The Campaign Monitor Review 2021 [Email Marketing, Segmentation, Bulk Emails & Gorgeous Templates]

Campaign Monitor describes themselves as “powerful email marketing software with drag-and-drop simplicity. ” and goes onto to say that they give “you everything you need to run beautifully-designed professional email marketing campaigns to grow your business.”

Sounds promising, right?  Let’s see if the reality is the same …

The Campaign Monitor Review 2021

Welcome to my site and thank you for taking the time to have a read of the Campaign Monitor Review.

Usually, when I do reviews I do not have to look far for an overwhelming amount of conflicting information.

With the Campaign Monitor review, there is less information available than I expected, whether it is conflicting or not remains to be seen.

Allow me to share a video from Campaign Monitor, this video speaks into their claims of providing powerful email marketing coupled with drag and drop simplicity:

“Powerful Email Marketing With Drag & Drop Simplicity by Campaign Monitor”

Email Marketing Software | Campaign Monitor

Overview: Campaign Monitor At Glance:

Name:	Campaign Monitor
Website:	www.campaignmonitor.com
Prices:	Free Trial; Basic $9 per month; Unlimited: $29 per month and Premier $149 per month. Please see the Pricing section below for more detail
Owner:	Part of the CM Group
Founders:	Ben Richardson, Dave Greiner, and Alex Bard
Founded:	2004
Overall Rank:	7 out of 10

The Good & the Bad

The Good:

Pro #1 Easy to use

Pro #2 Beautiful templates

PRO #3 Access to web fonts in the templates

Pro #4 Great data segmentation options available

Pro #5 Automation features are easy to use

Pro #6 The Enlist app provides the perfect way to collect data on an iPad at events

The Bad:

CON #1 Very pricey compared to the competition

Con #2 Split testing is only available in 2 variants

Con #3 Free trial, though available, is not comprehensive

Com #4 Only support available is via email unless you’re a Premier member and then they offer phone and email support

Con #5 Analytics and functionality could do with some advancement

Who is Campaign Monitor For?

Campaign Monitor has positioned itself across 5 industries, namely: Non-Profits, Media and Publishing, Retail, Entertainment, and Travel & Hospitality. See below for customers under each industry:

• Travel and Hospitality
  • RESY
  • TGI Golf
  • Drake Hotel Properties
  • Gusto
  • Mad Paws
  • Blue Tent
• Nonprofits
  • parkrun
  • Australian Red Cross
  • UAL: Short Courses
  • Cure Bran Cancer Foundation
  • NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders)
  • MS (Multiple Sclirosis)
  • EN (English National Opera)
  • The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation
• Media and Publishing
  • 1440 Media
  • The Gist
  • Role Models
  • GirlBoss
  • Livingly Media
• Entertainment
  • Wonderful Union
  • SXSW
  • Broadway.com
  • BFI
  • SCA
  • EN
• Retail
  • On
  • Monica Vinada
  • WinkelStraat,NL
  • TGI Golf

The following are some ideas of who can enjoy the benefits Campaign Monitor offers:

• Affiliate Marketers
• eCommerce Businesses
• Bloggers
• Content Marketers
• Local marketers and businesses
• Online businesses and marketers

Campaign Monitor Tools

Campaign Monitor is an online platform that enables you to capture data, store it within an online mailing list, manage the list, and sent communications to the list via emails, ezines, etc.

Campaign Monitor clients make use of the following functionalities:

• Email marketing
• Autoresponders – that is automated emails that are triggered by user actions, for example, joining a mailing list or purchasing a product
• Marketing Automation (to create a customer journey)
• Personalization
• Contacts and Segmentation
• Link Review
• Sign Up Forms
• Analytics
• Apps and Integrations
• Transactional Emails

Here is more detailed information about the different tools available with Campaign Monitor:

Campaign Monitor Templates

Campaign Monitor offers a wide range of beautiful templates to their customers.

Not only are their templates really beautifully designed, but they are also professional-looking and highly responsive to whatever device they are viewed on.

Create Gorgeous Email Campaigns That Get Results

You also have access to a range of web fonts, something many of the competitors does not offer.

The drag & drop editor is a cinch to use, this makes it a simple process to add images and content to your emails. As you can see from the video right at the beginning of this review, it is highly possible to get amazing results with Campaign Monitor.

There is, unfortunately, an instance when you are not going to enjoy the web font templates and will need to stick to a more basic template. That is if you are using an RSS feed from your website to create and trigger your emailers. This is a pity because it is such a great option to have access to. However, to enjoy automation between your site and Campaign Monitor, this is a price you will need to pay.

From what I understand, this is not an uncommon challenge, I have experienced the same with AWeber.

Data Management – Import & Export

There are no issues with importing your data into Campaign Monitor, here are the types of formats you can make use of:

• XLS
• XLSX
• CSV
• TXT
• vCard
• Compressed files (ZIP, RAR, 7Z etc)

There is also the facility to cut and paste data into the Campaign Monitor system. As with many other email automation platforms, there are restrictions to adhere to, these are as follows:

• No bought or rented databases to be imported
• No old lists, i.e. those you have not mailed in a long period
• No gambling or pharmaceutical product-related data

Exporting data is as simple as pie – parts of or the entire list can be exported to CSV format with ease.

Data Management – Segmentation

Campaign Monitor has a very flexible system when it comes to data segmentation.

You have access to sending emails to multiple segments or lists all at the same time. Plus, the way the system is designed, you can exclude segments and lists from mailings with ease.

The way they describe the segmentation abilities is “Drill into the data about your customers to build hyper-targeted segments, and send super relevant emails that are tailored to their individual interests.

It’s easier than it sounds and can dramatically increase sales and result in long-term customers.” I like that – how about you?

The payoff line that Campaign Monitor users is “Reach humans not inboxes”. I love this approach.

As online marketers, we all need reminding that there are actual people opening (or not opening) our emails. So important to keep that front and center of our minds as we design our campaigns.

Automation – Autoresponders & Marketing Automation

The Campaign Monitor autoresponder is designed in a truly superb way enabling you to create a detailed customer journey for your market or list.

A quick view of the following video will take you through all the steps – I am sure you will be impressed with what you see:

Easily Create Personalized Customer Journeys

Did you notice how easy it is to set up the customer journey?

A tool well worth making use of. The triggers that you can put in place to follow up with customers based on their reactions or responses to your communications are pure gold!

Email Directly From Your Website with RSS-to-Email

Campaign Monitor also offers this as a way to automate your email broadcasts. That is, they can be triggered via RSS.

What this does is allow you to make use of an RSS feed from your site where you can automatically send a newsletter to your subscribers. What a cool opportunity.

This is commonly used to let your subscribers know about new posts on your website.

The RSS-triggered emails can also be populated with teasers about the content or the whole article.

Campaign Monitor Sign-up Forms and Landing Pages

The Campaign Monitor user-friendliness really shines through in the creation of sign-up forms.

Their options are a bit limited compared to some of their competitors though, especially when it comes to creating pop-ups and making use of different colours and forms (specifically without needing to know how to code).

Campaign Monitor has a plugin for WordPress users and that plugin enables you to create much more attractive sign-up forms.

Enlist iPad App

This is a great feature offered by Campaign Monitor.

This app enables you to capture data at events on an iPad.

Previously I was in the exhibition industry, this facility would have been awesome for us and our exhibitors!

At that time there were iPad apps but they had to be online – which is easier than it sounds when it comes to a big expo in Johannesburg.

Enlist works offline and online – if used offline, the data can be synced and captured to the Campaign Monitor account as soon as you are back online again. Perfect for expos, musical events, etc.

Functionality within the Enlist App

• You have the facilities to customize the forms to match your brand, including
  • adding in your logo and background image
  • Fonts and texts sizes
  • Colours and more
• When you are online, this app syncs your new subscribers from the iPad to your Campaign Monitor lists
• You can customize the forms to ensure you capture the subscriber information you require
• You also have access to a live preview which enables you to see your form as you design it
• The form can be secured with passwords which means that subscribers cannot make changes to your forms
• The design also offers custom form controls which are extremely easy to use
• There is also a “certain fields” as required setting which can be implemented

Downloading Enlist is free, but you do need a Campaign Monitor account – I guess that goes without saying.

Landing Pages

Campaign Monitor’s guidance with creating email campaigns and landing pages is very simple and concise.

Their approach is as follows:

• Make use of simple, uncomplicated designs in your emails and landing pages
• Ensure that there is a matching message between the email and landing page (i.e. same offer, same headline)
• Ensure the email and landing page have a similar look. They recommend the same colours, fonts etc
• Simple design on your landing page, “stick to the basics, keep the test simple and use one image” for the background or use a product image
• Further encourage your subscriber by “reinforcing their decision to take action”
• Have one call to action on your landing page, avoid driving your traffic to your home page or blog

I have read other reviews where Campaign Monitor is criticized for not offering a wide range of creative options for the landing pages.

I tend to lean toward their philosophy with this and believe that the approach of keeping it simple is the best one to take.

User-Friendliness of Campaign Monitor’s Interface

This is an area where Campaign Monitor has excelled. The level of user-friendliness is very high.

They have made the system very simple, with lots of white space.

Newbies and those not blessed in the tech-savvy department will really appreciate the whole look and user-friendliness that Campaign Monitor has created in their interface.

Analytics Provided by Campaign Monitor

Again, Campaign Monitor has simplified things for its users. Their stats are easily accessed.

You have the opportunity to view your stats from a big picture perspective, here is what you can expect to view:

• that is your open rates,
• click-throughs,
• unsubscribes, etc.
• The analytics enable to you see the exact subscriber behaviour:
  • have they opened your emails?
  • ignored them?
  • clicked through on links? etc

The facility to export your stats to PDF is available too. This feature is particularly great if you are working with clients and need to provide them with the stats in an easy-to-read format.

The depth of detail provided is impressive. Here is what you can expect to see:

• Open rates
• detailed view of each and every subscriber’s activity
  • where they are based
  • when they joined your subscriber list, where and
  • when they clicked on your website
  • when they opened your emails etc.

A/B Testing with Campaign Monitor

The split testing facility is available in Campaign Monitor and is simple to follow.

You are able to test two versions of an email against one another (this is based on the subject or headline, sender, or content).

There are more advanced marketing tools available with other companies. For example:

• GetResponse has the facility to test multiple messages against each other, up to 5 messages.
• AWeber offers the facility to test 3 different emails, and
• MailChimp offers the split test of 3 to 8 emails, this is dependent on which plan you are signed up to.

Campaign Monitor “Built For Agencies”

Campaign Monitor has designed a feature that appears to be unique to them.

This is also called the White Label Option and enables agencies to create and manage email marketing for multiple clients.

In addition, agencies can provide their clients with a login to the system, which gives the client access only to their own branded email marketing products.

Agencies can qualify for a 10% discount when they use the product this way. It is a win/win situation for the agency because the agency has the opportunity to generate income by hosting their client’s list on Campaign Monitor making use of this facility.

Support Facilities Offered At Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor offers support as follows:

• Email Support – Basic and Unlimited Plans
• Phone Support – Premier Plan

It is quite a high price to pay to get phone support as the Premier Plan is not inexpensive. Depending on your needs and budget, it may be worth your while to pay for the top plan.

It may be worth your while to compare the support facilities offered by other providers, AWeber, for example, offer more comprehensive support options, as do Get Response.

Training with Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor offers a plethora of really pertinent and valuable information in their Marketing Resources Hub, below is a snip of that screen. Topics covered as follows:

Topics included in the Marketing Resources Hub cover the following:

• everything you need to know about Email Marketing,
• Marketing to the different generations,
• Industry Norms and Knowledge
• and, of course, their own tools too

Below is a video about creating the Customer Journey. This will give you insight into the level of training offered:

The Campaign Monitor training is available in text format as well as video. I prefer a combination as I relate well to both.

In addition, they have checklist articles for you to follow and ensure your email marketing efforts are maximized.

There are opportunities for you to take quizzes and articles to show what is trending.

Below is a list of their Featured Articles, as you will see, this is an extensive amount of information, and what I am listing below is not everything they have to offer:

• The State of Small business marketing in 2019
• Ultimate Email Marketing Benchmarks for 2019: By Industry & Day
• The Ultimate Guide to Marketing to Gen Z in 2019
• How to Build Your Marketing Campaign Calendar
• Email Marketing vs Other Digital Marketing Channels
• 12 Types of Emails you must Use (Infographic)
• How to Edit Images in Email with Campaign Monitor
• The Marketers Guide to Choosing Images in Email
• How Effective Are Welcome Emails
• The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing for Nonprofits
• Emojis and Symbols in marketing
• How To Create A Customer Journey
• 13 Things Email Marketers Should Know About Span
• Free Email Template Library
• Everything That’s Wrong With Your Email
• Sending a Reconfirmation Campaign In The Era Of GDPR
• Your Guide to Cultivating Loyal Readers With your Email Newsletter
• 10 Metrics Every Email Marketer Needs to Track
• Take The Email Marketing Scorecard Quiz
• The Ultimate Email Marketing Personalization Checklist
• 10 Email Marketing Do’s and Don’ts
• Email Campaign Preflight Checklist
• Email Marketing Strategy Challenges of the Modern Marketer
• What’s Trending – includes a whole range of articles
• Email List Building in the New Era of Email Marketing
• Inspiration – See the Top 100 Emails of the year
• The Modern Guidebook to Email marketing

What Is New At Campaign Monitor In 2021?

Below is a list of the new additions at Campaign Monitor since the beginning of 2021:

New Automation Page – June 2021 – This new page has been developed with all the previous features in place and has made it simpler to view and edit automated journeys and RSS workflows.

New Override Page – May 2021 – This new page provides a handy bird’s-eye view of all your email activity. Especially helpful if you have multiple team members working across different campaigns

Bulk Delete Lists – May 2021 – No more tedious one-by-one actions. Now there is the facility to select multiple lists at once and delete them in bulk. It’s a quick hover and tick the checkbox for lists to be deleted.

Footer Flexibility – April 2021 –  now it is possible to customize the footers in your email designs to be more functional and also align with your brand.

Free Image Gallery – March 2021 – quick and easy access to free Unsplash images has been made available.

Lists and Subscribers – February 2021 – Campaign Monitor have made it easier to navigate, filter, upload, and search for lists, subscribers, and suppression contacts.

Social Links – you can make your email and social media marketing work better together with simple drag and drop technology.

Integrations

Campaign Monitor offers more than 250 pre-built integrations that can be used to connect to 3rd party apps such as Salesforce, Magento and WordPress.

Campaign Monitor Pricing

Here is the not-so-great news about Campaign Monitor – the pricing is high compared to the competition.

Having said that, they also offer great value when it comes to a range of gorgeous templates and a solid platform.

This is where they lose rank, however, in the pricing, because they are definitely amongst the highest pricing in their industry.

The amount you pay is dependent on the plan you select. the plan you select will be dependent on your needs. It is fair from that perspective.

Free Trial Offer

Campaign Monitor does offer a Free Trial Offer, it is not substantial, unfortunately. I had a look under the FAQ’s for the details of the free trial offer, here they are:

“It’s free to set up an account and create a campaign. But to send to more than 5 subscribers, you’ll need to choose a plan.”

Basic Plan

$9.00 per month

Features Offered:

• you can send up to 2,500 emails
• Customer support via email
• All core email marketing features
• Insights analytics suite
• Link review
• Free image gallery 
• Basic marketing automation

Unlimited Plan

$29 per month

Features Offered:

• Unlimited emails to your list
• Priority customer support via email
• All core email marketing features
• Insights analytics suite
• Link review
• Free image gallery
• Unlimited marketing automation to your list
• Unlimited inbox previews
• Time zone sending
• Unlimited spam testing
• Countdown timer

Premier Plan

$149 per month

Features Offered:

• Unlimited emails across campaigns and automated emails
• Premier phone and email support
• All core email marketing features
• Insights analytics suite
• Link review
• Free image gallery
• Unlimited marketing automation to your list
• Unlimited inbox previews
• Time zone sending
• Unlimited spam testing
• Countdown timer
• Pre-built engagement segments
• Send-time optimization
• Advanced link tracking
• Email builder section locking

Overview: Campaign Monitor At A Glance

Name:	Campaign Monitor
Website:	www.campaignmonitor.com
Prices:	Free Trial; Basic $9 per month; Unlimited: $29 per month and Premier $149 per month. Please see the Pricing section above for more detail
Owner:	Part of the CM Group
Founders:	Ben Richardson, Dave Greiner, and Alex Bard
Founded:	2004
Overall Rank:	7 out of 10

My Final Opinion of Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor has some really great features available. They are very proactive with listening to their customers and introducing new technologies too.

Are they exceptional enough for the higher than average pricing? Not for me as an Affiliate Marketer.

Perhaps this pricing model would work better for Agencies because they can get money back if they build it into the billing with their clients.

Particularly as Agencies can “personalize” things for their clients with the branding option offered by Campaign Monitor – this does appear to be a unique feature.

There is so much to love about Campaign Monitor – the great templates (and they truly are eye-catching, fabulous designs!) and the user-friendliness of the system in particular.

If I were an Agency, this may be the right product for me.

Signing Off …

I hope you have received value from my review of Campaign Monitor. Please leave me feedback in the comments section below – I love to hear from my readers, truly I do.

Before I head out though, I would like to give you an opportunity to read about my Number One Recommendation when it comes to building your business online.

Let me know what you think.

Blessings always