Does a small business still need email marketing software?

Email remains useful because it gives a business a direct way to communicate with people who have chosen to hear from it. Social platforms can be valuable, but an email list is not dependent on one social feed deciding whether followers see a post.

Dedicated email marketing software becomes useful when sending individual messages from a normal inbox no longer makes sense. It can manage subscribers, unsubscribe requests, templates, campaigns, audience segments and performance reporting in one place.

The important word is permission. A good email programme is not a licence to collect addresses and blast people with messages. Businesses need to follow applicable privacy and electronic-marketing rules and give recipients appropriate choices.

For a small business, the useful features are often straightforward: an easy editor, reliable list management, forms, basic automation and reporting that is understandable without becoming a data-science project.

Automation is particularly useful for predictable sequences such as a welcome series or follow-up after a sign-up. It should support relevant communication rather than simply increase message volume.

Inside The Software currently covers Mailchimp, Brevo and MailerLite. We also compare Mailchimp with Brevo and Brevo with MailerLite, which can help narrow the options once you know what kind of email programme you want to run.

Inside The Software provides independent software information. Features, pricing and plan details can change, so check current information with the software provider before buying.