Social’s great, but email’s better – email is your best tool for driving people to your blog
You’ve got a blog. – ✅
You’re publishing posts. – ✅
You’re sending out social media posts. – ✅
You’re actively working to grow your email list. – Well who’s got time for that?
Running a successful blog isn’t an easy task. Let’s face it, it’s a whole business you’re running on your own (likely while managing another job or two as well.) So while you’re publishing posts and constantly brainstorming new content, there’s not a whole lot of time to dedicate to growing an email list.
I get it.
Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms work really well for bloggers. We don’t want to discredit it. But what if I told you that email DOES and WILL get you even better results?
Email is the best way to drive people to your content. Time and time again, email outpaces social. Plus, it’s one of the only communication tools you control (seriously – just think of all the times Facebook changes its algorithm!)
We’ve put together 28 ways for you to start growing your email list. And the best part? The majority of these ideas aren’t going to cost you time or money (win, win!)
Optimize Your Blog’s Website for Sign-Ups
1. Place a sign-up widget on every article and page of content connected to your newsletter
2. Have a sign-up page in your website navigation bar
3. Include a link to your sign-up page in your website footer
4. Create a pop-up that triggers as people start to leave your site
5. Include a simple email-to-a-friend form on your website
Leverage the Power of Promotions
6. Run a simple sweepstakes with an email opt-in for a prize related to your blog’s content (reach out to brands, businesses, and trade groups for incentives)
7. Create a quiz with an opt-in for your newsletter
8. Leverage a survey to collect opt-ins and find out what your readers care about
9. Partner with other bloggers or organizations on giveaways that can be cross-promoted to both your email list and theirs.
10. Run a simple sweepstakes with an email opt-in for a general interest prize everyone would love (merchandise, tickets, gift cards, etc).
Employ Your Current Subscribers & Event Attendees
11. Include a subscribe link within your newsletter for additional emails
12. Encourage email recipients to forward to a friend
13. Include a sign-up link within your personal email signature
14. Bring a tablet or clipboard to collect sign-ups when you go to events
Turn Social Followers Into Subscribers
15. Embed your sign-up form in the Facebook app
16. Plant a link within your Instagram and Twitter bios
17. Spend the money on an Instagram ad for your newsletter
18. Post about your newsletter on Social Media
19. Create a pinned post on Facebook and Twitter
20. Employ the Facebook call-to-action buttons to link to your sign-up page
21. Invest in Twitter lead-gen cards to drive sign-ups
22. Use Facebook ads to target specific interest audiences (while excluding existing database members)
23. Create a Facebook Group recap newsletter to promote email and FB Groups
Utilize Your Blog Content
24. Shoot a video highlighting your newsletter and post to your blog and social media
25. Write a post about your new newsletter (including a quick link to sign up!)
26. Leverage sign-up links within posts
27. Attach an opt-in to all content downloads
28. Announce exclusive, must-have content only available to subscribers
Email is your blog’s best friend.
Just remember as you start growing your list to choose quality over quantity. Engagement is what drives results with email. Subscribers that aren’t opening your messages aren’t just hurting your feelings, they may actually start hurting your deliverability and reputation.
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Megan is the Content Manager of the Second Street Lab and is committed to delivering useful, thoughtful, and intelligent content for media and marketers to drive revenue, audience engagement, and email growth with engagement campaigns.