Don’t Get Left Behind: Navigating MailerLite’s Free Plan Changes

MailerLite has announced that starting 1 February 2024, its free plans on the Classic version will be discontinued. If you’re using the new version of MailerLite then your free plan will continue as normal but if you signed up for MailerLite before March 2022 and didn’t change over to the new version, your current plan will end In February 2024.

This significant change to MailerLite means you may have to rethink your email marketing strategy if you currently rely on MailerLite’s free plan. In this blog post, we’ll delve into key considerations you should be thinking about now so you can make the right strategic approaches to ensure a smooth transition come February 2024.

Do You Want to Keep Using MailerLite?

While the new MailerLite boasts a sleek design and enhanced functionalities, some of the nuances and tools that you may have become used to are now missing.

Newsletter and landing page templates are no longer available on the free plan and you also lose access to the customised HTML editor. The new MailerLite has also updated its reporting features but some users may find specific, niche reports they depended on in the Classic version are no longer available or have been simplified.

Any software update brings changes to the user interface and this transition can be jarring. You might have found the Classic interface, with all its quirks and familiar layouts, to be second nature. The new version, while intuitive for newcomers, might require a learning curve if you’ve been using the platform for a while.

The update to MailerLite also brings a new pricing structure, with features that were once available in lower-tier plans or for free now be gated behind higher-tier subscriptions, such as newsletter and landing page templates.

Take a good look at how you’re using MailerLite now and what’s available with the new MailerLite but also look at some of the other platforms out there to see if they are a better fit for your email marketing needs. You can continue to use MailerLite Classic but only if you upgrade to a paid plan before the 1 February 2024 – so if you want a free plan, you need to decide whether to make the migration over to the new version or look elsewhere to meet your needs.

Timing Your Migration Matters: The Clock is Ticking

While it may seem like a straightforward task to switch over to the new version, the timing of this migration is critical. The absence of a grace period means that your free MailerLite Classic account will be deactivated on the deadline day. This could disrupt ongoing campaigns, lead nurturing sequences, or even customer onboarding processes.

The first crucial step in planning your migration is auditing your email marketing calendar. By identifying periods of lower activity, you can pinpoint the most opportune time to make the transition, thereby minimising the impact on your ongoing campaigns.

Once you’ve selected an ideal timeframe, the next focus should be on resource allocation. Ensuring that you have the necessary time and technical resources available during the migration is vital. If you’re not sure, now is an excellent time to book in with a VA who can take care of things for you.

Lastly, effective communication is key to a smooth transition. Setting clear expectations about the migration timeline with a simple heads-up that you are changing to a new system and there may be some email/newsletter hiccups will go a long way in managing perceptions and maintaining trust.

Evaluate New MailerLite Features and How You Can Benefit from Them

The new MailerLite platform isn’t just a facelift; it comes with a suite of advanced features designed to enhance your email marketing efforts. However, the transition to a new platform is also an investment—of time and resources, so it’s crucial to evaluate these new features critically to determine their value to your business.

A thorough evaluation helps you understand which features can actually improve your return on invested time and resources and which are merely ‘nice-to-haves’.

Identify Key Features: List the new features that are most relevant to your email marketing strategy. This could range from AI-powered writing assistants to advanced reporting capabilities. Consider if any training or upskilling might be needed for some of these features.

Set Evaluation Metrics: Define the key performance indicators that’ll help you measure the effectiveness of each feature. For example, if you’re testing the AI-powered writing assistant, metrics could include engagement rates, click-through rates, or even conversion rates.

Run A/B Tests: Use A/B testing to compare the performance of campaigns using the new features against your traditional methods.

Analyse and Iterate: After the test period, analyse the data to see if the new features have met or exceeded your set KPIs. Use these insights for future campaign planning.

Asset Transfer: More Than Just Clicking ‘Move’

Transferring your assets from MailerLite Classic to the new MailerLite platform may seem like a straightforward task. However, the devil is in the details.

Your assets—ranging from subscriber lists to email templates and automations—are the backbone of your email marketing strategy. A poorly executed asset transfer can result in data loss, operational disruptions and a negative impact on your marketing efforts.

Begin with a comprehensive audit of all existing assets in your MailerLite Classic account. This audit serves a dual purpose: it helps you identify what is essential for your ongoing and future campaigns and it also allows you to determine what can be archived or deleted.

Once the audit is complete, the next step is to develop a detailed migration checklist. This checklist should outline each asset type—be it subscriber lists, email templates (be aware that these are NOT FREE on the new version of MailerLite), or automations—and specify the steps required for its successful transfer. Creating this checklist is not merely an organisational task; it’s a strategic tool that ensures each asset is accounted for and that nothing falls through the cracks during the migration.

But even the best-laid plans can encounter challenges, which is why it’s advisable to perform a test transfer of a subset of assets before the full migration. This test run allows you to identify and address any issues that may arise, thereby reducing the risk of disruptions or data loss during the actual transfer.

As you can see, it’s a long and detailed process that requires a lot of planning and organisation to ensure that everything is moved over from MailerLite Classic to the new version successfully! Sadly, there is no ‘click here to move’ button that’ll do everything for you but there is a VA who can help! If you’re unsure what to do, how to go about or simply don’t have the time to deal with all of this, get in touch with me now for a free call to discover how I can help.