, examining its features, pricing, and overall value, providing an in-depth Elementor Hosting review.

What is Elementor Hosting

Elementor Hosting is a managed web hosting service provided by Elementor, the industry-leading WordPress website builder.

I’ve found that Elementor Hosting is designed to seamlessly merge web hosting services with the advanced capabilities of the Elementor page builder. This unique integration creates an all-in-one platform that empowers you with everything you might need for website creation, hosting, and management.

In a single package, you gain access to the Elementor Pro website builder, valued at $99 per year, alongside the freedom to install preferred plugins.

Keep reading this full hands-on Elementor Hosting review to decide if this is the right option for you.

Who is Elementor Hosting for?

Elementor Hosting is designed for users who want to create, manage, and host WordPress websites using the Elementor website builder.

Here’s a closer look at who might find Elementor Hosting particularly beneficial:

Web developers and designers: Elementor is a great choice for people who regularly build websites for clients and appreciate its versatility and extensive design capabilities.
Small- and medium-sized businesses: Ideal for entrepreneurs looking to establish or enhance their online presence with a polished web design without shelling out hefty design fees.
Bloggers and content creators: Elementor Hosting is suitable for individuals seeking a user-friendly platform that enables them to concentrate on content creation.
E-commerce store owners: Elementor Hosting comes with WooCommerce, which is great for people with an online store.
Marketing and SEO professionals: Perfect for marketing professionals requiring quickly editable and optimized web assets.

Core Features of Elementor Hosting

Elementor Hosting is tailored to offer a seamless experience for users who wish to design, manage, and host websites easily. You get everything under one roof — editor, theme, and hosting.

Before we get into how you can easily build a website with Elementor Hosting, let’s have a look at the features.

Below are the core features that make Elementor Hosting stand out.

Page Builder

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 1

Elementor Hosting Review: Analysing Features, Pricing, and User Experience 2

Source link

WORDPRESS

14+ Best Email Automation Tools For Your Business (Expert Pick)

Published

4 days ago

September 4, 2024

Max

14+ Best Email Automation Tools For Your Business (Expert Pick)

We’ve run online businesses and websites for years, so we know how long it can take to write emails to customers, leads, and subscribers.

As a business owner, your time is valuable. You need to focus on growing your business, not just writing emails. Luckily, email automation tools can help you do that.

That being said, there are so many tools out there that it’s hard to know which one to choose. That’s why we’ve tested many of them and looked at how easy they are to use, how much they cost, and how well they can personalize your emails.

Although we personally use Drip on WPBeginner, we have also done a deep dive into other options for small business owners.

And in this article, we will share the best email automation tools we have found. These tools will help you save time and still send emails that feel personal to each recipient.

email-automation-tools-for-your-business-og

Top 3 Email Marketing Automation Tools

In a hurry? Here are our top 3 picks for the best email marketing tools.

How We Test and Review Email Automation Tools

When we review tools, we don’t just look at fancy features. We focus on whether the tool can actually help your business grow.

Marketing expert Neil Patel perfectly sums up what’s most important:

The big things I look for in email marketing are:

1. Segmentation: The goal is to create email campaigns that are personal and relevant to each recipient.
2. Personalization: When you personalize your email content, you make a connection with your contacts on a human level—which can lead to improved click-through rates, higher open rates, and more conversions.
3. Valuable: Make sure the content of your email provides value that’s relevant to your audience’s interests, and more importantly, that doesn’t come across as a sales pitch.

Neil Patel – Digital Marketing Expert and Entrepreneur

With that in mind, we’ve been using some of the tools featured here every day for our own websites, so we know firsthand how they work. We use them to send welcome emails to new customers, remind people about items they left in their cart, and share special offers.

Other options are super popular tools that we tested to see if they lived up to the hype. We dug into online reviews to see how they perform in the real world. We want to make sure we recommend tools that are reliable, easy to use, and offer good value for the price.

Why Trust WPBeginner?

We’ve been helping people with WordPress, online marketing, and website design for over 16 years. We are a team of WordPress experts who carefully review and test every tool and plugin we recommend, not just on demo sites but on real, live websites.

To learn more, check out our entire editorial process.

1. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is the best all-around email marketing automation tool, trusted by over 600,000 businesses. We have tested it extensively, which you can read about in our Constant Contact review.

Constant Contact segments your audience into four categories: most engaged, somewhat engaged, least engaged, and everyone else.

This segmentation isn’t as targeted as some other tools, but it’s helpful for beginners wanting to separate their most loyal customers from the rest.

It has one of the most user-friendly interfaces we’ve tested. From the moment you start the free trial, it guides you through a super-simple setup process.

You can also choose from hundreds of customizable templates and layouts. Whether you need an eye-catching email for newsletters or a simple announcement, there’s a template to fit your needs.

Pros of Constant Contact:

Automatic list segmentation helps you target your audience efficiently.
Hundreds of customizable templates to match your branding.
Comprehensive analytics tools to measure the performance of your campaigns.

Cons of Constant Contact:

They don’t offer unlimited sends.

Pricing: Constant Contact starts from $12 to $80 per month, with pricing based on the number of contacts. They also offer a 30-day free trial period. You can use our Constant Contact coupon code to get 20% off of your purchase.

Why we chose Constant Contact: We like Constant Contact for beginners because it covers the email marketing basics well. The service helps with list building, automating campaigns, and designing mobile-friendly emails, making it perfect for new users.

To learn more about the tool, check out our Constant Contact review.

2. Brevo

Brevo is an email marketing app that gives you access to an unlimited number of contacts on any plan. We tried it out to test all the features, which you can check out in our complete Brevo review.

The tool comes with contact segmentation features so you can target smaller groups of subscribers. You can engage them with relevant content by filtering contacts by previous engagement, declared interests, purchase history, and other options.

Creating a segmented email list using Brevo

It’s our second choice because it’s one of the only platforms that offers unlimited contacts right off the bat, which is great for growing your list.

One downside of Brevo is that multi-user access is only available for higher-tier users, which can limit collaboration for people on lower-tier plans.

Pros of Brevo:

Unlimited contacts on all plans.
Marketing automation to send emails to specific segments at the right moments in their user journey.
Predictive sending feature to send emails at the best time for each individual.

Cons of Brevo:

Multi-user access is unavailable in lower-tier plans.

Pricing: Brevo is free to start with unlimited contacts and up to 300 email sends per day. The paid plans start from $9 to $18 per month.

Why we chose Brevo: We chose Brevo because it offers unlimited contacts on all plans, which is ideal for growing businesses. Its segmentation and predictive sending features help you target the right audience at the best times.

If you want more information, feel free to read our Brevo review.

3. HubSpot

HubSpot is one of the most affordable and diverse marketing automation tools, making it into our top three. We made a HubSpot account for this roundup and went through all the features, which you can see in our HubSpot review.

With HubSpot, you can send automated emails after someone fills out a pop-up or embedded form, which helps you start nurturing leads right away. You can also segment your contacts and personalize your emails to ensure they reach the right people.

Designing a beautiful email blast using HubSpot

Starting at $15 per user per month, you can get up to 1,000 marketing contacts to kickstart your campaigns.

One drawback is that HubSpot only allows 10 automated actions in its lower-tier plans, which might be enough initially but limiting as you grow. To access more, you need to upgrade to the Marketing Hub Professional plan.

Pros of HubSpot:

1,000 marketing contacts, offering plenty of room to grow.
The email tool syncs with CRM contacts for seamless data integration.
Automation features for nurturing leads via email and engaging users who submitted their information using a form.

Cons of HubSpot:

Only 10 automated actions in lower-tier plans, with a high price jump to the next higher-level plan.

Pricing: HubSpot offers a free plan to get started. The Marketing Hub Starter plan costs $15 per user per month. For more marketing contacts and unlimited automated actions, you can opt for the Marketing Hub Professional plan at $800 per month.

Why chose HubSpot: We chose HubSpot for its affordability and versatility. With robust automation features and seamless CRM integration, it provides powerful tools for building customer relationships.

You can read our HubSpot review for more details.

4. Drip

Drip is one of the best email automation tools on the market due to its advanced feature set. It goes beyond just addressing the recipient by name, as it uses liquid tags to personalize emails based on specific behavior, location, or other attributes.

That’s one of the biggest reasons why we switched from Mailchimp to Drip at WPBeginner, as it allowed us to send more customized content to our valued readers.

One thing to consider is that Drip is more expensive than other solutions, starting at $39 per month for 2,500 subscribers. However, we think it’s worth it for businesses looking for more powerful features.

Pros of Drip:

Smart segmentation can automatically segment your audience.
Liquid tags allow you to create dynamic content based on various attributes.
Drip syncs all product data from your WooCommerce store so you can make product recommendations or send upsell emails.

Cons of Drip:

Can be more expensive compared to other solutions on the list.

Pricing: Drip starts at $39 per month for up to 2,500 subscribers, with pricing increasing as your subscriber count grows. You can also use our Drip coupon code to get a 14-day free trial.

Why chose Drip: We chose Drip for its advanced personalization features that make email content dynamic and highly relevant. Its smart segmentation makes it an excellent choice for businesses seeking powerful automation tools.

5. Groove

Groove review: Is it the right help desk for your WordPress website?

If you need a collaborative email platform with powerful automation features, then Groove is a top choice. We use Groove across our partner companies to efficiently handle support emails from our customers.

For more details, see our extensive Groove review.

Groove’s AI features make it a standout for businesses. With Instant Replies, you can turn a specific response into a reusable, automated one with a few clicks. Plus, the automation templates make it easy to route, categorize, and organize customer conversations.

Keep in mind that Groove is designed for customer service emails, not marketing. It doesn’t have email marketing templates or a drag-and-drop email builder.

Pros of Groove:

Instant replies to save time on repetitive questions.
Over 50 automation templates to streamline processes.
Collision detection to avoid double replies and ensure smooth team communication.

Cons of Groove:

No feature for email marketing templates or a drag-and-drop email marketing builder.

Pricing: Groove’s pricing ranges from $16 to $56 per user per month. A free 7-day trial is available without requiring a credit card, allowing you to try it out before committing.

Why we chose Groove: We chose Groove because its AI and automation features save a lot of time on repetitive emails. This makes Groove ideal for small businesses wanting to improve their customer support.

Learn more about this email service in our Groove review.

6. FunnelKit Automations

If you use WooCommerce and want to boost your store’s performance with emails, then FunnelKit Automations is for you. We’ve tested it across a bunch of WooCommerce stores – just read our FunnelKit review for more details.

What we like about this tool is that you can run automated email campaigns right inside WordPress.

Here, you can easily import pre-built sequences for abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase follow-ups, win-back campaigns, and lead nurturing. All emails are pre-written and customizable with the visual builder. Plus, you can also create audiences based on items bought or average order value.

One downside is that setup can be more complicated because you may have to use an SMTP service to ensure email deliverability. FunnelKit also doesn’t recommend using Gmail or Outlook as email service providers, so you may have to switch to a different one.

Pros of FunnelKit:

Integrates with WordPress, WooCommerce, and popular tools like WPForms and Slack.
Comes with many email sequence templates, from abandoned cart recovery to welcome sequences and newsletters.
The visual builder makes it easy to customize your automation to your exact preferences.

Cons of FunnelKit:

Setup can be more complicated compared to other options.

Pricing: Starts at $99.50 per year for FunnelKit Automations alone and $249.50 per year for FunnelKit Automations and FunnelKit Funnel Builder. The second includes a sales funnel builder to optimize your website for more conversions.

Why we chose FunnelKit Automations: We chose FunnelKit Automations for its seamless integration with WordPress and WooCommerce. Plus, it offers many email templates and a visual builder for creating effective campaigns, even if you have no experience.

Get more information about the platform in our FunnelKit Automations review.

7. Omnisend

Omnisend is arguably the best eCommerce marketing automation tool around. We signed up for an account and tried out all the features, which you can learn about in our Omnisend review.

It helps you improve targeting, drive sales on autopilot, and remain consistent with your brand messaging. Plus, it works across many channels, from emails and SMS to web push notifications.

One unique feature that we don’t see elsewhere is the smart campaign booster feature. It automatically resends your email campaigns that haven’t been opened or clicked. That allows you to reach subscribers who missed out on the opportunity the first time easily.

However, Omnisend has a limited number of contacts. Even the highest plan only allows up to 2,500 contacts, whereas alternatives like Brevo offer more contacts at a lower price.

Pros of Omnisend:

Campaign Booster helps boost engagement by automatically sending the same message to people who haven’t opened it.
Pre-built workflows for email communication with customers and re-engaging them to make a purchase.
Unlimited custom events to assign as triggers for email workflows.

Cons of Omnisend:

Limited number of contacts compared to other options on the list.

Pricing: Omnisend is free to start for up to 250 contacts. The paid plans range from $16 to $59 per month.

Why we chose Omnisend: We chose Omnisend for its smart campaign booster and strong multi-channel capabilities. Its pre-built workflows will make it easy for eCommerce businesses to automate and improve their marketing.

If you want to learn more, head to our Omnisend review for more details.

8. AWeber

AWeber is an email marketing service that covers all the essential features you need to send automated campaigns and email blasts. We’ve experimented a lot with AWeber, and we’ve written about it in our AWeber review.

What we enjoyed about AWeber is its behavioral automation, making it easy to track and engage your most active subscribers.

For example, you can trigger special campaigns based on email opens and link clicks. This lets you send targeted content to those who interact with your messages.

One downside is that the user interface feels a bit outdated and clunky. However, AWeber does have a Canva integration to make designing easier.

Pros of AWeber:

Behavioral automation to engage with subscribers based on their actions.
Email tagging lets you categorize your subscribers into different segments based on their interactions.
Design email templates in Canva without leaving AWeber.

Cons of AWeber:

The software has an outdated interface that feels clunky.

Pricing: You can get started for free. Paid plans start from $12.50 per month to $899 per month.

You can also use our AWeber coupon code to get 33% off of your purchase.

Why we chose AWeber: If you like using Canva to design emails, then AWeber is a great choice. Its behavioral automation and email tagging can help you create highly targeted and engaging campaigns.

9. MailerLite

MailerLite is one of the most beginner-friendly email marketing services available. We did a deep dive into its email marketing features, which you can see in our MailerLite review.

The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create emails using pre-built design blocks or dynamic content blocks for personalization.

You can build automated workflows to reach the right people at the right time. For advanced functionality, MailerLite offers multi-trigger automation, allowing up to three triggers in one automation, which creates multiple entry points.

However, live chat support is only available for Advanced plan users, which can be a downside for people on lower-tier plans.

Pros of MailerLite:

The drag-and-drop block editor with dynamic content blocks makes email creation easy and personalized.
Built-in email verification tool to clean and optimize your list.
Multivariate testing allows you to test up to 8 variations of the same campaign to see what works best.

Cons of MailerLite:

Live chat support is only available for Advanced plan users.

Pricing: MailerLite is free to start for up to 12,000 monthly emails. Paid plans range from $9 to $18 per month, offering unlimited monthly emails.

Why we chose MailerLite: We chose MailerLite for its user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, dynamic content blocks, and multivariate testing. These features make it ideal for beginners looking to create effective email marketing campaigns with ease.

10. ConvertKit

With ConvertKit, there’s no need to build a new email list for each project launch or sale. It offers segments and unique tags to group subscribers based on custom form fields, location, or other tags. This way, you can easily manage and target specific audiences.

ConvertKit also has a lead-scoring capability to assess the quality of your leads. For example, if a customer doesn’t open your last five emails, then you can deduct points. If they visit your pricing page or click a link, you can add points. This helps you focus on your most engaged leads.

However, we found its analytics to be limiting. Detailed analytics like open and click rates are only available in the highest-tier Creator Pro plan.

Pros of ConvertKit:

Lead-scoring capability to identify and engage your most active leads.
Group subscribers automatically using custom form fields, making segmentation easy.
Unlimited landing pages, opt-in forms, and email broadcasts in all plans.

Cons of ConvertKit:

Helpful analytics are only available for higher-tier users.

Pricing: ConvertKit is free to start for up to 10,000 subscribers. Paid plans range from $25 to $50 per month, with pricing increasing as you get more subscribers.

You can also use our ConvertKit coupon to get a discount.

Why we chose ConvertKit: If you’re a content creator or an online business owner, then ConvertKit’s features can help you effectively manage and engage your subscribers.

11. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign comes with an automation builder and map, which we found to be easy to use. To initiate events, simply assign triggers (conditions) and actions. This visual overview makes it easy to manage and optimize your automation workflows.

ActiveCampaign also offers conditional content, which lets you personalize email sections based on specific attributes. This means you can target messages to the right people, like showing event details only to local subscribers or tailoring content by sales stage.

One thing to consider is that ActiveCampaign has no refund policy, so make sure to use the 14-day trial to see if it suits your needs.

Pros of ActiveCampaign:

Easy-to-use automation builder with various triggers, such as actions related to eCommerce, emails, and sales.
Conditional content to personalize emails based on specific attributes.
AI content generation tool to save time writing emails.

Cons of ActiveCampaign:

No refund policy, so try the free trial before committing.

Pricing: Pricing ranges from $15 to $145 per month, with a 14-day free trial available.

Why we chose ActiveCampaign: We like how ActiveCampaign strikes a good balance between ease of use and advanced personalization features. This makes it great for businesses of all sizes.

Looking for tools similar to ActiveCampaign? Check out our list of the best ActiveCampaign alternatives.

12. GetResponse

GetResponse comes with template autoresponders, allowing you to use proven workflows like welcome series, post-purchase, abandoned cart, webinars, events, and sales promotions. These workflow templates save you time by removing the need to tinker with sequences.

You can also set up A/B tests to experiment with different subject lines and email content. Simply create two versions of your email, and GetResponse will test both to see which one performs best.

One downside is that not all automation templates are available in all plans. Higher-tier plans have exclusive features like drip campaigns.

Pros of GetResponse:

Wide range of automated email templates, from follow-ups to post-purchase emails.
Besides emails, you can create lead magnets, opt-in forms, sales pages, and webinar funnels.
Google Analytics integration for tracking campaign performance.

Cons of GetResponse:

Some automation templates are only available in higher-tier plans.

Pricing: GetResponse offers a free plan. Paid plans start at $13.20 per month and go up to $82.90 per month.

Why we chose GetResponse: We chose GetResponse for its variety of email templates and easy A/B testing. It’s perfect for businesses wanting to simplify their email marketing and improve performance with minimal effort.

13. EngageBay

EngageBay is an all-in-one automation platform that integrates sales, marketing, and support team operations into a single platform.

It offers a variety of tools like template builders, email workflows, and marketing automation. Its email autoresponder allows users to pull information from their built-in CRM, so you can send more personalized messages based on previous interactions with your business.

If you want to use EngageBay, we recommend opting for the two higher-tier plans, as the free and lower-tier options don’t include automation features.

Pros of EngageBay:

All-in-one CRM and email automation tool that eliminates the need to pay for these features separately.
Email automation syncs with CRM to ensure a seamless customer journey.
Predictive lead scoring to find and engage qualified leads.

Cons of EngageBay:

Automation features are only available in higher-tier plans.

Pricing: EngageBay offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts. The paid plans start from $12.74 to $101.99 per user per month.

Why we chose EngageBay: EngageBay’s all-in-one solution is great for businesses that want to streamline operations and manage everything from one platform.

14. Moosend

Moosend is one of the most affordable email marketing services, making it perfect for businesses on a tight budget.

When testing Moosend, one feature that stood out was its ability to show how many people on each list bounced off your email. This helps you clean your list to boost open rates and improve your sender score.

One thing you should consider is that transactional emails, like order confirmations and shipping notifications, are only included in the Enterprise plan. This means if you run a business site but can only use the Pro version, you cannot send these transactional emails.

Pros of Moosend:

Free 30-day trial and affordable pricing, including pre-built automation templates and an automation workflow designer.
List optimization to improve email deliverability.
Email heatmap analytics to see how users interact with your emails.

Cons of Moosend:

Transactional emails are not available in non-Enterprise plans.

Pricing: Moosend offers a 30-day free trial. The Pro plan starts at $7 per month for up to 500 contacts, with Moosend+ (Pro with add-ons) and Enterprise plans available at custom pricing.

Why we chose Moosend: Moosend’s affordability and comprehensive features make it ideal for businesses on a budget. Its list optimization and email heatmap analytics are also great for improving email performance.

Bonus: OptinMonster

An email automation strategy wouldn’t be complete without a tool to bring in leads. For this, we recommend OptinMonster.

OptinMonster is the best lead-generation WordPress plugin, helping you automatically collect and segment email addresses. It’s what we use to increase our email subscribers by 600%. You can segment new subscribers based on attributes like cookies, user activity, location, and more.

It offers a visual builder to create high-converting opt-in forms, along with exit-intent technology. This prevents visitors from leaving your site without taking action by showing a targeted campaign just before they leave.

To learn more, check out our OptinMonster review.

Pros of OptinMonster:

Create spin-to-win coupon wheels to boost engagement.
Integrates with all the popular email marketing software.
You can A/B test various opt-in campaigns to maximize conversions.

Cons of OptinMonster:

No free version is available.

Pricing: OptinMonster ranges from $9.97 per month to $49.97 per month. All plans include unlimited campaigns, unlimited subscribers, and no transaction fees.

Why we chose OptinMonster: OptinMonster’s ease of use and powerful targeting and segmentation features are ideal for businesses looking to maximize conversions and build their email list efficiently.

Bonus: WP Mail SMTP

Here’s the thing: By default, WordPress sends email through the PHP mail function, which often causes your messages to go to spam. This is because PHP mail lacks proper authentication, leading to deliverability issues.

WP Mail SMTP is the best SMTP plugin for WordPress users. Essentially, it is ideal for people who want to make sure that their emails land in users’ inboxes and not in the spam folder.

We use WP Mail SMTP across our websites, so check out our complete WP Mail SMTP review for more details.

It uses an SMTP server to properly authenticate the sender, improving email deliverability and ensuring your messages are seen.

For more details, you can see our guide on how to fix the WordPress not sending email issue.

Pros of WP Mail SMTP:

Integrates with many email marketing services like Brevo and SendLayer.
Offers open-and-click tracking to see which recipients opened your emails.
Smart email routing lets you send emails through different providers based on factors like message and subject.

Cons of WP Mail SMTP:

Pricing: A free version is available. The Pro version starts at $49 per year and goes up to $399 per year, with higher plans allowing use on more sites.

Why we chose WP Mail SMTP: WP Mail SMTP is essential for any small business with a WordPress site. It ensures all your important emails, like password resets or shipping notifications, reach your users’ inboxes.

What Is the Best Email Automation Tool for Small Businesses?

If you’re looking for the best all-around email marketing automation tool, then Constant Contact is our top recommendation.

Trusted by over 600,000 businesses, it’s user-friendly and perfect for beginners. With hundreds of customizable templates and easy audience segmentation, it helps with list-building and automating campaigns. That said, it doesn’t offer unlimited sends.

For people needing unlimited contacts from the start, Brevo is an excellent choice. Ideal for growing businesses, it offers segmentation and predictive sending capabilities. These features allow you to target your audience effectively. Note that multi-user access is only available in higher-tier plans.

HubSpot is another great fit. Starting at $15 per user per month, it provides powerful email automation, segmentation, and CRM integration. While lower-tier plans limit automated actions, upgrading unlocks more advanced features.

Frequently Asked Questions About Email Automation

Now that you know the best email automation tools, let’s answer some frequently asked questions about email automation:

How do I set up automated email for my business?

All you need is automated email software like Constant Contact or Brevo. From there, you can add your email list, build workflows, and craft your messages. The tool will send bulk messages based on the conditions you’ve set.

What is the difference between email automation and autoresponder?

Email automation is a broad term that relates to any task related to emails, such as sending cold outreach, customer responses, or inbound messages. Autoresponders are automated emails triggered by a specific event, like a customer opting into your email list or making a purchase.

How much does an automated email system cost?

The price varies depending on the software’s feature set. That said, you can expect to pay under $100 for 5,000 email contacts or less. For lists that are 10,000 or more, expect to pay a few hundred dollars.

Ultimate Guides to Email Marketing

We hope this article helped you find the best email automation tool for your small business. You may also want to check out our list of tested and easy ways to grow your email list faster or our comprehensive guide on how to build an email list in WordPress.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Source link