Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. It allows you to communicate directly with your audience, build relationships, and drive conversions. However, managing an effective email marketing campaign can be time-consuming and overwhelming.
Previously, we discussed “5 Simple ActiveCampaign Tips To Boost Your Email Marketing,” but ActiveCampaign can be a costly tool, though it’s worth it if you have a growing subscriber base and have the ability to pay their fee.
But if you’re just starting out or if you don’t need the features of ActiveCampaign but still want to leverage automation, that’s where MailerLite comes in.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to use MailerLite for effective email marketing automation and streamline your email campaigns for maximum impact.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through what MailerLite is exactly, the terminology that MailerLite uses, how to get started, and finally tips on how to get the most out of MailerLite.
What is MailerLite?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of MailerLite, let’s start with the basics. MailerLite is an email service provider that offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help you write, send, and manage your emails in one place. With MailerLite, you can create and automate email campaigns, as well as build landing pages to capture leads. It’s a user-friendly platform that caters to both beginners and experienced marketers.
Understanding MailerLite Terminology
To make the most of MailerLite, it’s important to familiarize yourself with its key terminology. Here are some terms you’ll come across:
1. Campaigns
A campaign in MailerLite refers to a series of emails that are sent to a specific list of recipients. These can be regular newsletters or automated emails. You can schedule campaigns to be sent at a specific frequency, such as weekly or monthly, or send them out sporadically. The flexibility of MailerLite allows you to batch and schedule campaigns, or create them on the fly.
2. Forms
Forms are an essential tool for growing your email list. In MailerLite, there are two types of forms: popup and embedded. Popup forms can be intrusive and negatively impact the user experience, so it’s recommended to avoid them. Embedded forms, on the other hand, are static forms that live on your website. They can be strategically placed on your homepage or at the end of blog posts to capture leads.
3. Landing Pages
While MailerLite is not designed for building full websites, it does offer the capability to create landing pages. Landing pages are standalone web pages that promote a specific offer or product. With MailerLite’s no-code blocks, you can easily create landing pages to showcase your freebies or other offerings. This is a great alternative if you don’t have a website or want to quickly put out an offer.
4. Automation
One of the standout features of MailerLite is its automation capabilities. Automation allows you to send emails without manually hitting the send button every time. For example, when someone signs up for your freebie, you can set up a welcome or nurture sequence to automatically send a series of emails to build a relationship with them. MailerLite’s free plan allows you to drip or delay these emails at your chosen intervals.
5. Subscribers
Subscribers are the people who have signed up for your mailing list. MailerLite provides you with tools to manage and segment your subscribers, allowing you to tailor your email content to specific groups of recipients.
How to Get Started with MailerLite
Now that you have a basic understanding of MailerLite’s terminology, let’s dive into how to get started with the platform. Follow these steps to set up your MailerLite account and start harnessing the power of email marketing automation.
Step 1: Sign Up for a MailerLite Account
To get started with MailerLite, head over to their website and sign up for an account. You can choose between the free plan and the paid plan, depending on your needs and budget. The free plan offers a generous set of features, making it an excellent choice for beginners.
Step 2: Set up Your Email Lists
Once you’ve created your MailerLite account, the next step is to set up your email lists. Email lists allow you to segment your subscribers and send targeted campaigns. Create different lists based on factors such as interests, demographics, or past interactions with your brand. This will enable you to deliver highly personalized and relevant content to your subscribers.
Step 3: Design and Customize Your Forms
Forms are essential for capturing leads and growing your email list. In MailerLite, you can design and customize your forms to match your brand’s aesthetics. Whether you choose an embedded form on your website or a standalone landing page, make sure your forms are visually appealing, easy to fill out, and clearly communicate the value of subscribing to your emails.
Step 4: Create Engaging Email Campaigns
MailerLite offers a drag-and-drop editor that makes it easy to create visually stunning email campaigns. Start by choosing a pre-designed template or creating your own from scratch. Customize the template with your branding elements, compelling copy, and eye-catching visuals. Remember to optimize your emails for mobile devices, as a significant portion of your subscribers will be reading them on their smartphones.
One feature that I particularly love about MailerLite is that they have, by far, the best RSS widget that’s extremely customizable. Most other email service providers, even the expensive ones like ActiveCampaign, generate a dull list of articles from an RSS feed. However, MailerLite can generate an attractive list of articles with images alternating on the side.
Step 5: Automate Your Email Sequences
Automation is where MailerLite truly shines. Take advantage of the platform’s automation features to create email sequences that nurture your subscribers and guide them through the customer journey. Set up welcome sequences for new subscribers, onboarding sequences for new customers, and re-engagement sequences for inactive subscribers. By automating these sequences, you can deliver the right message at the right time without manual intervention.
Step 6: Measure and Optimize Your Campaigns
To ensure the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts, it’s crucial to regularly measure and optimize your campaigns. MailerLite provides robust analytics and reporting tools that allow you to track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize your email marketing strategy.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of MailerLite
Now that you have a solid foundation for using MailerLite for email marketing automation, here are some additional tips to help you maximize your results:
1. Personalize Your Emails
Personalization is key to engaging your subscribers and building meaningful relationships. Use MailerLite’s personalization tags to insert dynamic content, such as the subscriber’s name or their recent purchase history, into your emails. This small touch can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your campaigns.
For example, if you want to include the subscriber’s name in the subject line of your email, all you need to do is click on the drop-down menu labeled “Insert personalization”, which is typically above the field to the right.
2. Segment Your Audience
Segmentation allows you to tailor your email content to specific groups of subscribers. Leverage MailerLite’s segmentation tools to divide your audience based on factors like demographics, interests, or engagement levels. By sending targeted and relevant content to each segment, you can increase open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.
Even if you’re just starting out and don’t have any subscribers, begin to think about how you would segment your audience. Segmenting by interests tends to be the easiest one to start off with, in my opinion.
3. Test and Iterate (or A/B Test)
Email marketing is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s essential to continuously test different elements of your campaigns to optimize their performance. Experiment with different subject lines, email layouts, calls to action, and sending times. Analyze the results and iterate on your strategy based on what works best for your audience.
MailerLite offers the ability to perform A/B tests in their automation, signup forms, popup builders, and more, so you can truly see what attracts the most subscribers.
4. Maintain a Clean Email List
Regularly clean your email list to ensure that you’re only sending emails to engaged and interested subscribers. Use MailerLite’s tools to identify and remove inactive or unengaged subscribers. This will not only improve the deliverability of your emails but also save you money by reducing the number of subscribers on your list.
5. Keep Up with Email Marketing Best Practices
Email marketing is an ever-evolving field, and it’s crucial to stay up to date with best practices. Follow industry blogs, attend webinars, and participate in relevant forums to stay informed about the latest trends and strategies. By staying proactive and continuously learning, you can stay ahead of the curve and drive exceptional results with MailerLite.
One of the most challenging aspects of email marketing is designing the email so that it looks great on all devices. My tip here is to dedicate a few hours to making a base template or two and try them out on all the possible devices. One thing that can be frustrating is that emails can look different based on the subscriber’s device and what service they use.
Conclusion
MailerLite is a powerful email marketing automation tool that can help you streamline your campaigns and drive meaningful results. By understanding MailerLite’s terminology, setting up your account, and leveraging its automation features, you can create personalized and engaging email campaigns that resonate with your audience. Remember to continuously measure, optimize, and stay up to date with best practices to maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts. With MailerLite as your partner, you can take your email marketing to new heights and achieve your business goals.
Author Bio: AJ Tatum is the founder of AJ Tatum Digital, whose purpose is to help people thrive with their online presence by sharing his knowledge of various online technologies and digital marketing strategies. He is an expert in workflow/marketing automation, social media marketing, and other aspects of digital marketing and web development.