Constant Contact

What is Constant Contact?

Constant Contact is an email marketing platform designed to help small businesses, nonprofits, and organizations build relationships with their audiences through email campaigns, automation, and digital marketing tools. Founded in 1995, Constant Contact is one of the oldest and most established email marketing services, serving over 600,000 customers worldwide. The platform emphasizes ease of use and customer support, making email marketing accessible to businesses without dedicated marketing teams.

What distinguishes Constant Contact is its focus on small business needs with comprehensive support and training resources. Unlike enterprise platforms requiring technical expertise, Constant Contact provides guided setup, templates, and extensive educational content to help beginners succeed. The platform combines email marketing with event management, social media posting, and website building tools, creating an affordable digital marketing suite for small businesses.

Constant Contact serves small businesses across industries from retail to professional services, with particular strength among nonprofits and community organizations. The platform’s reputation for excellent customer service, including phone and chat support on all paid plans, makes it popular among users who value human assistance. Organizations use Constant Contact to send newsletters, promotional emails, event invitations, and automated follow-ups to grow their businesses.

Key Features

• Email Editor: Drag-and-drop email builder with hundreds of professionally designed templates
• Contact Management: Organize subscribers into lists and segments for targeted messaging
• Marketing Automation: Automated email series triggered by signups, purchases, or other actions
• Event Marketing: Built-in event management with registration, ticketing, and attendee tracking
• Social Media Tools: Schedule and publish posts to Facebook and Instagram from platform
• Landing Pages: Create custom landing pages for campaigns and lead capture
• E-Commerce Integration: Connect with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other platforms for abandoned cart emails
• Reporting and Analytics: Track email performance, opens, clicks, and campaign ROI
• Mobile App: Manage campaigns and check performance from iOS or Android devices
• Customer Support: Phone, chat, and email support plus extensive knowledge base and training

Latest Updates

Constant Contact continues to enhance its platform with improved automation, AI features, and integrations.

• AI Content Assistant: Artificial intelligence helping generate email subject lines and content
• Enhanced Automation: More sophisticated workflow automation and trigger options
• SMS Marketing: Text message marketing capabilities integrated with email campaigns
• Improved Segmentation: Better audience targeting with advanced contact filtering
• Template Updates: New modern email templates with better mobile responsiveness
• Integration Expansion: Additional connections with e-commerce and business tools
• Performance Improvements: Faster email sending and better deliverability rates
• Privacy Compliance: Enhanced GDPR and privacy tools for international users

System Requirements

Web Application

• Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
• Stable internet connection
• JavaScript enabled

Mobile Apps

• iOS: Version 13.0 or later
• Android: Version 7.0 or later

For Email Sending

• Email list with opted-in subscribers
• Sender email address and domain
• Compliance with CAN-SPAM and anti-spam laws

How to Install Constant Contact

Getting Started

1. Sign up for Constant Contact account (60-day free trial)
2. Import contact list or start building from scratch
3. Verify sender email address
4. Choose email template from library
5. Customize design and add content
6. Select recipients and schedule send
7. Review analytics after campaign sends

List Import

1. Navigate to Contacts section
2. Click Upload Contacts
3. Select file format (CSV, Excel, etc.)
4. Map columns to contact fields
5. Review and confirm import
6. Organize into lists as needed

Creating First Campaign

1. Click Create in main menu
2. Choose Email campaign type
3. Select template or start blank
4. Add subject line and preview text
5. Drag content blocks into layout
6. Customize colors, fonts, images
7. Preview across devices
8. Send test email to yourself
9. Schedule or send immediately

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent Support: Phone and chat support included on all paid plans with responsive, helpful staff
• Easy to Use: Intuitive interface designed for non-technical users with minimal learning curve
• Reliable Deliverability: Strong sender reputation ensuring emails reach inboxes
• All-in-One Platform: Email, events, social media, and landing pages in single solution
• Training Resources: Extensive tutorials, webinars, and guides for learning email marketing
• Nonprofit Discounts: Special pricing for qualifying nonprofit organizations
• Free Trial: 60-day trial allows testing before committing

Cons

• Higher Pricing: More expensive than alternatives like Mailchimp or Sendinblue for similar features
• Limited Automation: Automation capabilities less sophisticated than Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign
• Template Limitations: Fewer modern templates compared to some competitors
• Contact Limits: Pricing increases significantly as list size grows
• Basic Analytics: Reporting less detailed than advanced platforms

Constant Contact vs Alternatives

Who Should Use Constant Contact?

Constant Contact is ideal for:

• Small Businesses: Local businesses needing straightforward email marketing without complexity
• Nonprofits: Organizations benefiting from nonprofit discounts and event management features
• Support-Oriented Users: People who value having phone support available when needed
• Email Marketing Beginners: First-time users wanting guided setup and extensive educational resources
• Event Organizers: Organizations hosting events who need integrated event marketing and registration
• Less Technical Users: Business owners uncomfortable with complex marketing automation platforms

Constant Contact may not be ideal for:

• Budget Minimizers: Lower-cost alternatives available with similar basic features
• Automation-Heavy Users: Businesses needing sophisticated automation should consider ActiveCampaign
• Large Lists: Enterprise-scale operations may find pricing prohibitive as lists grow
• Advanced Marketers: Experienced users may want more sophisticated segmentation and analytics

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Constant Contact cost?

Constant Contact pricing starts at $12 monthly for up to 500 contacts on the Lite plan and $35 monthly for Standard plan with more features. Pricing increases with list size – for example, 10,000 contacts costs $145/month on Standard. All plans include 60-day free trial. Nonprofit organizations receive 30% discount on all plans.

Does Constant Contact have a free plan?

No, Constant Contact doesn’t offer a permanent free plan like Mailchimp or Sendinblue. However, they provide a generous 60-day free trial allowing full access to features before committing. After trial ends, you must choose a paid plan to continue using the service.

How does Constant Contact compare to Mailchimp?

Constant Contact offers better customer support (phone included vs email-only on Mailchimp free/low tiers) and built-in event management. Mailchimp has a free plan, more sophisticated automation, better templates, and typically costs less for same list size. Choose Constant Contact for support and simplicity, Mailchimp for features and budget.

Can I use Constant Contact for e-commerce?

Yes, Constant Contact integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other e-commerce platforms for abandoned cart emails, product promotions, and customer follow-ups. However, it’s not as sophisticated as dedicated e-commerce email platforms like Klaviyo. Works well for small online stores with basic email needs.

Is Constant Contact good for nonprofits?

Yes, Constant Contact is popular among nonprofits due to 30% discount for qualifying organizations, built-in event management for fundraisers, and donation integration capabilities. The platform’s ease of use and support resources make it accessible for nonprofit staff with limited technical expertise. Many nonprofits successfully use it for donor communication and event promotion.

Final Verdict

Constant Contact has maintained its position as a leading email marketing platform for small businesses through consistent focus on ease of use and exceptional customer support. The platform removes technical barriers that prevent many business owners from leveraging email marketing effectively, making it accessible to absolute beginners.

The platform’s strengths lie in its intuitive interface, comprehensive phone and chat support, and integrated event management capabilities. Small businesses appreciate being able to call for help when stuck and having all their digital marketing tools in one affordable package.

Small businesses, nonprofits, and organizations valuing customer support should strongly consider Constant Contact for their email marketing needs. While more budget-conscious users might find better value elsewhere, the combination of ease of use, reliability, and human support justifies the premium for many businesses. The platform delivers exactly what most small businesses need without overwhelming them with complexity.