ConvertKit and MailChimp stand out as leading email marketing solutions in contemporary times. Understanding effective email marketing is crucial, but setting up your email provider systems correctly is equally important. Each of these platforms, ConvertKit and MailChimp, brings its own set of advantages and disadvantages to the table. While, some users favor ConvertKit over MailChimp. For those who have been used to MailChimp but are exploring alternatives, ConvertKit emerges as a viable option for your email marketing needs. This blog post will provide the basic reasons to switch from Mailchimp to ConvertKit.
Reasons to Switch from Mailchimp to ConvertKit
After utilizing ConvertKit for an extended period, we aim to impart our insights from MailChimp and ConvertKit. If you’re new to email marketing, you might have initiated your journey with a Mailchimp account. Certain features in Mailchimp could hinder your email campaigns’ effectiveness. Let’s delve into the top three reasons why transitioning to ConvertKit can enhance your ability to attract more subscribers and foster strong relationships through email:
- Simplicity
- Sequences
- Statistics
- Subscriber Focus
- Automation
- Support
- Forms and Integration
- Deliverability
- Price
Simplicity
The first reason prompting our transition from MailChimp to ConvertKit was the straightforwardness of the user interface and navigation. ConvertKit’s interface is highly intuitive, making it easy to understand where to go and what actions to take. In contrast, MailChimp proved to be less user-friendly. Setting up a lead capture form on our website or configuring automation in ConvertKit is noticeably faster compared to the process in MailChimp.
Sequences
ConvertKit enables you to craft a sequence of timed emails called a Sequence. For instance, we provide lead forms for individuals to participate in a raffle during events. Before adopting ConvertKit, unfortunately, a significant portion of these leads remained with follow-up. Post-event, we input all leads into ConvertKit and direct them to a Sequence. This automated email process has immensely contributed to our business. We witness increased engagement, with more individuals joining our VIP group, hosting parties, and becoming consultants. The key lies in the automated follow-up, a critical aspect for us due to time constraints. While MailChimp allows for automated email sequences, it involves a single set of emails assigned to a specific automation or trigger. We found MailChimp’s approach to sending a series of emails more challenging than ConvertKit.
Statistics
In Mailchimp, the available statistics primarily focus on the campaigns you send. However, I desired a more comprehensive set of metrics to assess the effectiveness of my newsletters. This broader insight would enable me to identify areas for improvement and target specific audiences more effectively. Enter Convert Kit, where the statistics are awe-inspiring! Not only do I get detailed insights into my Broadcasts (equivalent to Mailchimp’s Campaigns), but I also have access to statistics for Sequences and each form. This feature has proven invaluable in discerning which offers are successful and which are not, allowing us to make informed adjustments to our marketing strategies.
Subscriber Focus
ConvertKit prioritizes subscribers, while MailChimp emphasizes lists. In ConvertKit, a singular subscriber list exists, allowing you to categorize individuals using Tags based on their interests or interactions with emails and forms. The logic behind Tags resonated well with us. Subscribers can then be efficiently organized into Segments according to the assigned tags. While MailChimp provides features like Groups, Segments, and Tags for list organization, it needs the user-friendly and straightforward setup that ConvertKit offers. Additionally, MailChimp allows the use of multiple lists, but these lists operate independently. This independence can lead to challenges, as the presence of the same subscriber on multiple lists results in duplicate charges. ConvertKit’s streamlined approach and integrated tagging system make it a more efficient and cost-effective choice for managing subscribers.
Read Also: Email Marketing Guide for Startups
Automation
This is another significant difference between ConvertKit and MailChimp. ConvertKit employs a straightforward automation model using an “If This, Then That” approach, which is simple and intuitive. In contrast, MailChimp provides approximately 40 diverse automation options, making it more challenging to pinpoint the specific automation that aligns with your goals than ConvertKit’s streamlined interface. ConvertKit offers the capability to transfer subscribers among different sequences based on applied tags, a functionality not available in MailChimp. For more intricate scenarios, ConvertKit also presents Visual Automation, featuring an easily navigable visual layout that aids in comprehending the diverse paths subscribers may take in complex automation setups.
Support
ConvertKit’s customer support has been outstanding. When contacting ConvertKit support directly, we have experienced prompt responses and efficient resolutions. Additionally, they provide one-on-one onboarding calls to assist you in getting started. Another advantage is the supportive community they have cultivated on Facebook. I have received valuable assistance, suggestions, and recommendations from the ConvertKit support team and fellow ConvertKit users in their Facebook group. The ConvertKit Community on Facebook has proven to be an invaluable asset.
Forms and Integration
ConvertKit and MailChimp provide a range of form options for integrating into your website, allowing visitors to subscribe to your mailing list. ConvertKit’s user interface and form creation process are notably more straightforward. Additionally, ConvertKit goes a step further by offering total landing pages. This means that even if you don’t have a website, you can generate a customized landing page with detailed information about your chosen topic and a form for collecting email addresses. ConvertKit also offers a variety of excellent templates to serve as a foundation for your landing page design.
Deliverability
Deliverability refers to the frequency with which your emails reach subscribers’ inboxes rather than being filtered into spam folders. It holds great significance, ensuring that your customers view your messages. After transitioning to ConvertKit, we observed a notable enhancement in deliverability. Additionally, our emails are more likely to land in Gmail users’ Primary inboxes than in the Promotions tab. While this observation is based on emails sent to our addresses and subscriber feedback, we lack scientific tests to validate it. Nonetheless, this trend is widely acknowledged by others in the community.
Price
MailChimp outshines ConvertKit, especially for entrepreneurs launching their businesses with a keen eye on the budget. MailChimp offers a complimentary service for up to 2,000 subscribers, whereas ConvertKit charges $29/month for up to 1,000 subscribers. Price considerations are crucial and might be a deal-breaker for some, prompting us to emphasize this aspect. Despite the $29/month cost, it is a worthwhile investment, given the numerous advantages we discussed. Early adoption of email marketing software proved to be a prudent decision for our business. Had we persisted with MailChimp, transitioning to ConvertKit later would have required additional time to migrate existing emails and set up automation.
Final Words
Converting to ConvertKit has proven beneficial for us however, it may only suit some. If the monthly cost of $29 aligns differently with your budget or you value the ability to categorize subscribers into distinct and independent lists, sticking with MailChimp might be the more suitable choice. ConvertKit’s straightforward “If This, Then, That” model has facilitated the effortless setup of our email sequences and automation processes. Leveraging ConvertKit for lead follow-up automation has significantly enhanced our business, increasing sales by adding members to our VIP Facebook Group and recruiting more consultants to our team.