I know, it’s been awhile since my last post. I’ve been up to A LOT in the past few months…that includes having a whole other baby! So now I’m no longer a mom of two. I now have three little ones! My new baby is now two months old and now I think I’m ready to get back into it; which brings me to this blog post. Let’s talk about the importance of email marketing within a blog and some alternatives if you want to go another route.
First of all, what’s an email list and why is it so important for your business?? An email list consists of emails from visitors who subscribed via your landing page or website in exchange for a digital good (e.g., course, ebook, list, webinar).
An email list is YOURS. Social media can always be shut down, you can get kicked out, it could go down for a few hours. Even if you have your own website, something could always happen. All your data could be erased for some reason or another. Not to mention, noone can actually subscribe TO your website. When they sign up, they’re usually signing up to an email list. Not to mention, your website can also expire, it can be deleted, etc…
So again, why is an email list so important? Check any of my other posts for endless reasons but let me summarize here. When you have an email list, for every dollar that is spent, you can make $42 back (source here) if you do your email marketing right that is.
So now to my main point, how can a blog help your email list grow and is it better to have a blog or can you use other channels just as effectively?
I’m going to respond to this in two separate parts. I’m going to answer the first question first: how does a blog help to grow your email list?
- It creates trust between you and your reader. A blog is basically a knowledge bank. I’ll use myself as an example. I have this blog to teach you how to work from home in addition to one of the most significant parts about having and growing any business, no matter what your field, email marketing. I am basically ‘showing off’ my knowledge about these two things to you as the reader in hopes that you will sign up to my email list in order to get even more gated content that I wouldn’t necessarily post on my website but could really help you to grow your own business, and more importantly, your email list. From there, because you already know that I know what I’m talking about, you would be more willing to buy from me as well because we’ve built up that trust.
- You can easily integrate your lead magnet into your blog/website so there aren’t a bunch of extra separate things you need to do in order to connect with your reader. You create something, add it to your email marketing software, connect it to your website/blog and tada, you can start growing your list. When people sign up, they’re not only immediately added to your list but they also get the lead magnet they signed up for.
- You have SEO benefits, if done right, whether you use Google SEO or Pinterest SEO, you have a higher probability of sign ups compared to other methods because you get a lot more eyes and traffic on your website, aka, a lot more email conversions.
As I mentioned earlier, there are other ways as well. Of course, using other methods to grow your list would require extra steps, however, if you don’t want to invest in a website, for whatever reason, yet, that’s not a problem. You CAN still build up your list. Some will be free, others, you might have to dish out some cash (but not nearly as much as an actual website.).
Social Media
One way to grow your email list is through social media. Create a Facebook group, add a link to your Instagram bio, or make a Pinterest pin leading to your sign-up page. Social media can help you add people to your list, but it takes time and constant posting to stay relevant due to fast-moving feeds. For instance, Twitter (now X) refreshes every 12 minutes, and TikTok posts are quickly buried. To simplify, you can create a Facebook group and ask new members for their emails as part of the sign-up process, offering a freebie in exchange.
Landing Page
First off, what’s a landing page?
A landing page is like the welcome mat at the entrance of your digital home. It’s a single web page with a big, friendly smile, designed to greet visitors, grab their attention, and invite them to stay awhile—usually by enticing them with something awesome like a freebie, a special offer, or an exclusive sneak peek. It’s the ultimate digital butler, making sure your guests have a wonderful experience and convincing them to leave their email address before they go.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how can we grow our email lists with a landing page if we don’t have a website?? Well, as I mentioned above, a landing page IS its own 1 page website. How does it work? Well, first off, MOST beginner Email marketing softwares actually include free landing pages. My free Mailerlite plan, for example, includes 10 free landing pages. So, step 1 to getting people to sign up on your landing page is by giving them SOMETHING. You can create any type of lead magnet. In fact, I’ve created a whole ebook all about this, and it’s completely free for you!
Once you’ve created your lead magnet, it’s time to sign up to an email marketing software. Most have free plans to get you started. Personally, I use mailerlite but you can use any that you’re comfortable with. Once you’ve signed up, it’s time to start creating your landing page. Once your landing page is created, you’ll get access to the link for your new page. You can now take that link and paste it wherever you think people would sign up. Add it to your Instagram bio, include it in the bio/introduction section of your Facebook profile, or incorporate it into the description of your Facebook cover photo. Additionally, consider creating a pin on Pinterest to drive clicks. The possibilities are endless!. The possibilities are endless!
In person
Another way, though not as common nowadays, is in person events/meetups. Though not many do this anymore, I think, depending on what you do, this is the most efficient way to grow your email list. Why? Well, when you actually meet someone face to face and have spoken to them in person, you take more interest in learning about what they do as a pose to just reading a post online somewhere. Meeting people in person, having a conversation with them, asking them personally about what it is that they do, has a much greater impact than seeing someone’s ad or post online that you’ve never seen or heard of.
Collaborations/Guest posts
This is also a fun one and one that you can even possibly get paid for if you pitch to the right people! Here is a piece that I wrote for thecoffeedate.com back in 2022 about why every blogger needs an email list! Collaborating not only helps you grow your email list but also exposes you to new audiences that you may never have encountered otherwise.
Building and nurturing an email list is a crucial aspect of growing your business, and there are numerous ways to promote your lead magnet beyond just using your website. By leveraging social media, creating engaging content, utilizing paid advertising, and exploring alternative platforms like landing pages and in-person events, you can effectively expand your reach and attract more subscribers. Remember, the key is to provide value and build trust with your audience.
Whether you choose to create a vibrant Facebook group, harness the power of a well-crafted landing page, or engage in meaningful collaborations, the opportunities are endless. Each method requires dedication and consistent effort, but the rewards—direct access to your audience and a platform to share your expertise—are well worth it.
Thank you for sticking with me through this journey, and I look forward to sharing more insights and tips on email marketing and business growth in my upcoming posts. Stay tuned, and let’s keep growing together!
If you want to learn about email personalization, check out my last post all about that here.
And don’t forget to share, like, comment, subscribe.
