how to build an email list for your blog in 2024

How to build an email list for your blog in 2024

Building an email list from scratch can appear overwhelming, particularly if you aim to do it quickly and effectively. Nevertheless, it is crucial to invest your efforts in the initial stages as your email list will undoubtedly become your most valuable asset

Email marketing remains a proven and efficient strategy for reaching your target audience, consistently delivering an impressive return on investment (ROI) of $42 for every $1 spent.

This guide delves into and elucidates 14 efficient strategies that can be utilized to rapidly build your email list from the ground up. Moreover, through implementing these strategies, you will not only gain new email contacts but also cultivate a devoted and active subscriber community.

What is an email list

An email list comprises email addresses of individuals who have shown interest in your content and/or products. These individuals have provided their email addresses voluntarily, allowing you to communicate with them via email at your convenience. An email list may also include further information like names, addresses, contact numbers, and more, based on the specific data being gathered by the blogger or marketer.

Benefits of building an email list as a blogger?

An email list can have a tremendous impact on your success as a blogger. I have previously discussed the various ways in which you can monetize your email list. However, there are additional benefits that go beyond financial gain.

For instance, after posting a fresh blog entry, I consistently dispatch a newsletter to my followers, informing them about the latest content. Almost immediately, there is a significant surge in my blog’s traffic. My followers click on the provided link, visit my blog, engage with the content, and thereby convey a favorable message to search engines.

Furthermore, individuals do not subscribe to an email list without reason. Ideally, an expanding email list indicates that individuals are connecting with your content. Over time, your email list subscribers can assist you in identifying the kind of content they desire from you, enabling you to produce genuinely valuable material for your readers.

If you creating some useful contents you can also monetize them and sell them to your email list subscriber and if your subscriber shows interest in your content they’re more likely to open their wallets for you than, say a random person on social media.

Building and Growing an Email list

Therefore, you have come to the conclusion that the present moment is ideal for commencing the creation of an email list. I sincerely hope that you have reached this determination prior to the commencement of your blog. However, do not fret, as it is never too late to begin. Although the sooner you initiate this process, the more advantageous it will be, there is no time more opportune than the present.

Subsequently, you will be required to purchase a domain and hosting services, and configure your blog using WordPress. While there are alternative blogging platforms available, if you are dedicated to blogging as a business venture, I strongly advise opting for a self-hosted WordPress blog.

I can make you work little easy by telling you some platforms from where you can get your domain name GoDaddy, and for your self hosted wordpress blog with Host inger.

Step BY Step Building an Email List

5 Reason why I prefer Covert kit

• This services is easy to use. It is as though the creators have designed it for the complete newbies. Well i really appreciate the simplicity of this platform.
• Convertkit’s tags,Visual automation, and rules are helpful in targeting s specific targeting a special audience for specific Marketing tactics.
• Convert kit is simple yet powerful the platform. The platform has the capacity to grow with you as your marketing needs evolve overtime Once you’re with convert kit you want have any need to switch platforms.
• Convert kit’s advanced features, like snippet Email can make email marketing efforts even more seamless.
• It comes with lots of forms and landing pages templates. which means you can have multiple ways to promote your news letter :sometimes even without a website.

As a new blogger, you may not find it necessary to utilize ConvertKit’s advanced features. However, you can rest assured that they will be accessible whenever you decide to make use of them.

I exclusively utilize ConvertKit for all my email marketing needs, and I wholeheartedly endorse it to anyone seeking a user-friendly, beginner-friendly, yet robust and feature-rich email marketing platform.

2. Create Value-Packed Content

Reflect on the occasions when you subscribed to someone’s email list. Chances are, you appreciated their content and desired to remain informed.

Individuals are interested in subscribing to email lists due to the benefits they receive from it. Demonstrating your worth as a blogger to a prospective subscriber can be effectively achieved by offering a substantial amount of valuable content for free.

Create highly valuable, information-rich, meticulously structured blog articles that are not only easy to digest, but also provide assistance to readers by addressing their issues or responding to particular inquiries.

Additionally, I dedicate a significant amount of time to enhancing the formatting and structure of my content, with the ultimate goal of attaining a high ranking on Google’s SERP (Search Engine Result Page).

3. Incentivize email subscription freebies

After assuring the excellence of your content, your next step is to provide additional incentives for potential subscribers. These incentives are commonly referred to as freebies. Essentially, if someone is hesitant about subscribing to your email list, a freebie will provide the final motivation they need to take that step and join your email list.

The three types of opt-in freebies:

• A content upgrade
• A standalone freebie
• A hybrid of the two above

A content upgrade It is a supplementary offering that accompanies an already published content, like a blog post.

1. For instance, I have a blog entry in which I provide guidance on creating a media kit for bloggers. In addition to the blog post, I am also giving away a complimentary item: a media kit template created using Canva. Individuals who sign up for my mailing list through a designated opt-in form within the blog post will be given the Canva template for the media kit at no cost. Please be aware that this complimentary resource is exclusively available within the confines of that particular blog post. The resource serves as a complementary addition to the blog post’s main topic, enhancing it as the ideal content upgrade.
2. An additional illustration is the blog launch checklist that I provide to my audience. This checklist serves as an ideal content enhancement for the corresponding blog post. Content upgrades are the term used to describe the freebies that are associated with a particular blog post. In the case of bloggers, the majority of our freebies are actually content upgrades, which provide various opt-in incentives to increase the number of subscribers on our email lists.

Some examples of content upgrades:

• A checklist or workbook that compliments a blog post
• A template of something that compliments a blog post
• A case study that proves the point of a blog post or adds more insights into a process

A Standalone freebie is one that, as the name suggests, stand on its own without needing a supporting piece of content

An Example, One instance is the complimentary email course I provide for those interested in launching a blog. This course does not require any additional content, and I frequently advertise it independently! Typically, content upgrades are obtained through a blog post, but a standalone freebie could have its own dedicated landing page, or could even be featured on the main page of the blog, as I have done.

Example of standalone freebie:

• A free course
• A mini guide /ebook
• A webinar
• A quiz

A hybrid freebie can be used both standalone freebie or as a content upgrade.

For example, I referenced the complimentary course about launching a blog that I utilize as an independent giveaway. Additionally, I frequently incorporate that identical opt-in offer within a blog entry discussing the same subject: Tips for creating a blog.

These types of freebies you should use to grow your email list

• The hero section of the front page.
• A link to a sign up page in the main navigation.
• At the end of every blog post
• A popup
• The side bar
• The footer

It is not necessary to include a signup form in every location mentioned above; these are simply a few of the areas where you might want to consider adding a form. I strongly suggest highlighting two specific areas from the list provided: the hero section of the homepage, and within each blog post you publish.

How I use pop-up and embedded forms on my blog:

1. Each individual has their own unique approach to tasks, however, for those who are new to the process and seeking guidance, here is the method I typically employ when creating signup forms as of the time of writing this post.

• I have included a signup form link on my main navigation menu, which provides access to all of my content upgrades. This section is referred to as the “library of freebies” and serves as a separate opt-in incentive.

• In my blog posts that feature a content upgrade, I incorporate an embedded form within the content, place it at the conclusion of the post, and also utilize a popup form.
• For blog posts that lack a content upgrade, I employ a versatile opt-in form (usually the collection of free resources or another combination of incentives.) I refrain from utilizing a popup form for such posts; instead, I incorporate a solitary, embedded form at the conclusion of the blog post.

5. Use a series of onboarding emails.

Let’s say that someone has signed up for your email list. Now What

i would like to use a couple of follow-emails when someone signs up for my Newsletter

For Example, suppose an individual registers through one of my usual signup forms, granting them entry to the collection of complimentary resources. The initial email they get after subscribing contains the link to access that collection. Subsequently, I would send another email to present myself, my role, what my subscribers can anticipate, and so forth. This enables my subscribers to gain insight into my identity, fostering a sense of connection. Indeed, introductions are crucial for establishing enduring relationships, do you not agree on it ?

I may utilize multiple onboarding emails, also referred to as a sequence, based on the specific freebie that a subscriber has chosen.

• There’s a content upgrade inside the blog post : free webinar on the same topic.
• If some one signs up to receive the free webinar they receive an email link to the webinar video
• The following day, an additional email is received, in which I provide further information regarding my blog, The Side Blogger. This email includes details about my background, the reasons behind creating the blog, the topics I cover, and how I generate income from it. Essentially, I introduce myself and my blog to ensure that they have a clear understanding of what to anticipate in the future.
• I Also share the access to the library of freebies in the second email giving them even more value than what they had initially signed up for
• A few days later, I extend an invitation to them to enroll in my online course called “Side Income with Canva Templates.” This course offers a wealth of additional information, tips, and techniques on leveraging Canva templates to generate a supplementary income stream. It goes beyond what I have already shared in the blog post or the webinar.

This email series accomplishes several objectives: Firstly, it commences by offering my new subscribers a valuable free resource (the webinar they registered for). Secondly, it acquaints the subscriber with myself and my profession. Thirdly, it impresses my subscribers by providing them with additional freebies. Lastly, it concludes by presenting a sales offer in the final email.

6. Drive traffic to your Content

Up to this point, we have covered the topics of developing exceptional content for your blog, registering for email marketing tools, crafting freebies and opt-in forms, setting up automated onboarding emails, and more. However, all of these efforts will be in vain if visitors do not frequent your blog.

These are the main sources that drive traffic to my website, and I strongly advise you to utilize them as well. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an excellent strategy because in the long run, organic traffic from search engines can surpass the traffic generated by any social media platform. However, it is important to note that SEO requires patience as search engines may take some time to rank your content.

But you should not just wait.

Utilize Pinterest! Within a few months of starting my blog, I began receiving approximately one hundred daily visits from Pinterest. This proved to be adequate in kickstarting the growth of my email subscribers. Moreover, Pinterest is notably simpler to handle compared to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, where the creation of distinct content is necessary to gain momentum.

If you require assistance, here is a guide on how to utilize Pinterest. Simply create Pin graphics, which can be easily done using Canva, and then upload them to your Pinterest account.

7. Send weekly Emails

For instance, I would not recommend sending emails to your subscribers on a daily basis (unless it is for special open carts, sales, or discount periods where you may require sending daily reminders). Excessive and frequent emails can be bothersome for the majority of individuals and may result in a higher number of unsubscribes.

What to send your subscribers

Often i come across new bloggers they have to write unique content of every single newsletter

For instance, my routine primarily consists of sending out weekly updates on new posts. Essentially, I release a fresh blog post every week, which prompts me to send an email to my subscribers containing a concise overview of the content and a direct link to the post.

Apart from that, when I am attempting to promote a product, I will increase the frequency of emails during the sales period and craft distinctive sales content.

During a typical week without any sales activities, I solely focus on providing my subscribers with updates on new blog posts approximately once a week. This is the extent of my responsibilities during those times.

There exist bloggers, writers, and creators who produce exclusive content for their followers. If you fall into this category, that’s fantastic! I’m not implying that you are incapable of generating unique content, but rather emphasizing that it is not obligatory unless you desire to do so.

8. Sell to your Subscriber

We are all engaged in business, aren’t we? Email lists do not come for free or at a low cost. In fact, running a blog requires financial investment! Depending on the number of subscribers you possess, you can anticipate spending a few dollars to several hundred or even thousands each month on your email marketing software. Therefore, it is only natural that you need to generate income!.

You are welcome to engage in sales. If the product or service you are selling provides value to your target audience, there is no reason to feel ashamed of selling.

Personally, I conduct product promotions every three to four months. In addition to my continuous sales funnel for my online course, “Side Income with Canva Templates,” which is available for purchase throughout the year through an automated email sequence/sales funnel, I have recently introduced a blog writing workshop and periodic sales on my Canva templates.

If you are a novice blogger, you might not have your own product to sell right away or a substantial number of subscribers to significantly impact your earnings. However, you can still develop the practice of selling every few months, even if you are promoting someone else’s product. (Ever considered affiliate marketing?)

You’ll loose some subscribers, but that’s ok

It is common to observe a significant number of subscribers unsubscribing whenever you attempt to sell something. Generally, there will always be a portion of subscribers who choose to unsubscribe upon receiving an email, even if it is a regular newsletter containing fresh content updates. However, the number of non-subscribers tends to increase further when promoting a paid product. This phenomenon is considered normal.

Based on my personal experience, I have discovered that the greater the number of individuals who unsubscribe, the higher my earnings become.

For instance, in the duration of my online course launch spanning a week, I dispatched an email nearly every day. Although I managed to secure some sales each day throughout the week, the highest number of sales was achieved on the final day. The sales figure on the last day alone was nearly equivalent to the total sales figure accumulated over the preceding six days.

Throughout the duration of my online course launch, which extended for a week, I consistently sent out emails on a daily basis. Although I managed to secure sales each day during the week, the peak in sales was achieved on the final day. The sales volume on the last day alone nearly matched the total sales volume gathered over the preceding six days.

9.Purge to your subscribers

There are some folks who Come to your email for sign up but don’t open the email.

Purge them,

When you see that people not open your emails which sent you a negative signal. They think your emails are spam so they start landing on the junk or spam folders even for them who wants to open your emails.

To avoid that, i highly recommend that you can regularly delete your cold subscribers every few months

These serve as the fundamental elements for expanding an email list through your blog. Surprisingly, this is essentially the same framework I have been adhering to since the inception of this blog in June 2018. Persist in your efforts, and I am confident that you will witness positive outcomes, as I have. And continue to do so, even at present.

Conclusion

Building an email list in 2024 requires a strategic approach that acknowledges the evolving landscape of digital communication. By focusing on providing value to your audience, utilizing multiple channels for lead generation, optimizing for mobile devices, personalizing content, and adhering to data privacy regulations, you can cultivate a robust and engaged email list. Remember, the key lies in fostering genuine connections with your subscribers and consistently delivering content that resonates with their needs and interests. As you continue to adapt to changes in technology and consumer behavior, your email list will serve as a valuable asset for nurturing relationships, driving conversions, and ultimately achieving your business objective.