by Bulk email software is software that is used to send emails in large quantities.
Bulk email software usually refers to standalone software, while there are bulk email sending web-based services as well.
Computer worms that spread themselves via email are an example of bulk email software, sometimes referred to as a mass mailer. Such worms usually (but not necessarily) send spoofed “From” headers.
Most bulk email software programs are hosted by third party companies who sell access to their system. Customers pay per send or at a fixed monthly rate to have their own user account from which they can manage their contacts and send out email campaigns. Generally the advantage of this type of program is the reliability of the third party vendor and their application. Some bulk email software programs are self-hosted. The customer buys a license or develops their own program and then hosts the program. Generally the advantage of this type of program is the lack of ongoing monthly fees to the owner/developer of the program. The disadvantage to using this option is that delivery rate is reduced as often users use one server to send bulk emails. There are various settings to tweak to avoid a server being labeled as spam.
Why is bulk email software important?
If marketers were to create and send emails to each prospect on their contact list one at a time, they would probably not have time to do anything else. Sending thousands of marketing messages to prospective customers every couple of days is a tiresome and repetitive task.
With bulk email software, you can:
- Create marketing emails faster
- Reach hundreds or thousands of recipients with one email
- Reduce the cost of sending mass emails
- Increase traffic to a website
The Fall of Bulk Email Software
Bulk email software is not a new concept for online businesses and marketers; it has been around for a while. However, it is steadily being replaced by email services. The majority of email marketers prefer these services as opposed to the software because the former offers a more holistic approach to internet marketing. With a reliable email service, you can:
- Automate repetitive marketing tasks
- Create personalized email campaigns
- Send bulk emails to multiple mailing lists
- Boost brand awareness and reputation
- Attract and nurture quality leads
- Monitor marketing campaign statistics on the go
Bulk Email Software vs Bulk Email Services
Bulk email services work as a standalone system that allows one to add email addresses and send email campaigns. Marketers, who use bulk email as a method for increasing brand or product awareness, may leverage using an email marketing service to save both time and money. This ultimately allows a business to get more ROI with the help of professional instruments.
For an email marketer, online business owner or internet marketer, it is easy to get confused about whether email software or an email service is the best choice. So, here is a comprehensive comparison of the two:
| Features | Bulk Email Software | Bulk Email Service |
| Price | Costs roughly between $30-$100 depending on the vendor. However, that is not the only cost. The software requires regular updates that come at a fee. The prices are mostly fixed and non-negotiable. | Price is based on the size of the mailing list. Users can, therefore, choose a package that suits their needs and thier budget best. And, one can send bulk emails for free if their list is not very big. |
| Reputation | Bulk email software has no reputation and offers no guarantee that emails sent will be seen or opened. Remember, sender reputation is everything in email marketing as it shows how recipients and mailbox providers see a particular IP address. A negative IP reputation can hurt a brand in more ways than one. | Bulk email services manage their IP and server reputation and offer customers superior credibility. Therefore, a brand’s marketing emails have better chances of being opened and read by subscribers. |
| Upgrades | Updates are available, but users incur additional costs to get them. | Services are regularly updated and customers do not get overcharged to obtain them. Plus, most upgrades are conducted automatically. |
| Lead Segmentation | Segmenting subscribers is not available. Consequently, users must manage their mailing lists manually. | Mailing list segmentation is a common feature in most services. With the SendPulse email service, for example, it is possible to segment mailing lists based on different criteria such as age, gender, occupation, location, activities and more. |
| Landing Pages and Subscription forms | Users don’t have the option to create landing pages or subscription forms. Therefore, users must look for additional software to perform these functions. | Subscription forms are a key element of an email service. With the help of ready-made templates and a drag-and-drop email editor, users can create customized subscription forms easily. SendPulse allows users to design multichannel forms by adding links to messengers. Some services also help users create landing pages for their websites. |
| Cleaning Up the Mailing List | Users must manage their contact lists themselves. Therefore, if a subscriber opts out, one must remove their address from the mailing list manually. | The mailing list is constantly kept up to date. When a lead unsubscribes from your marketing emails, their address is automatically removed from the list. |
| Email Design | Email templates are often limited which means that there is less variety to choose from. Furthermore, they can only be edited using HTML. Thus, it is difficult to modify them to one’s preference without technical knowledge about how HTML works. | There is no need for HTML or any coding knowledge. Email services offer several ready-made email templates that can be edited. The user sets the parameters, and the service generates the code. Plus, you can add videos, images, buttons and more to your emails. |
| Ease of Use | Very technical to set up. The provider might not allow for bulk email sending through an internal server. In this case, one has to find an external SMTP server. | Online services are easy to use, and anyone can start creating an email campaign immediately after signing up. |
| Statistics and Follow Up | Does not allow for the evaluation of the results of an email campaign. Instead, one has to install additional programs to monitor bulk email marketing performance. | Statistics on how recipients respond to a campaign are collected and stored automatically. With a credible email service like SendPulse, a company can monitor the delivery rate, opens, click-through rates (CTR), unopened emails, emails marked as spam and much more. |
| Technical Support | For any problems, issues or concerns, one has to contact the system administrator, and it can take some time to get the help that you need | Usually, offer 24-hour customer support 7 days a week. Plus, most services provide multiple communication channels including phone, email and live chat. Therefore, it is easy to have your problems solved quickly and conveniently. |
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