In today’s digital age, an email list remains one of the most valuable assets for online businesses, freelancers, and online influencers. Why? Because email provides a direct line of communication to your audience. Blogging, on the other hand, establishes credibility, provides value, and attracts organic traffic. When combined, these two elements can work wonders for growing your online presence, business, and profits.
In this post I want to give you a few effective ways to start utilizing a blog to build an email list.
Let’s dive in!
Strategy #1: Content Upgrades
A content upgrade is a piece of additional content closely related to the topic of your blog post. For example, if you have a blog post about “10 Yoga Poses for Back Pain,” you might offer a downloadable PDF with illustrations of each pose as a content upgrade. To access this upgrade, readers would need to provide their email addresses.
Strategy #2: Pop-ups and Slide-ins
While some readers find them annoying, pop-ups and slide-ins can be highly effective if used correctly. The key is in timing and design. Instead of bombarding your visitor as soon as they land on your page, allow them some time (30 seconds to a minute) to engage with your content before showing the pop-up. Ensure your message is concise and offers genuine value.
Strategy #3: End-of-Post Sign-up Forms
After a reader finishes your post, it’s a perfect opportunity to introduce them to your email list. Including a sign-up form at the end of your post with a compelling CTA (Call to Action) can lead to significant conversions.
Strategy #4: Content Locking
This technique involves ‘locking’ a portion of your content, making it accessible only to those who subscribe. For instance, you could have an in-depth guide where the first part is free, but the concluding part is locked until the user provides their email.
Side Note: Thrive Leads will allow you to easily implement all FOUR of the above strategies easily. You’ll see examples of these four strategies all over my blog. Want to implement these strategies for yourself? Grab Thrive Leads and get started today!
Strategy #5: Exclusive Access or Discounts
If you sell products or services, you can entice readers to subscribe to your email list by offering exclusive discounts or early access to new offerings. This technique can be especially powerful for eCommerce businesses or service providers.
Strategy #6: Engaging Stories and Newsletters
Sometimes, the promise of interesting content can be enough. Tease readers with the type of content they can expect in your newsletters – behind-the-scenes peeks, personal stories, or exclusive insights.
Strategy #7: Leverage Social Proof
Showing testimonials or showcasing the number of existing subscribers (“Join 10,000+ subscribers!”) can provide the necessary social proof to make someone feel comfortable about signing up.
Strategy #8: Host Webinars and Online Workshops
Promote exclusive webinars, courses, or workshops on your blog. To gain access, visitors need to sign up, thus growing your email list. Plus, these events position you as an authority in your niche.
Strategy #9: Engage in Collaborations
Guest posting on other blogs or hosting guest authors on your platform can introduce new audiences to your content. Always include a link back to your blog with a compelling reason for these new readers to subscribe to your email list.
Okay… 9 strategies! That should keep you busy for awhile. 😉
Here’s the bottom line… When it comes to building an email list through a blog, the opportunities are abundant. The key is to consistently offer value, be genuine, and utilize multiple strategies. I just gave you 9 of them, so you have plenty to work with. Remember, your email list is more than just numbers… it represents a community of people interested in what you have to say, so treat it with care and respect.
