Why don’t you build Mailchimp email templates?
At Chimp Essentials we get asked a LOT for build custom-designed Mailchimp email templates, however, we decided some time ago to stop doing these. This page explains our reasons why using templates in Mailchimp is NOT a good idea.
Problems with the ‘classic editor’
Mailchimp’s email editor is temperamental at best. I cannot recall a single email template we’ve created that has not run into ‘user errors’. This isn’t a slight on the people attempting to use these templates, it’s more the editor within Mailchimp itself. You don’t really have a lot of flexibility when it comes to options, and without knowing it, someone will upload a 2000px wide image, breaking the template, and not understand why.
The ’classic editor’ is being phased out soon
Mailchimp has 2 editors, you may not know this. You can swap to the new editor in your account settings (…mailchimp.com/account/details), scroll down to the ‘Default Email Builder’ section and select the new one.
We don’t know exactly when, but the classic/old email editor is being retired. Rumours are that will happen later this year (2022), but we just don’t know yet. This basically means that any custom templates you have built are going to be redundant when this happens.
Here’s why…
The ‘new editor’ doesn’t support custom coded templates
The new editor is by far simpler and easier to use, but with that simplicity comes limitations. For example, you can’t have custom HTML coded templates in the new editor. Fact.
In fact, the only way to have something besides the default is to head to the Premium Email Templates store and buy one. This won’t be bespoke to your brand, but it’s the only option you have.
Most pricing plans don’t allow you to use custom-coded templates anyway!
Most Mailchimp users aren’t paying for Mailchimp, and unless you fork out for the Standard plan upwards, starting at $17 per month, you can’t have custom-coded templates.
All of your emails look the same
One big flaw of templates, no matter how flexible you make them, emails tend to have a rigid and fixed layout, meaning that your engagement levels drop off, and so do your sales. Boo hiss boo.
What are the alternatives?
To summarise:
Fixed templates = bad
Custom emails = good
That’s where Super Awesome Emails comes in. Super Awesome Emails from Chimp Essentials is a brand new email design service, giving you fresh emails every time. We write the copy, design all of the graphics, build the email, and even send it out for you.
If you want to learn more about Super Awesome Emails, head to the website.