Kit Email Marketing (Formerly ConvertKit) Comparison: Features, Pricing, and Benefits for Web Designers
I think we all know email marketing is important, but sometimes it gets pushed to the side when we’re buried in client work or see instant results from other marketing strategies.
But when done strategically, email marketing can be a game-changer for web designers. And Kit email marketing is my go-to resource for automation, campaign building, and lead generation. Kit helps you simplify communication with your audience, leads, and customers while still personalizing your message.
If you haven’t used Kit (formerly known as ConvertKit), I encourage you to sign up for their free 14-day trial.
Key Takeaways:
Why email marketing is important for web designers
Kit email marketing comparison with other providers
Kit pricing guide
How to build your email list in Kit
Can you use a CRM for email marketing?
Best Kit features for web designers
Why Web Designers Should Care About Email Marketing
Before we dive deeper into Kit's features, let's address the elephant in the room – why should you even care about email marketing? Aren't your beautiful websites and stunning portfolios enough?
Here's the truth: your design work speaks volumes, but email marketing is what keeps you top-of-mind and builds long-term relationships with both clients and prospects.
As someone who's worked with countless web designers, I've seen firsthand how consistent email communication can bring steady, predictable income to small businesses.
Web designers who implement strategic Kit email marketing benefit from:
Consistent lead generation – Even during those dreaded slow periods
Authority building – Establishing yourself as the go-to expert in your niche
Passive income opportunities – Promoting digital products, courses, low-ticket offers, and affiliates
Client education – Setting expectations and showcasing your process
Portfolio spotlights – Highlighting recent projects to inspire new bookings
I know you didn't become a web designer to spend hours managing complex email systems. That's why finding the right platform matters, and Kit is my #1 choice.
Kit Email Marketing Comparison
The Kit comparison to other email marketing platforms is particularly interesting for web designers who value aesthetics but also need robust functionality. Let’s go over a few popular email marketing choices, and why Kit comes out on top.
Flodesk
Flodesk is known for its gorgeous templates and beautiful design. For visually-oriented businesses (like yours), their approach was a breath of fresh air compared to the sometimes boring look of traditional email platforms.
With Flodesk, you can create visually stunning emails with very little effort. It has a ton of templates you can use and easily import your branding to make everything look cohesive.
Kit's email editor prioritizes readability and conversion over flashy design. While you can certainly create attractive emails in Kit, their approach is more content-first.
This actually aligns well with current email marketing best practices, which suggest that simpler, more personal-feeling emails often outperform heavily designed ones.
As a web designer, you might appreciate Flodesk's emphasis on aesthetics, but Kit's focus on what actually performs well might serve your business growth better in the long run.
MailChimp
Mailchimp is one of the most well-known email platforms, famous for its all-in-one marketing capabilities and easy-to-use automation. Its standout feature is the drag-and-drop email builder and extensive integrations, which lets you connect with e-commerce platforms, social media, and analytics tools seamlessly. It’s the most beginner-friendly email marketing option, which is why a lot of small businesses choose to use MailChimp.
While Mailchimp offers many integrations, its interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for small businesses. Kit keeps things simple and focuses on creating high-performing emails that drive engagement, rather than adding layers of complexity you may never use.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign shines with its advanced automation capabilities, allowing users to create highly personalized workflows based on user behavior, tagging, and conditional logic. It’s a powerhouse for businesses that thrive on complex automation sequences.
ActiveCampaign’s automation is impressive, but it comes with a steeper learning curve and can feel like overkill for smaller teams. It’s also a little clunky to use, even when you understand how it works.
Kit offers simpler automation tools that are easy to implement while still delivering the results you need, making it the perfect choice for entrepreneurs who want efficiency without frustration.
Constant Contact
I will admit that Constant Contact comes out on top if your business frequently hosts webinars, workshops, or in-person events. It has great automation and audience segmentation features related to event management.
However, if your focus is purely email marketing and building strong audience connections, Kit provides a more streamlined, content-first approach. You won’t get distracted by unnecessary event features, and your emails are optimized for readability and conversion, not just filling a template tied to events.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a favorite among e-commerce businesses because of its robust e-commerce tracking and data-driven segmentation, allowing you to send highly targeted campaigns based on purchase history, cart abandonment, and more.
Klaviyo’s data-driven approach is powerful but can be intimidating if you’re not running a large online store (and as a web designer, I’m guessing you aren’t). Kit keeps email marketing simple, personal, and conversion-focused, making it easier to engage your audience effectively without drowning in analytics.
Kit Comes Out on Top
Each platform has its strengths, whether it’s design, integrations, automation, event tools , or e-commerce analytics. Kit email marketing stands out by prioritizing simplicity, content quality, and conversions, the core elements that help web designers grow sustainably without getting lost in unnecessary features.
The Price of Kit: Investment vs Return for Web Designers
Email marketing platforms can get pricey as you build your email list, which seems a little counterintuitive because isn’t that the goal of email marketing? To grow your list? Anyway, don’t get me on that tangent.
The price of Kit starts at $33/month and scales based on your number of email subscribers:
Free: Up to 10,000 subscribers with limited features
Creator: $33/month for up to 1,000 subscribers
Creator Pro: $66/month for up to 3,000 subscribers
After that, pricing continues to increase as your subscriber list grows. For most web designers just starting with email marketing, the Creator plan at $33/month provides the perfect balance of features and affordability.
But is it worth it?
If you send a monthly newsletter to 1,000 subscribers and convert just one of those into a web design client at an average project value of $3,000, you've already seen a 100x return on your monthly investment.
Even if you're using Kit primarily for lead nurturing and convert just one additional lead per quarter into a client, the platform has more than paid for itself many times over.
For web designers offering smaller services like website audits or maintenance packages, Kit's commerce features allow you to sell these directly through the platform, creating additional revenue streams with minimal effort.
Building Your Email Subscribers List as a Web Designer
Growing your email subscriber list is a crucial aspect of sustainable business growth for web designers. Unlike social media followers, your email list is an asset you own and control. It’s worth investing time and money into.
Here are a few proven ways to build your email list.
Strategic Lead Magnets
The most effective way to build your email list is by offering valuable lead magnets that solve specific problems for your ideal clients. As a web designer, consider creating resources like:
Website launch checklists
Design trend reports
Website content planning templates
SEO basics guides for small businesses
Logo usage guidelines template
Kit makes delivering these freebies seamless with automated sequences that send your lead magnet immediately after sign-up, then follow up with valuable nurturing content.
See Kit in action by downloading my free guide on making your next best hire.
Embedded Forms vs Landing Pages
Kit gives you multiple options for collecting subscribers:
Embedded forms that can be placed on your website
Pop-up forms that appear based on behavior triggers
Dedicated landing pages optimized for conversion
For web designers, embedding forms naturally within your own beautifully designed website often works best. Dedicated landing pages can be effective for specific campaigns or when you don't want to distract visitors with your full website navigation. Pop-up forms are perfect for lead magnets.
Leveraging Client Projects
One often-overlooked opportunity for web designers is converting clients into subscribers. After completing a successful project, invite clients to join your email list for ongoing tips, updates, and maintenance reminders. This keeps you top-of-mind for future work and referrals.
Kit's automation features make this process painless. You can even set up a specific welcome sequence for former clients that acknowledges your existing relationship rather than treating them like brand new subscribers.
Can You Use Your CRM for Email Marketing?
A question I often hear from my web designer clients is: "Can I use my CRM for email marketing, or do I really need a separate platform like Kit?"
While many CRMs offer basic email functionality, they typically lack the features that dedicated email marketing platforms provide. The deliverability, automation capabilities, and subscriber management tools in Kit far surpass what you'll find in most CRMs.
That said, you don't have to choose between them. The optimal setup for most web designers is:
A dedicated CRM (like HoneyBook) for managing active client projects, contracts, and invoicing
Kit for email marketing, lead nurturing, and audience building
These systems can work together seamlessly through direct integrations.
Best Kit Email Marketing Features for Web Design Businesses
I already talked about why Kit is the best email marketing platform. Now let’s chat about why. These are the features web designers love about Kit.
Funnels: Converting Leads into Clients
Creating effective marketing funnels is essential for web designers looking to generate a consistent flow of qualified leads. Funnels in Kit are particularly powerful because they combine several key features, such as:
Landing pages for initial lead capture
Tags for tracking progress through your funnel
Automation rules for timely follow-up
Sequences for nurturing leads with valuable content
Example Funnel for Web Designers
Here's an example of how a web designer might set up a lead generation funnel in Kit:
Create a lead magnet related to your main offer
Build a dedicated landing page in Kit highlighting the benefits of your freebie
Set up an automation that immediately delivers the workbook and tags subscribers so you know they downloaded that specific freebie
Create a 5-email sequence that delivers their freebie, educates leads about your web design process, and addresses common hesitations
Use link triggers that further tag subscribers based on their interests (e-commerce, portfolio sites, etc.)
End with a call to book a discovery call, with those who click being tagged as "Hot Lead"
The beauty of funnels in Kit is that once they're set up, they work for you 24/7, qualifying and nurturing leads even while you're focused on client work.
Sequences: Nurturing Relationships on Autopilot
Sequences in Kit are a series of pre-written emails delivered automatically on a schedule you define. For web designers, they solve one of the biggest marketing challenges: maintaining consistent communication while juggling client projects.
Here are some effective ways web designers can leverage sequences:
Welcome Sequence: Introduce new subscribers to your brand and services over 5-7 emails
Lead Nurturing Sequence: Educate prospects about the value of professional web design and address common objections
Onboarding Sequence: Send automated pre-project emails to new clients explaining next steps and setting expectations
Post-Project Sequence: Follow up with clients after project completion with maintenance tips and referral and testimonial requests
The best part about email sequences is that they allow you to provide value consistently without requiring daily attention. You can write them once, refine them yearly, then benefit from them 24/7 as new subscribers join your list.
Tags: Creating Personalized Communication Paths
The tagging system in Kit is amazing for web designers looking to create personalized marketing. Tags in Kit are basically labels that can be applied to subscribers based on their actions, interests, or stage in your funnel.
Tags allow subscribers to exist in multiple categories simultaneously, so you can personalize each message sent to them.
Consider implementing tags like:
Service Interest: E-commerce, Portfolio, Blog, Landing Page
Industry: Real Estate, Restaurant, Coach, Non-profit
Funnel Stage: New Lead, Engaged Prospect, Discovery Call Booked
Past Client: Project Type, Project Date
Content Preferences: Design Tips, SEO Advice, Technology Updates
Entry Point: [freebie name], [workshop title]
Tracking these attributes through tags helps you send highly relevant content to each subscriber, which increases engagement and conversion rates.
Automation: Working Smarter, Not Harder
You know I’m a fan of automation. Automation in Kit helps busy web designers provide personalized communication to every subscriber. Unlike basic autoresponders, Kit's visual automation builder lets you create subscriber journeys triggered by specific actions.
Here are some automation workflows that can transform your marketing:
Lead Magnet Delivery: Automatically deliver different resources based on which opt-in form was used
Engagement Tracking: Tag subscribers who click specific links in your emails to refine your understanding of their interests
Re-engagement: Identify inactive subscribers and send a targeted campaign to bring them back
Client Journey: Move clients through different sequences based on their project stage
Automation creates a system that continues nurturing relationships even during your busiest design periods.
Selling Products with Kit
One overlooked advantage of Kit for web designers is the ability to easily sell digital products and services directly through the platform. Selling products with Kit opens up additional revenue streams beyond 1:1 client work.
Here are some product ideas you could consider offering:
Website Audit Reports: Quick, templated reviews of existing websites with actionable recommendations
DIY Design Kits: Collections of templates, color schemes, and font pairings for specific industries
Mini-Courses: Step-by-step guides to specific aspects of web presence (like setting up Google Analytics)
Maintenance Packages: Monthly website care plans sold as subscriptions
Kit makes selling these products simple with:
Built-in payment processing
Automatic delivery of digital products
Subscription management for recurring offerings
Discount codes for promotions
This allows web designers to create more stable income that isn't solely dependent on securing new client projects.
Maximizing Newsletters for Web Designers
This is probably what you were planning on using your email marketing platform for, before you knew all Kit had to offer! The goal of regular newsletters (whether weekly or monthly) is to provide value while subtly reminding subscribers of your services.
Effective newsletters for web designers might include:
Recent project spotlights with before/after comparisons
Quick design or SEO tips clients can implement on their own websites
Industry news that affects your clients' web presence
Limited-time offerings or availability announcements
Behind-the-scenes glimpses of your design process
I’m not an email expert, but I will say that the more you email the list, the more business you’re likely to get. And no, you won’t be annoying. I know some entrepreneurs who email their list 3x/week and everyone is excited to see their name pop in their inbox each time (at least, I am.)
Kit's scheduling features make it easy to maintain consistency by allowing you to write newsletters in advance and schedule them for future delivery.
Your Kit Email Marketing Strategy as a Web Designer
With all these powerful features in mind, let's outline what an effective Kit strategy might look like for a web designer:
Month 1: Foundation Building
Set up your Kit account and branding
Create your first lead magnet landing page
Implement a 5-email welcome sequence
Add opt-in forms to your website
Import any existing email contacts (with permission)
Month 2: Segmentation and Personalization
Develop a tagging strategy based on services and interests
Create targeted sequences for each major service area
Implement link triggers to automatically tag based on engagement
Send your first segmented newsletter
Month 3: Automation and Optimization
Build automated workflows for lead nurturing
Create a client onboarding email sequence in your CRM and let Kit handle the leads.
Analyze performance data and optimize weak points
Consider your first digital product offering
This phased approach prevents overwhelm while building an email marketing system that works for your business.
Is Kit Right for Your Web Design Business?
After exploring all these features and strategies, is Kit the right email marketing platform for your web design business?
While no platform is perfect for everyone, Kit's creator-focused approach aligns perfectly with the needs of web designers who want to build relationships through email.
Ready to see for yourself what Kit email marketing can do for your business? Sign up for their free 14-day trial today.
