Campaign Monitor - Detailed Review

What are the different pricing plans offered by Campaign Monitor?

Campaign Monitor offers several pricing plans, including the Lite, Essentials, and Premier plans. The Lite plan starts at $9 per month for 500 contacts and includes basic email marketing features, but it limits the number of emails you can send (e.g., 2,500 emails for 500 contacts). The Essentials plan, starting at $29 per month for 500 contacts, removes the email sending limit and adds advanced automation and support features. The Premier plan, at $149 per month for 500 contacts, includes all the features from the Essentials plan plus advanced features like email previews, A/B testing, and phone support.

What features are included in the Basic (Lite) plan of Campaign Monitor?

The Basic (Lite) plan includes basic email marketing features such as a drag-and-drop email builder, a template library, and limited automation workflows. It allows you to send a limited number of emails per month (e.g., 2,500 emails for 500 contacts) and provides basic reporting and support via email. However, it restricts the use of autoresponders to simple drip campaigns and does not include advanced features like A/B testing or send time optimization.

How does Campaign Monitor’s automation feature work?

Campaign Monitor’s automation feature allows you to set up automated email campaigns, known as “subscriber journeys.” You can create these journeys using a flowchart-style interface with ‘yes/no’ conditions based on user actions such as opens, clicks, or purchases. The system also provides pre-built autoresponder campaigns and the ability to add new subscribers to existing journeys at the time of import. However, editing an automation requires pausing the entire journey, which can be a drawback compared to other platforms.

What analytics and reporting features does Campaign Monitor offer?

Campaign Monitor provides a detailed and visually appealing reporting dashboard. It includes metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribes, as well as individual-level data showing what actions each user has taken with your emails. The platform allows you to compare campaign performance over the previous 30 days and provides in-depth audience data analysis. However, some features like auto-segmentation based on engagement levels and more advanced campaign comparisons are not available.

Does Campaign Monitor offer any AI-driven features?

Yes, Campaign Monitor includes an AI-driven feature called AI Writer, which is part of its Marigold generative AI tool. This feature helps you brainstorm campaign strategies, refine your copy, and create content optimized for your audiences. It can transform large volumes of text into bite-sized content and CTAs that convert, saving you time on writing and allowing more focus on strategy and refinement.

Can I use Campaign Monitor for free, and what are the limitations of the free account?

Campaign Monitor does not offer a full free trial, but it provides a free account that allows you to try out most features except sending mass mailouts. With the free account, you can send emails to only 5 people and build test campaigns to evaluate reporting capabilities. To send emails to a larger audience, you need to upgrade to a paid plan.

How does Campaign Monitor’s split testing feature work?

Campaign Monitor allows split testing, but the functionality is relatively basic. You can test two versions of an email against each other based on subject headers, senders, or content. This is less advanced compared to other email marketing tools that allow testing multiple variants and different send times.

What is the difference between the Essentials and Premier plans in terms of features?

The Essentials plan includes all the features from the Lite plan plus unlimited email sending, more sophisticated autoresponder functionality, inbox and spam testing, and faster email support. The Premier plan adds advanced features such as email previews, A/B testing, advanced reporting, send time optimization, template controls to maintain brand consistency, and phone support.

Can I customize RSS-triggered emails in Campaign Monitor?

While Campaign Monitor allows you to automate email broadcasts via RSS feeds, there are limitations in customizing these emails. You cannot use normal Campaign Monitor templates for RSS-powered emails, and the customization options are limited. This can result in emails that may not fully align with your brand.

How does Campaign Monitor handle subscriber segmentation?

Campaign Monitor allows segmentation based on various criteria, but it does not have an option to auto-segment users based on their open or engagement levels and send them additional emails automatically. You can segment your audience manually and create targeted campaigns, but advanced auto-segmentation features are not available.