How To Build An Email List
Learn the basics of how to do email marketing, step-by-step. I'll show you how to get started with one of the internet's most powerful tools.
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, one constant remains: email marketing’s unparalleled ability to connect directly with your audience.
But with every inbox filled to the brim, how do you ensure your messages not only reach your audience, but also resonate with them too? That’s where the magic of mastering email marketing comes in.
Brett Helling is a digital marketing expert with over 10 years of experience building, managing, and scaling websites.
Are you frustrated with the number of subscribers joining your mailing list? Are you only getting a few new subscribers each day? When I started my blogging journey nine years ago, I was in the same position, averaging just three subscribers per day.
So, I set an ambitious goal: 2,500 new subscribers in three months. By following the plan I’ll share here, I went from three subscribers a day to 38 in a month—adding over 1,000 subscribers in just 30 days!
These are the five strategies that helped me, and they can work for you too. Although it takes effort, it’s completely doable. By dedicating time to each of these steps, you’ll grow your influence and your email list. If you’re blogging part-time, aim for 1,000 subscribers in 90 days. Set a big goal—one that will make you truly happy when you achieve it.
Let’s dive in!
1. Effective Blog Design
If you want to grow your email list, design your blog with this goal in mind. Make it easy for readers to sign up. For instance, at Successful Blogging, I feature an opt-in box at the top of the homepage, which is far more visible than a sidebar form.
I learned about feature opt-in boxes from Jon Morrow at Boost Blog Traffic. He mentioned that a feature opt-in box could convert 5-10% of readers, while a sidebar form only converts 0.5%. This difference is substantial! With 200 visitors, a sidebar form might convert one reader, while a feature opt-in box could convert 10-20 readers.
Adding an exit-intent pop-up box also significantly boosted my subscribers. It appears only when a reader is about to leave, which is less intrusive. I use OptinMonster for my pop-ups, which is user-friendly and doesn’t require coding skills.
Here is a copy-paste-ready version of your PDF content for a blog post:
How to Get 1,000 Subscribers to Your Blog
By Sue Dunlevie, Successful Blogging
Introduction
Are you frustrated with the number of subscribers joining your mailing list? Are you only getting a few new subscribers each day? When I started my blogging journey nine years ago, I was in the same position, averaging just three subscribers per day.
So, I set an ambitious goal: 2,500 new subscribers in three months. By following the plan I’ll share here, I went from three subscribers a day to 38 in a month—adding over 1,000 subscribers in just 30 days!
These are the five strategies that helped me, and they can work for you too. Although it takes effort, it’s completely doable. By dedicating time to each of these steps, you’ll grow your influence and your email list. If you’re blogging part-time, aim for 1,000 subscribers in 90 days. Set a big goal—one that will make you truly happy when you achieve it.
Let’s dive in!
1. Effective Blog Design
If you want to grow your email list, design your blog with this goal in mind. Make it easy for readers to sign up. For instance, at Successful Blogging, I feature an opt-in box at the top of the homepage, which is far more visible than a sidebar form.
I learned about feature opt-in boxes from Jon Morrow at Boost Blog Traffic. He mentioned that a feature opt-in box could convert 5-10% of readers, while a sidebar form only converts 0.5%. This difference is substantial! With 200 visitors, a sidebar form might convert one reader, while a feature opt-in box could convert 10-20 readers.
Adding an exit-intent pop-up box also significantly boosted my subscribers. It appears only when a reader is about to leave, which is less intrusive. I use OptinMonster for my pop-ups, which is user-friendly and doesn’t require coding skills.
2. Blogger Outreach
Connect with influencers in your niche, as your blog’s success relies heavily on relationships. Start by listing 10-20 bloggers you want to engage with this month. Here’s how:
- Join their email lists.
- Comment on their posts.
- Share their posts on social media.
- Link to them in one of your posts.
- Send them a short email mentioning the link or asking a question.
These connections can lead to guest posts or interview opportunities, both valuable for growing your audience.
3. Promote Your Posts
When creating great content, remember it’s also essential to promote it. Write valuable posts, but don’t feel pressured to post frequently—one post a week (or every two weeks if you’re part-time) is plenty. Dedicate the remaining time to promotion:
- Send an email to your list.
- Post on social media.
- Engage with bloggers you’ve built relationships with.
- Request a share or retweet, or ask to be included in round-ups.
4. Guest Posting
The very best way to get traffic and to increase subscribers is to put your best content on blogs that have a lot of subscribers and traffic. Use their authority to build your authority.
I did just 2 guest posts each of those months and generated just over 1,000 blog visitors and doubled my opt-in rate for the month.
Start with the blogs where you have established a connection through blogger outreach.
Read their most popular posts and the posts that received the most social shares. Then you’ll know what topics their audience loves.
Send an email to the blog owner saying how you have researched their blog and suggest several topics that their readers would enjoy.
Send at least 5 of these emails each weekand you’ll get one or two guest post opportunities.
Spend your time writing a great guest post for that site and make it outstanding.
Make sure you put a link in your byline to a landing page (squeeze page) so you capture the readers’ email addresses.
The easiest way to do this is with LeadPages. It's the best way to have a beautiful landing page with high conversion without paying a web designer or knowing any code.
5. Repeat Each Month
These steps work wonders when you repeat them consistently. Each month, follow these steps to see a steady increase in subscribers.
Review: Steps to Increase Your Email Subscribers
- Effective Blog Design
- Blogger Outreach
- Promote Your Posts
- Guest Posting
- Repeat Each Month
Conclusion
This guide has provided you with actionable steps to improve how your blog converts readers into subscribers. By following these methods, you’ll grow your audience, earn more, and connect with the people you’re meant to serve.
If you’re struggling to integrate these steps into your overall blog strategy, help is available! Click here to get personalized assistance.
Recommended Resources
Here are some of my go-to resources to help increase email subscriptions:
- BlueHost - My favorite hosting provider.
- LeadPages - For creating high-converting landing pages.
- OptinMonster - A plugin for easy opt-in forms, including exit-intent pop-ups.
- Successful Blogging - For actionable tips to take your blog to the next level.
If you need further assistance, check out Grow Your List: The Crash Course.
Tools for Growing
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