In this free webinar, Tracey Lee Davis from ZingPop Social Media breaks down common myths and provides actionable strategies on things like which platforms give you the best bang for your buck, understanding the algorithm along with developing the right types of content, and more!

Want to see how these myth-busting strategies apply directly to your business or nonprofit?

This is your chance for FREE, customized expert feedback! Stop leaving time and engagement on the table.

Take action now: Drop the link to one social media page in the thread below to get a personal critique from Tracey or one of our amazing social media experts!

Watch this free, one-hour webinar with our experts to see how to use AI as your ultimate marketing assistant to boost productivity while staying true to your brand.

You’ll learn how to:

• Get more marketing done: Discover ways to generate high-quality content safely

• Keep it human: Spot and fix the overused phrases that scream "AI-generated”

• Prompt like a pro: Prescriptive techniques to get results that match your brand voice

Ready to master the ins and outs of getting your emails delivered? Join our experts for this free, one-hour webinar. You'll walk away with actionable strategies and tips to:

• Build a top-tier sender reputation to avoid the spam folder

• Instantly improve your inbox rate by managing your list and boosting your email engagement 

• Win back silent subscribers to boost your deliverability in the inbox

Join guest Jon Marburger here after the webinar 2/26/26 for more Q&A and to submit any additional questions that you have.

Watch the dive deep into creating compelling content that not only builds relationships but also delivers tangible results for your small business or nonprofit.
You’ll learn:

• How to move beyond just "posting" and sending to build a brand presence that cuts through the noise

• How to create high-impact content that transforms followers into loyal clients and dedicated donors

• Smart distribution tactics to extend your reach across platforms without doubling your workload

Join guest Steven Norman here after the webinar 1/29/2026 for more Q&A and to submit any additional questions you have.

During this live AMA-style session, our digital marketing experts answer your questions about:

• Email marketing

• Social media strategy

• Text (SMS) marketing

• And how to make all three work together

Your Expert Panel

Stephanie French– Senior Content Manager, Constant Contact with 15 years of digital marketing experience.

KellyBiggs – Owner, WSI Biggs Digital Marketing. Kelly brings 25+ years of sales and marketing expertise, guiding businesses through branding, messaging, SEO, social media, and digital advertising. She’s a business owner, strategist, and champion for entrepreneurs who want to grow with confidence.

Kelly Biggs is a member of our ELITES program. The E.L.I.T.E. Program is an exclusive group of top-performing Authorized Local Experts (ALEs) who excel in marketing, community leadership, and peer mentorship. Ideal candidates are seasoned professionals with coaching or consulting practices, recognized personal brands, and expertise in edu-marketing. They actively support Constant Contact users and promote platform adoption through value-added services.

Watch our one-hour webinar for practical tips and actionable strategies to help you connect with your audience, drive sales, and finish the year strong. Don't forget to continue the conversation.

You’ll discover:

• Holiday campaign ideas that build stronger audience relationships

• Effective strategies to amplify your campaign to make the most of the holiday season

• Time-saving tips for maximizing your resources and boosting productivity

About the Presenters

Stephanie French

Senior Content Manager, Webinars, Constant Contact

Stephanie is on a mission to help small businesses achieve their goals through educational content and webinars. With more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing, she spends most of her days planning and executing some of “the best webinars” on digital marketing.

Bret Sears

Personal Marketing Manager, Constant Contact

Bret's all about crafting unique brand voices, building strong online presences, and uncovering the right approach for each client. He loves seeing businesses succeed with the right strategy.

2. How can nonprofits start using AI effectively without feeling overwhelmed?

   
   Begin by using Constant Contacts’s AI features that are built for simplicity: the AI Content Generator allows you to plug in a few words about your mission or campaign, and it produces draft content (for emails, social posts, text messages) quickly.

3. What exactly is AI, and how can it help my organization?
   In the context of Constant Contact, AI means tools that assist your marketing by analyzing patterns, drafting content, recommending subject lines or send times, and automating repetitive tasks.

4. What are some practical ways to get the most out of AI while minimizing risks?

   
   

   Use Constant Contacts’s AI Content Generator as a starting point, but always review and tailor the output so it reflects your nonprofit’s voice, mission, and accuracy — don’t send it blind. Use automation and templates to build workflows (e.g., welcome → engage → thank you) so you’re consistent and efficient.

Continue the conversation here

Q&A: Email Marketing & Digital Strategy Tips

Q: We have a full client list, so we aren’t necessarily trying to grow our client list, but we still want to be relevant and share niche information. What advice do you have for this circumstance?
A: Set up monthly emails that share knowledge relevant to your readers. If your content differs by audience, use dynamic content to customize what people see. You can also include polls to boost engagement.

Q: What about a staffing firm? Any tips?
A: Staffing firms typically have two audiences:

1. The companies you’re recruiting for.

2. The candidates you’re recruiting.

Set up separate marketing messages for each. Share job listings and skill resources with candidates, and provide hiring tips or success stories for employers. A monthly email plus social media posts derived from that content works well.

Q: With an auction business, I’m having a hard time with SEO since my inventory changes weekly. Any advice?
A: Focus your SEO on the categories of products you sell (e.g., auto parts, home goods, furniture) and pair those keywords with “auction.” Keeping the terms broad helps ensure you capture searches despite changing inventory.

Q: Owning a gun store makes social media tricky due to community guidelines. Any suggestions?
A: Stick to safety- and product-focused messaging, and avoid real-life scenario imagery. For paid ads, note that Meta prohibits firearm sales or links to purchase. Instead, run lead ads or create educational landing pages (e.g., free safety tips or certification guides). Build trust and then follow up with product promotions through email. If ads are flagged, always correct and appeal.

Q: We typically pull a list from our CRM when running email blasts. What is an acceptable unsubscribe rate?
A: It varies by industry. Turn on the comment box for unsubscribers to learn why they’re leaving. Unsubscribes are better than spam complaints, but feedback can reveal issues like frequency. If necessary, reduce to bi-monthly or monthly emails.

Q: Any strategies for structuring a large-scale email campaign that drives stronger engagement and click-through rates? (I’m a landscape photographer leading photo tours and workshops.)
A: Build seasonal automations tied to your business flow—seasonal changes, community events, or photography opportunities. Always highlight your workshops, and include polls to gather insights and engage readers.

Q: If I create an ad in Canva using their “voice” tool, will it work with Constant Contact emails?
A: Videos need to be uploaded to Vimeo or YouTube to ensure playback quality. Once hosted, you can embed the video in your Constant Contact email, and the audio will play when clicked.

Q: Do you recommend automated email marketing with Zapier and Salesforce for dealership form submissions?
A: Yes! Use automation to nurture new leads and build trust. Share what makes your dealership unique (vehicles, customer experience). You can also automate thank-you emails after a purchase or service appointment.

Q: We’ve been using Constant Contact for 10+ years and have many old email lists. Should we include everyone or only the last 3–5 years of contacts?
A: If you’ve emailed them consistently and they’re engaging, keep them. If not, run a re-engagement campaign with valuable content to test interest. If they remain inactive, it’s best to trim the list.

Q: Is it a good idea to send personal emails to frequent openers for potential business?
A: Yes! Personalized outreach works. To save time, create campaigns for your most engaged contacts with gratitude messages, discounts, or special offers. Use personalization tools like merge tags and dynamic content.

Q: Which AI platform do you recommend?
A: Constant Contact offers built-in AI tools:

• Campaign Builder: create multichannel campaigns at once.

• Content Generator: use the “Write with AI” feature in the editor to generate text for emails and posts.

Q: Is there a way to prevent Constant Contact emails from going to Gmail’s Promotions tab?
A: Placement in Gmail tabs is controlled by the recipient. They can move your emails to Primary, but you cannot force it. Remember, Promotions ≠ Spam. Educate subscribers on how to adjust their Gmail settings if needed.

Q: My business averages 4.7–4.8 in reviews, but I just received a false and negative Yelp review. Should I reply or wait until my removal request is reviewed?
A: Wait until the appeal is resolved before responding. If the review remains, respond professionally by showing openness to resolve issues—even if false. Your reply is less about that reviewer and more about showing future customers how you handle feedback.

You'll learn how to:

• Develop a deep understanding of your audience and their content preferences

• Craft a brand personality and tone of voice that speaks to your audience

• Build a content plan that drives engagement and fuels growth

📣 Ready to take action and put these learnings to work to create your own brand voice? Connect with our experts and fellow customers by continuing the conversation in our Empowerment Hub.

How do I understand who my customers are so I can send more relevant content?

In the webinar, we discussed the Ideal Customer Profile. Define the characteristics of your ideal, most loyal customer such as:

• Demographic details like their age, income, and education

• Character traits like their pain points, desires, fears, and what media they consume

By focusing on this target audience, you’ll be able to create personalized messages.

So, how do I find this information about my customers?

There are a few ways! It can be gathered through methods like interviewing your top customers or those who frequently engage with you, conducting surveys, or analyzing data from repeat buyers

How do you craft a unique brand personality?

Pose the following questions to yourself:

• What is your purpose?

• What is your brand promise? What problems do you solve?

• How do you want people to feel after interacting with our brand?

Can I reshare content I’ve already created?

Yes, you don’t need to constantly create new content. Evergreen content is a great thing to keep in your back pocket. It provides value to your audience and isn’t confined to a date or time period. If you want to change it up, try formatting it in a different way. Can you turn it into a video or a guide?

What would be your suggestions for a small business whose competitors' main mode of marketing is through social media? How do I stand out?

Tap into your own brand personality and the tone of your content. Make sure you're understanding your own audience and talking to them in a way that will resonate with them. Start with a survey and interview some of your best clients. This is the best way to tap into how to stand out.

Is it best practice to build relationships/network with other organizations in order to redirect overflow for services?

This can be a good idea, but we overall suggest not to put a lot of effort here.Sometimes the client just isn't right for you.

Can that data be directly collected in their contact profile?

Yes, you can use custom fields in your forms to add data to their profile within your Constant Contact account.

Are there ways or services online that can accumulate and evaluate my survey data?

You can create a survey in Constant Contact. For evaluation and getting help with your survey, check out our Agency Directory who may be able to help you set up an Ideal Customer Profile and so much more.

What would you suggest for a real estate agent? Could I include a short survey in my next newsletter? A portion of my contacts are in another state or in Europe.

Definitely segment your list for this. Have a gift that's relevant to each area so they can properly use the gift. A gift card could be a great way to go, and different for each country.

How do you craft your language if your current nonprofit membership base is older (50-75), but you want to begin attracting a younger generation (20-40)?

With email marketing, I would start by segmenting your list. Create an older and younger list and adjust your messaging for those two segments. Older generations often don't mind more reading and text in your emails. Younger generations prefer shorter, more concise content, and you can often use less formal language when addressing them. 

When it comes to social media, you likely need to find a balance of both tones, but you can also adjust based on the platform and who in your audience you know is there.

I work for local government and need ideas on how to elevate the style and material. I want the newsletter to be engaging while being informative.

Eye-catching visuals and even video promotions of the different events could be powerful here to promote the events.

I’m in a very competitive real estate market in Florida. What would you suggest when the product to sell is myself and my services?

You could share your knowledge and tips about navigating the housing market, selling, and securing loans. We suggest using video that shows your personality and lets people get to know you and put a face with your "brand”.

What kind of tone within your content is needed to acquire new donors?

I would really go back to identifying your ideal donor profile. Understand not only their demographic information but what drives them. Their pain points, personality characteristics, and the types of media they consume. This is how you will get to the best tone to connect with your audience.  

I don't have a development person. I would love to do video clips of our Senior Center Members in active classes and show those online and in emails. I have no idea how to do all that.

A smartphone can be used to help you record these videos and maybe even a lapel mic that you can find just about anywhere. Once it's recorded, you can upload the video to your social media and even on YouTube to make it easy to add to your emails. 

If a certain type of content is getting regular engagement from your current audience, but you want to explore new formats or new topics, do you have any recommendations of how to pivot your content without losing your audience?

Yes, brainstorm ways you could use the content idea as a short-form video for social media and even insert it into your email campaign. It can even mean turning it into a few images for a carousel post on social media. Remember, it's about reinforcing information in the content and even reaching new people. 

For people to find your business or organization with an online search, having content on your website, such as a blog post, is a great way to get in front of those folks. You could even think about turning the piece of content into an infographic. This could be supported with the use of Canva to make the concept very visual."

When do you know you need a new branding strategy, and what should you factor in  when creating a new brand?

There can be many reasons you may choose to rebrand. Some of the top ones would be if your business undergoes a shift in strategic direction or if your identity isn't resonating with your target audience. Check out this great article for more information on when you may want to rebrand your business.

One problem I have is that our main audience is our membership but they are not our major funding sources. We are trying to show our value to businesses to gain funds from businesses.

Appeal to the people at businesses first, usually through an emotional connection with your cause. Then, to appeal to the business, you may need to show the value of sponsoring and how in the end, it will benefit them ie. getting in front of more people. This may also mean different ways of getting in front of potential business sponsors, reaching out by phone, visiting in person, or even network with the people who can get you in the door to meet with important people at the company.

If I'm targeting small businesses, I'm conflicted because some small businesses want the mom and pop size support company, but other clients of the same size do want a bigger, more professional company for their IT support. But I'd like to market to both, but not sound bigger than I am, yet not sound so small that I can't help slightly larger companies.

Consider your brand personality, tone, and language you're using in your messaging. You can have one standard, but the language you use to target those larger businesses will need to be different, using IT language that they will be familiar with. This may also mean topics that revolve around trends and big changes in the IT world and the problems that bigger companies face. 

Can I segment my different brand personalities by letting them live on different platforms? I keep trends on IG, informative things on FB, timely messaging on X, and employee advocacy on LinkedIn.

For an overall brand personality, I would stick with one, but the content, like you said, can perform very well, keeping different types of content on different platforms. And as long as that works for you, that's great. 

The big thing with content and especially social, is not to overcommit. You want to make sure you focus on the quality of content and not just quantity to try to compete with an algorithm.

Do I make my messages sound like "I provide" since I'm a sole proprietor, or do I use sentences that are more like "We do this..." even though it's just me.

This is very promotional language. Remember, content should serve the purposes of driving awareness, providing value, educating your audience, and building connections. In this case, you focus on them ie. "you." Example: “Are you tired of struggling with XYZ?” When you are ready to promote, this can all depend on how you're structuring your brand. Are you the face of your company? Do you want to be? If not, I would go with more of a "we" language."

What is a realistic frequency of posting for a small company? How long in advance should you plan articles and does it hurt if you stop publishing for a while?

This has to be the frequency and the amount of content you have the time and resources to create and post. It's unrealistic to try to meet what other experts say if you don't have the resources to do it in a good way. You end up with more quantity and less quality in your posts. Consistency is important, but we all need to take a break at some point.

We have multiple social media channels. Facebook and LinkedIn perform best, and Instagram performs the least. Should we post less on Instagram? We've tried different types of content - reels, stories, carousels - and we are still low on engagement.

If you've also tested the heart of your message/the content itself, then I would probably post less on Instagram to save on resources.

Is there value in trying to build an audience on a platform where your audience is lacking because you want to engage a different audience? For example, if my audience is older, I'm mostly using Facebook but we are trying to target younger audiences like Gen Z, so should I put effort into Instagram?

Yes, absolutely. It's great to think about the future and who your younger demographic could be. For younger audiences, Instagram or even TikTok may be something to look at. Be sure to talk to your audience though, to see where they are actually spending their time.

How can we help seniors engage more in emails or engage in text more? I sell insurance and they want to call and chat a lot. Some older generations like to read a lot.

We typically say that shorter is better, but in this case, you could test longer emails with the details and educational information about insurance. I would also lean into segmentation for your list based on the types of insurance or topics they've shown interest in. 

I represent international artists. We have nothing but amazing content - images and stories. We do have newsletters. Any tips on getting conversions? We are leaning into the digital platform over the physical model.

Assuming you are selling the art itself or commissions even, it's great to feature your artists themselves, their process, and even progress on art pieces. Remember, it's about educating, and with art, it's very specific to the buyer so show them what's in the work with your artists and even the stylings of different art pieces.

Our clients are all well-educated professionals; they expect perfection in everything we do. How can we connect with them as humans?

Make sure you're showing genuine interest and talking to your clients. What are their specific pain points and characteristics? Remember, the well-educated part is only the demographics and speaking to them effectively will require getting to know them on a deeper level. 

When it comes to your marketing, make sure you're tailoring your messages as not everyone in your audience will be the same. It is important to note that it's important to acknowledge their level of knowledge, and it's very important to be responsive and reliable with these people.

You’ll learn:

• Why subscribers stop or never engage in the first place

• The foundation for winning back email subscribers

• How to optimize your win-back strategy for long-term success

What are some reasons my contacts are not engaging with my email?

While this can vary, the most common reasons discussed during the webinar were that the contents of your email are not relevant to your audience, they aren’t able to buy or donate to your cause at this time, or the email is too promotion-focused. 

How to create a segment to find the "least engaged" contacts?

Using a pre-built segment is the quickest way to find your least engaged contacts. Here are the steps for navigating to that area:

• In the left-hand menu, click Contacts > Segments.

• In the Pre-built segments section, find the engagement option you want to work with and click . . . > View contacts.

• From that view, you can: send a targeted email to the segment, copy the segment, add the segment to a list, and/or export the contacts.

How many times should you try to re-engage before removing from lists?

Ultimately, the exact number of emails might vary slightly based on your industry, email frequency, and audience, but two to three targeted emails are generally considered sufficient to give inactive subscribers a fair chance to re-engage before you remove them from your active list. Do not delete them from your account. Keep them segmented for future potential engagement.

Would you remove an email address from your account if they have not opened it? If so, when do you remove them?

You do not necessarily need to remove inactive email addresses from your list; however, it is important to manage them strategically in your contacts. The better approach is to segment them and keep them separate from your active subscribers. That way, you can continue to reach out to them with reengagement campaigns, without them bringing down open and click rates when sending to your active lists. The only reason to remove them would be to keep your contacts within the pricing tier of your subscription. If you are at risk of bumping up to the next pricing tier, it could help to remove them. However, managing your bounces can help with this as well. If you do decide to remove contacts, make sure to export them into a file first so that you still have them for your records, and then 6-12 months of inactivity would be an appropriate timeframe to remove them.

What should I do with unsubscribed contacts?

When contacts choose to stop receiving emails from you and opt out of your contact list, three things happen:

• They're marked in your account as "unsubscribed" and can no longer receive emails.

• They're considered "inactive" contacts for billing purposes. You're only billed for the number of "active" contacts in your account.

• The email and SMS reporting and engagement history stay in your account.

If a contact unsubscribes and then later re-joins your contact list through one of our sign-up tools, we remove the "unsubscribed" status and they can start receiving emails again as an "active" contact. Their reporting and engagement history picks up again where it left off when they originally unsubscribed.

More information can be found here: Understanding unsubscribed contacts.

Any tips for subject line strategies that grab attention?

A subject line is one of the most important parts of your email. Not only does it entice your contact to open the email, it also has an impact on delivery. We have some suggestions on optimizing your subject line.

A few examples for a win-back campaign:

• [Name], we miss you!

• Exclusive information just for you

• We haven’t seen you in a while

You suggested using emojis in the subject line. I read that I shouldn't use punctuation in the subject line for a better opportunity to get past firewalls.

While it is true that excessive punctuation can trigger spam filters, including one emoji should not make a negative impact. Learn more about best practices for using emoji in an email subject line.

What do I include in a win-back campaign?

Here are a few suggestions from Patty:

• Mix it up! If you are ecommerce-based or a B2C, offer a coupon or another incentive.

• Let your contacts choose how often they would like to receive your emails with a feedback block (mentioned more below)

• Ask for a review

I use emails to encourage donors to give to our nonprofit but they’ve been dropping off. How does a win-back campaign work here? We don’t want to lose any more donors.

If you don’t ask, the answer is going to be “no.” Think about what’s important to your donors and include this in your messaging. If someone directly benefited from a past donation, ask if they would be comfortable sharing their experience.

Any specific tips for non-sales emails? More for education where we share articles written by our experts.

No matter the content, the main thing to always focus on is the value you are providing for your reader. What is in it for them? What problem are you solving for them by sharing these educational articles? Why should they take the time to read this information? This is what you can emphasize in your subject lines, headlines in the body of the email, and calls to action.

What are your suggestions for financial institutions?

Educational content is key for your industry. For a re-engagement campaign, I would start by providing some sort of different content or offer that you catch their attention. Maybe it's an important change or topic that's really important at the moment too. Check out our guide: The Ultimate Guide for Financial Services Marketing.

I have contacts that are opening my emails but aren’t clicking on any links. What else can I do to increase engagement?

The feedback block is a quick and simple way to encourage your contacts to engage with your email and make it interactive. Insert a poll to get to know them more or use the star system to have them rate your email or rate your service. Get creative!

What about resending my emails to those who don’t open them the first time?

There is a place for this, but it should not be done for every email. Only resend your most important emails, like those that include a deadline or informing them of an upcoming event. When resending to non-openers, we suggest changing the subject line. Don’t send it right away! Wait two or three days. We found that waiting a few days tends to be more successful in increasing your opens.

Did you say to clean your bounces after every email send? I send a weekly email. Should I clean bounces every week?

That would be the recommendation! It's important to remove them from your list as soon as you are able, to ensure that your list is clean and that you won't run into any deliverability issues.

How accurate do you find subject line testers?

The subject line A/B testing feature in Constant Contact is a great way to test which subject lines work best while finding a winning subject line after a period of time, and then using that subject line to send to the rest of your list.

With the A/B testing reporting, you can even see who engaged with each subject line!

Can you tell us where to find the zerobounce.net integration?

Zero Bounce is a 3rd party tool that you can integrate with. You'll want to find the integrations tab on the left side of your account and you can search for Zero Bounce in that section. Please note that Constant Contact does not provide support for the integration and all support must go through Zero Bounce.