There are so many email providers out there that it can be hard to pick the one that’s going to serve you best. And, in all honesty, it took me a while to find the one that worked best for my podcast and me. I was stuck between two highly recommended platforms, Flodesk and ConvertKit.
Is Flodesk or ConvertKit better for podcasters? After using both platforms for myself and seeing what worked (and what didn’t), I found that ConvertKit worked best for podcasters like myself. Flodesk is a great platform, but it didn’t really do what I needed it to do.
Let’s talk about what led me to both Flodesk and ConvertKit and what made Convertkit the better choice:
As always, you can listen to the related episode on Moms Who Podcast here:
[EMBED PODCAST EPISODE]
*Heads-up! I use affiliate links in this post, which means that if you click my link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no extra expense to you! I only ever link and recommend products I use or trust.
Why Your Email Marketing Matters as a Podcaster
Having an email list in addition to your podcast is amazing – in comparison to social media, you have so much more control over your marketing and actually get to show up in front of the people who are interested in your content. And, while you can absolutely lose your ability to email, it’s much harder to do when compared to getting shadow-banned or kicked off a social media platform.
With an email list, you ‘own’ your list. It doesn’t belong to a platform – it belongs to your business. So, if you want to up and leave Flodesk for ConvertKit or vice versa, you can.
An email list lets you build a true connection with your audience because it’s an audience that already has an interest in hearing from you. They want a peek into your life and know what’s going on in your business. And while they’re on your list, you have an opportunity to nurture your audience. This is your chance to let them know you, your business, and your products/offers.
Now, this relates to podcasting because your listeners are a part of your audience, and they have the desire to hear more from you – meaning they can also subscribe to your newsletter and join your email list.
My favorite way to do this is to actually create and offer a freebie or lead magnet to your audience. This could be a checklist, a short guide, or even a masterclass (like my Clarity to Podcast Masterclass).
Why Does Your Email Provider Matter?
After a listener subscribes to your newsletter – whether that’s because of your freebie or not – they should be entered into a sequence. A sequence is a series of timed emails sent to your subscriber. Once a subscriber completes their sequences, they’re added to your main list and will receive your typical newsletters like everyone else.
But, not all email providers are made equally. Some do not offer the features you need to do what you want – or they do, but they’re behind a paywall and are only available if you pay X amount of dollars each month.
Specifically, some email providers have restrictions on how many sequences you can create or if you can segment your audience, a task that is typically required if you want to deliver a freebie.
And if it’s not user-friendly, it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to stay consistent with your email marketing, a necessity if you want the best results. A confusing email provider can make it hard to sit down and set-up your sequences, tags, and even write your regular newsletters.
What’s the Best Email Provider for Podcasters?
If you do not currently have an email list, MailerLite is a great place to start. It’s actually the first email provider I used! MailerLite is free and allows you to set up some automation. Once you really get into it, this is where it gets a little complicated.
The next email provider I used was Flodesk. Flodesk came highly recommended to me and was extremely popular at the time of signing up – which was around March of 2022. Originally, Flodesk was in Beta, and everyone who signed up was given 50% off for life – which very quickly turned into 50% off for the first year, so my investment of $209/year for email turned into $418/year for email.
And I do love Flodesk; I just don’t love the price. So, I opted out and decided to move to ConvertKit, which is now the top platform that I recommend.
Is Flodesk or Convertkit Better for Podcasters?
I’ve said that I love Flodesk – and that’s true, so why am I recommending ConvertKit over Flodesk (besides price)? Now, before I dive in, I want you to remember that personal preference should play a role in your decision-making. If Flodesk feels easier and is in your budget, go for it!
But let’s talk about why I love ConvertKit for podcasters –
Honestly, ConvertKit is much more technical than Flodesk, but the process of setting up my workflows, forms, and even transferring over my email list from Flodesk was super easy. They offer live chat support 24/7, and let’s just say that it makes everything go so much smoother.
Now, there is a learning curve. ConvertKit uses verbiage that is different from that of a lot of other email platforms. But, if that’s where you’re starting, there’s really not much of a setback in that aspect.
ConvertKit makes everything really easy, and that’s what you need as a podcaster. You’re able to quickly and easily put together and schedule broadcasts (emails) to announce your latest episode or a newsletter repurposing an older episode. You can also set up forms and automation that enter your audience into a sequence depending on where they subscribed from – like your blog vs. your podcast.
There are so many other reasons I love ConvertKit, but I think I’ll leave that for a formal review. And if you need any other recommendations on tools or equipment to use as a podcaster, listen to one of my more recent episodes on Moms Who Podcast, What Microphone is Best for Podcasting?
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