Going bananas over MailChimp
Update May 2023: I used the free version of MailChimp for several years. It worked very well until I needed to create a multiple-letter sequence to welcome new subscribers automatically. That type of automation is no longer available on the free plan, so I’ve switched to the free version of MailerLite.
Squarespace and other DIY website builders have introduced their own built-in email marketing tools, but they usually charge a subscription fee to add to a website. Built-in email marketing is a more convenient option, but you’ll need to justify the cost.
I've been wanting to try MailChimp, the email marketing service, and finally had a chance to explore its features in recent weeks. I've been using the free version, which is ideal for small-business owners. I created some test subscribers, customized some of the signup and confirmation forms, and designed a test newsletter easily. Creating the newsletter was similar to using the drag-and-drop features of image and text blocks in Squarespace.
Helping a client recently, I also learned you can generate a signup form in MailChimp and add its HTML code to your website to encourage visitors to sign up for your newsletter easily. You can even create email campaigns for specific groups of subscribers, based on location, gender, or other criteria that you can add, such as Interests.
I'll definitely recommend MailChimp to my small-business clients. Who wouldn't go bananas over a little primate who cheers you on at each step?
Update: As of December 2018, for a new Squarespace website, you’ll need a Business plan or higher to add a third-party mail provider sign-up form to your website. Connecting a newsletter is now a premium feature that isn’t included on the Personal plan.
I recommend starting your business with a Google Workspace Business account so your business email address includes your domain name. But a personal Google account can be useful for many everyday tasks. In this blog post, I cover how the two types of accounts differ.
Understanding in advance how your website will support your business will inform your website's design and content.
You can add a Social Sharing image to Squarespace to be shown as a link preview for your website when you share a URL on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The size of 1200x628 pixels works best for those platforms. You can also set custom images for specific website pages or blog posts to draw extra attention to them.
I used the free version of MailChimp for several years and found it easy to use. I now use MailerLite because it allows a Welcome letter automation sequence that MailChimp no longer offers on the free plan. Still MailChimp is a good choice for small-business owners who want to add a newsletter to their site without the monthly cost of an email marketing plan if they only need to send new subscribers a single Welcome letter.
Two kinds of forms are common on websites: a Contact form and an Email signup form. Each form has its own purpose. To plan which forms will go on your website, it’s helpful to understand how each form is used as an interactive tool for collecting information from your website visitors.
Adding a blog to your website and keeping it updated is a great way to publicize your business. Search engines like Google reward websites that produce fresh content. Employing SEO best practices to add keywords to your blog posts increases the likelihood that potential customers will find you in online searches.
After reading an article about self-employment time management, I started keeping a log of how I was spending my time on marketing and educational activities related to my website design business. Now I am much more deliberate about how I spend my time online and I've narrowed down my business-related social media focus to a few platforms.
One of the first pages you create for your website is the About page. It helps customers put a face and a story to the person behind the website. You don't need to be intimidated by the prospect of what to write. Think of it as a reply to "What do you do?" when someone asks you that question at a party.
Service-based businesses usually have one or more pages that describe the services they offer. They should also provide enough information for people to take the next step toward hiring you.
The importance of posting testimonials on your website has been on my mind lately. Clever ads and slick marketing just can't take the place of testimonials. Nice words from real people serve to reassure people to take the next step of contacting you for a consultation or attending your upcoming event.
A blog has many benefits for increasing traffic to your website and improving SEO. But if you don’t love writing, there are alternatives.
A coat rack is a central location in your house where all the coats, hats, and scarves are kept. It's a meeting place for all of that outdoor apparel. A website is like a coat rack that organizes all the marketing apparel for your business: your About Me information, your Services descriptions, testimonials, photo galleries, product pages, blog posts, a contact form, and links to social media accounts. So what are you waiting for? Get that long-postponed website designed and launched. After all, your home (page) is where you hang your hat.
I use social media for my website design business to establish my expertise and promote my business, to get ideas from others in my field or related fields, and to inspire or share information with my potential or current small-business clients. I do my best to post on a few social media channels several times a week. I create original posts and I also share helpful posts from others in my industry. I researched where my potential customers are spending time online and now focus on posting in those locations.
Kerry A. Thompson
You don’t need a big agency to get your website done. You just need the one right person. I offer Squarespace website design and content development services for creatives, coaches, and healers. Learn more in a free 30-minute consultation.