Best Email Program for Photographers

Photogeek™ blog posts may include affiliate links. For more info, see my full disclosure here.

There are three key reasons Flodesk’s at the top of the list when it comes to the best email program for photographers specifically - along with creatives, service providers and small business owners generally:

  1. DESIGN + AESTHETICS ✔️
  2. FUNCTIONALITY + EASE OF USE ✔️
  3. PRICE ✔️

(There are bonus reasons too - but these three 👆🏼 are usually the most important for photographers and creatives when they’re sniffing around for an Email Service Provider aka ESP.)

Looking for a full list of email software options available for photographers? Head to the table HERE. A few top picks are MailerLite, Kit, and MailChimp.

Best email platform for photographers is Flodesk
ABOVE: Flodesk is an ideal email marketing software for photographers and creatives. (Mockup by Moyo Studio. Get 15% off all Moyo products using the code PHOTOGEEK).

Whether you're completely new to starting and growing an email list, or more of a seasoned marketer, Flodesk is well worth trialling to see if it's going to suit your style, budget and needs.

Personal experience tells me there's a high chance it will ✅.

No credit card is required for the free 30-day trial available and it'll give you a really good feel for how it works and whether or not it'll suit your business...and brain.

Flodesk Discount Code - PHOTOGEEK

If you already know you want in on Flodesk and you came here looking for the discount code that'll get you 25% off your first year, punch in PHOTOGEEK or use my referral link below.

All you have to do is sign up HERE for the Flodesk discount to apply (for your first year only - remember the price will increase 25% after that).

Best Email Platform - Editor's Note

Whether something is 'the best' or not ultimately depends on the unique needs of an individual or organisation - so it's a bit of a subjective matter in fairness.

I acknowledge that.

Flodesk has proven to be the best email program for me and I’m happy to share my experience and opinion should it help you decide if you’d like to use it too or if, instead, it helps you understand why it may not be the best fit at this time.

Either way, it’s helpful to know.

So read on regardless.

And if you're keen to research several potential email program options, there's a comprehensive list available at the very bottom of this post ⬇️ , which will help.

Samples of Photogeek email newsletters as made with Flodesk
ABOVE: I've been a Flodesk user since the start of 2020. I use it to send these Photogeek™ 'Good Stuff. No Fluff' newsletters out. You can sign up for free HERE if you're interested to see what it's all about...

Why Use an Email Marketing Program

What exactly does an email marketing program do and why do small businesses and service providers like photographers need one?

It's simple really.

Email marketing enables you to grow and build an audience you can regularly connect to, communicate with, serve, and generate income from.

All without having to rely on algorithms, paid advertising, social media, or any other platform someone else owns and subsequently gatekeeps.

Once you have a list of contacts in your email marketing platform of choice, no one can take it away from you or stop you communicating with the audience you've built. You can't say that for social media platforms.

Flodesk Checkouts features for selling products and services
ABOVE: Add Flodesk Checkout onto the standard email plan to sell your products and services.
Flodesk Checkout feature for sharing and selling freebies and digital products
ABOVE: Use Flodesk Checkout to sell or share freebies and digital products.

Flodesk for Photographers - TL;DR

The 'Too Long; Didn't Read' version of why Flodesk is the best email program for photographers is this - Flodesk is:

  • beautiful to look at
  • easy to use
  • affordably priced
  • offers great functionality, simply
  • female founded and lead
Retro film camera on a coffee table. Lifestyle photo
ABOVE: Flodesk is an ideal match for photographers who naturally value quality aesthetic, good design and ease of use. Email marketing is often put in the 'too-hard' basket for photographers but Flodesk makes it easy and affordable. (STOCK PHOTO: Elevae Visuals.)

Design & Aesthetics in Flodesk

No one can deny the visual prowess Flodesk has over every other email marketing platform out there.

Its overall aesthetic is superior.

On the user end and on the subscriber side of things.

Across the board.

Full stop.

Designer-made emails, forms, landing pages and checkout page templates are aplenty (and customisable too) while the Flodesk interface itself is a minimalist’s dream.

Clean, white, uncluttered.

Flodesk design parameters are flexible, easy to use and customisable
ABOVE: Flodesk design parameters are flexible, easy to use, and customisable.

Layouts are flexible, the design editor is drag and drop WYSIWYG, and all designs fully responsive to mobile format.

You can also see previews in both desktop and mobile formats before sending live, and easily incorporate your brand colours and fonts once saved into your account.

Save your brand colours and logo straight into your Flodesk account
ABOVE: Save your logo and brand colours straight into your Flodesk account for easy access when designing emails, forms, Checkouts etc.

Where other ESPs can look busy, heavy with features and complex functionality - and technically advanced to the point of intimidation - Flodesk offers a refined elegance and with it, a sense of clarity and calm.

And frankly, the visual simplicity inside Flodesk - both in terms of the interface and designed assets - is a respite among the hyper-stimulation and constant stream of digital noise we’re otherwise faced with online.

Some of the designer-made templated email designs ready to go inside Flodesk
ABOVE: Just some of the designer-made templated email designs ready to use inside Flodesk.

If you’re a photographer or creative who’s easily overwhelmed by new tech and software, the layout and navigation of Flodesk will be a breath of fresh air.

And all the included templated designs will make you just about giddy with glee.

No more staring at a blank page when crafting emails, lead capture forms, and Checkout pages ever again.

Flodesk's got you covered 🙌🏼.

Flodesk email template example slideshow
ABOVE: World-class templated email designs ready to use inside Flodesk.

Flodesk Functionality + Ease of Use

Looks alone don’t cut it though, right?

And fair enough too.

Flodesk needs to actually perform and do what it promises: help create "simple and intuitive email marketing that brings your brand to life."

Flodesk is a great email program for photographers, creatives and small business owners
ABOVE: Flodesk's brand promises front and centre on the home page of their website.

In terms of functionality, Flodesk:

  • allows for custom + templated email layouts
  • share or sell your own email designs
  • provides digestible reports + analytics
  • enables in-email link actions / triggers
  • segments subscribers
  • facilitates integrations e.g. Zapier, Pabbly, Session, Interact, Shopify etc.
  • offers a 'Checkouts' add-on service for sales pages and facility (for digital products + services)
  • offers a 25% discount for your first year
  • includes designer-made templates for:
    • EMAILS
    • FORMS - pop-up, banner, inline, full-page, spinning wheel, countdown timer, video
    • EMAIL WORKFLOWS - like welcome sequence, nurture sequence, sales sequence, lead magnet delivery etc.
    • SALES PAGES + CHECKOUTS - give freebies, sell downloads / services / digital products / workshops etc.
    • LINK IN BIO functionality + templates

Plenty on offer but not so much that it becomes overwhelming.

*Insert sigh of relief*

No doubt there are some advanced business, educators and e-commerce specialists for whom Flodesk maybe isn't best suited for, but for most photographers, creatives and service providers, the well executed balance between form and function is ideal.

Flodesk user dashboard is clean and minimal in design
ABOVE: Nothing to see here folks, in the very best of ways. The Flodesk user interface in clean and clear making it easy to navigate and use.
Flodesk countdown timer inside the email builder being customised
ABOVE: The drag-and-drop 'What You See Is What You Get' designer inside Flodesk is refined and minimal.

Analytics in Flodesk

Analytics and reporting have improved greatly as Flodesk has developed over the years.

They were scant in the early days but had a total and most welcomed redevelopment.

Charts, graphs, stats and at-a-glance reports provided include:

  • click through rates (CTR)
  • views + clicks by device type
  • subscribe + unsubscribe rates
  • best day and time to send emails
  • open rates
  • opt-ins
  • conversion rates
  • deliverability
  • segment performance
  • email volume
Flodesk charts and descriptions on basic email stats
ABOVE: Flodesk email statistic samples.
Flodesk chart and statistics for best days to send emails
ABOVE: Flodesk chart with statistics on best days to send emails.
Quick glance report cards for individual emails sent from Flodesk
ABOVE: Quick glance 'report cards' for individual emails sent from Flodesk. An easy way to compare the performance of sent emails side-by-side.

Flodesk Pricing

Flodesk pricing is simple, transparent, and affordable.

And if you're not ready quite to start emailing yet but do want to begin building your list using online forms and landing pages, you can do that with Flodesk for free.

Like all ESPs out there, Flodesk runs on a tiered pricing model (in USD):

  • $19 p/month annually with Lite functionality for up to 1,000 subscribers
  • $25 p/month annually with Pro functionality for up to 1,000 subscribers
  • $49 p/month annually for Everything - email + e-commerce for up to 1,000 subscribers

Pricing increases on a sliding scale from there at the 2,500 subscriber mark, then 5,000, 10,0000 and so on.

Flodesk pricing tiers

New Flodesk users can receive 25% OFF the their first year when signing on via a referral link ✅ . Don't forget to do the free 30-day trial first...

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND the price will increase by 25% after your first 12 months as a new user who signed on via a Flodesk referral link - too many partners and affiliates forget to communicate that clearly and users who trusted them end up shocked come renewal time.

BONUS – Choose Flodesk ‘Cos it Feels Good

As a photographers, we’re innately drawn to aesthetically pleasing and well designed things.

We can’t help it.

It’s how we roll (pun fully intended).

And I can openly admit these aspects of Flodesk significantly helped get me over the line when deciding on the best ESP for my needs as a photographer and creative entrepreneur.

But I’m also a total sucker for supporting the proverbial underdog; good people with good intention…and guts.

The fact Flodesk’s founded and lead by women (Co-founders and CEOs Martha Bitar and Rebecca Shostack) who bootstrapped their company to an absolute thriving success is another reason I genuinely enjoy using the product and supporting the company generally.

Two women standing and working together in a light-filled space
ABOVE: Stock photo by Styled Stock Society.

Imagine two women taking on the proverbial ‘bros’ of Silicone Valley and bringing to market a new ESP – in among a sea of others, no less – and *gasp* succeeding?!

Imagine how many board rooms and meetings and conferences they were initially turned from or laughed out of.

Who knows?

Either way, I don’t imagine it was an easy task.

As a woman, with daughters, I'm rapt I get a chance to throw my support behind clever, determined women who've created a top-notch product...when in all likelihood, the odds were up against them.

Try Flodesk Today

Philosophically, the Flodesk founders have my respect.

So too now the whole team – women, men and non-binary.

And producing an excellent product that continues to serve and expand the way it does, ensures my continued patronage and public show of support.

Slideshow of Flodesk full page form designed templates
ABOVE: Something for everybody inside Flodesk. Full-page form samples.

You’ve earned my appreciation Flodesk, now take my money.

It’s a pittance in the grand scheme of running a business and everything Flodesk is – both figuratively and in practice – makes it well worth it:

  • polished and professional aesthetically ✔️
  • unmatched user-friendliness ✔️
  • affordable, transparent pricing ✔️

If you’re a photographer or creative of any sort; a small business owner or service provider, Flodesk is likely the best email marketing program for you.

Don’t trust me though.

Try it and see for yourself - get 30 days for free (and there's no credit card required to get started).

Then come back and thank me later 🤓 👋🏼 .

List of Alternative Email Service Providers (ESPs)

If you’re a photographer keen to look at other email programs available on the market, do check out the comprehensive list - in alphabetical order - available below ⬇️.

When looking for the best email program for your style, needs and budget, there are so many to choose from, and it can feel pretty overwhelming.

MY ADVICE: Start with Flodesk and see what you think.

If it turns out not to be the right fit at this time, come back and review the list below as you continue on with your research...

Active CampaignDripMailerLite
AWeberEmail OctopusMailmodo
BEEHIIVEmmaMoosend
BenchmarkGet ResponseOmnisend
Brevo (formerly: Send In Blue)HubSpotSendFox
CampaignerIntercomSendGrid
Campaign MonitorKitSendmails
Click FunnelsKlaviyoSendPulse
Constant ContactMailchimpZoho Campaign
ConvertKit (now Kit)MailJet

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Comments Expand -
  1. Thanks for sharing your info. I really appreciate your efforts and I
    will be waiting for your next post thank you once
    again.

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