8 Ways to Grow Your Email List

There’s no denying that email marketing is effective, but it only works if you have a list of qualified and engaged subscribers who are eager to read your content.

Sounds easy, right?

A lot of businesses have email lists that have stagnated because they’re not doing anything to attract new subscribers. They’re not sure where to start and as a result, the people who visit their website aren’t taking the extra step to opt in for emails.

What can you do about it? The answer is right in front of you. All you need is to make it easy for people to sign up and then give them a reason to fork over their email address. Here are 8 things to try.

#1: The pop-up opt-in

I know…I know. Pop-ups have a bad rep and if you use them improperly, they can be a real nuisance. A lot of people use pop-up blockers, and you might worry that a pop-up won’t be effective as a means of attracting new subscribers.

The key to using a pop-up effectively is to time its appearance to the moment when the person reading your content is most likely to opt in. You can run A/B tests to figure that out.

#2: The slide-in

If you don’t like a true pop-up but like the idea of having your opt-in form appear at an opportune moment, you may want to consider a slide-in instead. They provide many of the same benefits of a pop-up without the stigma.

Your slide-in can be timed to appear at the moment when a site visitor has read a particularly relevant piece of content or finished watching a video. The timing is essential and here again, you should do some testing to determine the timing that delivers the best results.

#3: The squeeze page

What if you have more than one lead magnet that you want to use? It’s common for businesses, particularly those who have multiple audiences they want to target, to create multiple checklists or guides to give away. The key is connecting each visitor with the guide that’s most useful to them.

The solution is creating a separate squeeze page for each lead magnet. The sole purpose of a squeeze page is to “sell” visitors on your content and convince them to complete your lead form to get it. Think of them as mini sales pages and use direct response copywriting to get the results you want.

#4: The header or footer opt-in

Perhaps you’ve tested pop-ups and slide-ins and found that they don’t work for your target audience. If that’s the case, you might want to consider putting your opt-in form at the very top of your page or at the very bottom.

The header opt-in works in the same way as the toolbar option—it will be one of the first things your site’s visitors see. A footer opt-in has the advantage of being there when a visitor has finished reading or watching your content. If they have found the content to be relevant and useful, the chances are good that they’ll be in the right frame of mind to provide an email address, so they don’t miss out on your future content. Consider something like FREE Weekly Marketing Tips in Your Inbox to capture reader’s attention and make it clear what they’ll get if they subscribe.

#5: The exit intent opt-in

One of the best times to capture leads is when a visitor is navigating away from your page. They’re at the point where they have finished reading your content and are, in theory, primed for a request to get additional content from you for free.

Exit intent opt-ins can be in the form of a pop-up. They appear when the user either hits the back button or tries to close out of the page. Like pop-ups, exit intent opt-ins can be used in a bad way. For example, some sites don’t allow visitors to leave without opting in. That’s not a good idea because it can frustrate visitors at the moment you want them to provide an email address.

#6: Blog sidebar

If you’ve got a blog that gets a decent amount of traffic, you can use its popularity to attract more subscribers for your list by adding a subscription sidebar to the main blog page. With a sidebar, people who read your posts have an easy way to see more of your content.

Your opt-in could allow people to get updates when you post new blog content and receive coupons and offers. Just make sure to specify what opting in means, so people know what they’re getting.

#7: The comment check box

If you have a blog, then you may want to consider adding a subscribe checkbox in the comment field. People who do this usually put it at the bottom next to or directly beneath the Post Comment button, which makes it impossible to miss.

This option is particularly effective if you’re already requiring visitors to enter their email if they want to leave a comment. The checkbox adds a subscription with a single click – what could be easier?

#8: Ecommerce opt-ins

The final option you may want to consider is giving people a way to opt-in on your eCommerce site. Two examples are these:

• Show a pop-up offering a coupon or discount code for people who opt in
• Include a checkbox on your purchase page for people to opt-in after buying your products

People who have visited a sales page or bought a product are likely to be in the right frame of mind to want to hear more from you—so you might as well make it easy for them to do so!

Building your email list is essential if you want to grow your business. The 8 possibilities we’ve listed here can help you do it in a way that appeals to your visitors and help you attract the leads and customers you deserve.