Constant Contact: Build Websites, Amplify Email Marketing
Content
Updated On: October 3, 2024
Small businesses often face the challenge of building a professional online presence without the resources or technical knowledge. Constant Contact offers a solution by combining an intuitive website builder with powerful marketing tools, enabling users to create and manage their online space easily. With features like a drag-and-drop editor, social media integration, and SEO recommendations, Constant Contact ensures businesses can establish their brand online while driving engagement and growth.
Pros
Cons
Content
Quick Stats
At a Glance
Constant Contact, headquartered in Waltham, MA, has provided website building and email marketing services since 1995. They focus on helping small businesses, nonprofits, and organizations grow by offering easy-to-use tools. As of September 2023, their website builder login was transferred to web.com/ws, but they still offer the same robust functionality and services customers have come to rely on. Over time, they have expanded their offerings from email marketing to include social media management, event marketing, and surveys. Their goal remains to equip small businesses with the resources to compete with larger companies. Additionally, they keep customer data secure and ensure compliance with industry standards. Through strategic moves like acquiring SharpSpring, they continue to enhance their offerings, making them a trusted partner for businesses looking to improve their marketing efforts.
Features
Drag-and-drop editor: Constant Contact’s drag-and-drop editor offers a user-friendly interface for building customized emails, landing pages, and even online stores. With no coding skills required, users can quickly add text, images, buttons, and dividers. The editor has a large library of email templates, helping you create professional designs while offering extensive customization options. It’s a good choice for businesses looking to expand their email list and contact details, all while managing contact activity.
SEO recommendations: The company provides essential features like SEO recommendations, enabling you to optimize your website and landing page content. These recommendations help your site rank higher in search results, attract new contacts, and expand your contact list, which is vital for successful email marketing efforts.
Social marketing tools: Constant Contact’s social media marketing tools allow you to manage and schedule social media posts across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can analyze performance with social tracking and run targeted ads to boost engagement.
SMS marketing: This feature allows businesses to engage directly with their audience via SMS, in addition to email campaigns. Reach new contacts quickly with this essential tool, which complements Constant Contact's email list management and social media marketing efforts. Whether you're sending quick promotions or event reminders, this tool ensures you stay on top of your contact activity, making it easy to engage with your audience in real-time.
Reporting and analytics: Constant Contact offers robust reporting tools that track email list performance, open rates, and social tracking. This includes tracking contact details and analyzing email and social media post engagement. These insights help you optimize your strategy, whether for event management or everyday business hours, and are essential for improving the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Plans & Pricing
Lite plan
Their most basic plan, the Lite plan, has a starting price of $12 per month for up to 500 contacts, with costs increasing as the number of contacts grows. This plan is perfect for individuals or small businesses just starting out with email marketing, providing essential tools at an affordable entry point. It's an affordable and practical option for those looking to build their digital marketing presence. It offers essential tools like customizable templates, automated welcome emails, AI content recommendations, drag-and-drop email templates, polls and surveys, social media integration, a marketing campaign calendar, and access to over 300 third-party integrations. You can send emails up to 10 times your contact limit each month and use basic reporting tools to track engagement. This plan supports one user, making it a straightforward option for small-scale marketing efforts.
Standard plan
Priced at $35 per month, the Standard plan includes all the features of the Lite plan, with additional enhancements. It has A/B testing capabilities, subject line recommendations, and personalization options to improve email performance. Contact segmentation and drill-down reporting allow for more targeted campaigns, while the newsletter archive and post-scheduling features enhance content management. The plan also includes marketing automation, enabling more efficient workflows. Users can send emails up to 12 times their contact limit, and the plan supports up to three users.
Premium plan
Priced at $80 per month, the Premium plan is designed for larger businesses that require advanced marketing tools. It includes all the features of the Standard plan, plus additional functionalities such as SEO recommendations, custom automation workflows, and specialized eCommerce automation templates. The plan also provides powerful advertising tools, including retargeting ads, Google Ads Manager, and Facebook Lookalike ad targeting, helping you reach a wider audience. Advanced analytics features like engagement heatmaps, dynamic email content, and revenue reporting offer deeper insights into campaign performance. With support for unlimited users and the ability to send emails up to 24 times your contact limit, this plan is ideal for teams looking to scale their marketing efforts efficiently.
Pros
Mobile app available
Constant Contact’s mobile app allows users to manage their campaigns on the go. Whether creating or scheduling emails, tracking performance, adjusting account settings, or managing their list membership, this flexibility is crucial for small business owners who require mobility and real-time access to their marketing tools. It's especially useful for users who value seamless integration with the best email marketing software options.
Free trial available
While Constant Contact doesn't offer a free plan, they do provide a free trial. This trial allows businesses to explore features such as the landing page builder, analytics, and email marketing tools before committing to a paid plan. It also gives businesses a chance to explore Constant Contact’s tools and compare them with other services, helping them determine which platform offers better value for their specific needs.
Live "Ask a trainer" drop-in session
One of Constant Contact’s standout features is their "Ask a Trainer" drop-in sessions, where users can get live, personalized guidance. Whether troubleshooting settings or learning how to craft a successful subject line, this feature is incredibly helpful for optimizing email campaigns. They also offer video tutorials that provide step-by-step advice, making them an invaluable resource for small businesses looking to get the most out of one of their services.
300+ integrations
Constant Contact integrates with over 300 third-party apps, including Shopify, Salesforce, and Eventbrite, offering more flexibility to businesses using similar features in their current tools. These integrations ensure a smoother experience, allowing businesses to connect their existing tools with some of the best email marketing software for a more efficient workflow.
Analytics and A/B testing
Constant Contact's A/B testing allows businesses to test two email subject lines, automatically sending the better-performing version to the rest of the audience. This feature enhances open rates and engagement effortlessly. Additionally, their analytics provide insights into key metrics like open rates, clicks, and heat maps, helping businesses refine their campaigns for better performance. These tools make it easy for small businesses to optimize their email marketing strategy based on data-driven results.
AI-powered features
Constant Contact incorporates AI-powered tools that enhance website and campaign creation as well as execution. AI-driven suggestions can help optimize the timing of email delivery and recommend personalization based on user behavior. These advanced features position Constant Contact as one of the best options for those looking for a hands-off approach to campaign management.
Robust email marketing tools
Constant Contact's user-friendly interface makes building websites and managing campaigns easy, even for beginners. Their drag-and-drop email editor, combined with automated sequences, ensures that users can create professional-looking campaigns without needing technical skills. The platform's ability to automate list membership and deliver personalized content based on user interaction makes them a great email marketing software and website builder.
Cons
Unresponsive website
Many users have reported that certain areas of Constant Contact’s website, particularly the top banner, can sometimes be unresponsive. Buttons may either not work or take too long to load, causing frustration and disrupting workflow, especially when accessing key tools. This can be a major inconvenience for businesses needing to work efficiently, particularly during time-sensitive tasks like launching email campaigns. Additionally, some users have experienced issues with the sign-up option, which doesn't always function properly, further adding to the platform's usability concerns.
Limited storage
Even on their highest plan, Constant Contact's storage offerings max out at 25GB. This limit can quickly become restrictive for businesses handling large amounts of media, such as images and videos. Companies with extensive marketing needs or those frequently sending media-rich emails may find this storage constraint challenging, as it restricts their ability to store and utilize essential assets effectively.
User Experience
Most customer reviews for Constant Contact lean positive, with ratings reflecting strong user satisfaction. On GetApp, they received a rating of 4.3 out of 5, while Trustpilot rated them 4.2, and G2 gave them 4.0. These scores suggest that many users appreciate their services, though some critiques surface regularly.
Positive reviews
Customers often praise Constant Contact for their platform's ease of use, especially its drag-and-drop email builder and customizable templates. Many users also appreciate how quickly they can get their email campaigns up and running. The real-time reporting features, like tracking campaign performance and monitoring email delivery, are commonly highlighted. Customers frequently highlight how helpful their phone support team is, making troubleshooting and navigating the platform significantly easier.
Negative reviews
Conversely, negative reviews often center around particularly slow customer service responses or lack of resolution. For example, one reviewer expressed frustration over an unresolved billing issue, stating that Constant Contact failed to respond to emails and phone calls. Another common complaint is the aggressive sales tactics, where one customer felt pressured into purchasing a service they didn’t ultimately need and was later charged without receiving the promised refund.
How Can I Reach Out to Constant Contact?
For immediate assistance, visit their contact support page to find the appropriate phone number for your region. You can also connect with their live chat support, available Monday through Friday from 3 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time (ET). If you prefer self-guided solutions, explore their comprehensive Knowledge Base, which offers step-by-step guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting articles to help you effectively navigate the platform. For community-driven support, consider joining the User Community, where you can ask questions, share experiences, and interact with other users. Additionally, stay updated and receive support by following their social media channels, such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
Conclusion
Constant Contact, founded in 1995 and based in the US, is a trusted platform designed to help small businesses and organizations grow through accessible website building and email marketing tools. Their key advantages include an intuitive drag-and-drop email editor, robust social media management, SMS marketing capabilities, and comprehensive SEO recommendations. Constant Contact’s analytics and A/B testing features allow users to optimize their campaigns, while their 300+ integrations and AI-powered tools enhance overall efficiency. The platform offers flexible plans, from the Lite plan at $12/month to the advanced Premium plan at $80/month. However, issues like limited storage and occasional website unresponsiveness can be off-putting for users. Despite these drawbacks, the platform continues to receive praise for its ease of use and exceptional customer support.
If you want to explore more options for building your online presence, check out our list of top website builders to find the best fit for your needs. You can also use our comparison tool to weigh the pros and cons of different platforms. Lastly, dive into our blog for expert tips and insights on building your online presence.