How to Start an Email List for Your Blog

There are many ways to grow a blog, but one of the most important ways is to start an email list. Because you “own” the list and retain access to the information, you can use it in many ways to connect with your audience!

What is an email list?

An email list is a database of email addresses from those who have signed up to receive your content in their inboxes. By providing an email address, readers opt-in to receive communication whether it be new blog posts, newsletters, product announcements, and more.

Every blogger should begin collecting addresses to their email list from day 1 (more on email marketing here)! Building an email list is a key component of marketing your brand and your message. By sending email touchpoints to your audience, you can generate both new and recurring traffic back to your site.

Most importantly, access to an email list allows bloggers to communicate with their readers directly. This access can help you create quality content for your blog, receive feedback, and generate new ideas to serve your audience.

Which email marketing platform should you use?

An email marketing platform is an essential tool for growing an email list and sending emails to your subscribers.

There are numerous platforms to choose from, and most will offer relatively similar features. The best way to narrow down your choice is to choose a platform that is based on a combination of functionality and price.

It’s no secret that we love and use ConvertKit for email marketing. In podcast episode 65, we take a deep dive into the reasons we love this platform for bloggers! ConvertKit is a great choice because:

It is simple to set up and you can add more features as you grow your email list
The price is based on number of subscribers – which is perfect for beginning bloggers!
It includes lots of built-in automations and subscriber tags to save you time and keep your list organized
There are many visually appealing options for sign-up forms and customizable landing pages (places to gather email addresses)!

Steps to start an email list

It’s easy to start an email list to market your content and communicate directly with your audience. In a short amount of time, you can begin collecting email addresses and sending your first welcome email!

Sign up for ConvertKit

First, sign up for an account with ConvertKit.

Inside your account, create custom forms and landing pages for subscribers to opt-in. ConvertKit provides a step-by-step guide to easily create a form or page that is unique to your brand and platform. Check out how to create your first form here.

Connect the forms to your website

Now, you are ready to connect your form or landing page to your website.

If you use one of the Restored 316 website themes that we recommend, it will come with beautifully designed blocks to integrate your email sign-up forms. We discuss the features of these website themes in podcast episode 51.

Some forms can be linked to a landing page and some will be embedded with HTML code.

As a best practice, we recommend setting up a separate form or landing page for each place where you will link it on your site. This way, you can track which opt-in subscribers are using the most.

Give readers an incentive to sign up

To begin gathering email addresses to add to your list, you need to provide a reason for them to sign up. Be clear in communicating what they will receive when they sign up to hear from you.

Consider including something of value such as a downloadable PDF guide or printable, extra content or media, or a special product offer.

Test out different versions of your incentive phrasing, images, and graphics on your landing pages to see what performs the best. Adjust as you go!

Create a welcome sequence

A welcome sequence is a series of emails designed to welcome new subscribers to your email list and keep them engaged with your content. The welcome sequence should also teach subscribers about what you offer.

Start off by creating at least one email to welcome your readers and tell them what to expect (i.e. how often will you email, what your emails might include, etc.).

If you promised an incentive in exchange for an email opt-in, this is where you deliver it! Be sure this is included in the first welcome email.

*Tip – Convertkit allows you to deliver a free PDF in the welcome email.

Keep adding emails to your welcome sequence over time as you create more content. Don’t be afraid to start small and keep improving it for new subscribers. A few steps at a time will generate the most progress in the long run.

Learn more about creating email sequences as we chat with email marketing specialist Allea Grummert in podcast episode 57.

Send subscribers regular updates

Once you’ve welcomed subscribers to your email list, send regular updates to their inboxes.

But, what types of emails should you send? Some options can include:

a new blog post to share
a scheduled newsletter (weekly, monthly, or whatever works for you!)
or, offer subscribers extra value outside of your blog and tell them more about your offerings.

Clean up your email list regularly

As your email list grows, you will need to periodically review your list to find who is active and who isn’t. Remove “cold subscribers” – those who no longer interact with your emails – to keep your list refined to an active audience.

ConvertKit allows the option to easily set up this maintenance task with automations. By removing readers who don’t open your emails, you can improve your open and engagement rates. Additionally, you can reduce email platform fees for subscribers who are not being reached.

Use these tips to start an email list today and start reaching your audience through email!

More email list resources

Looking for more info about email marketing for bloggers? Check out some of our other resources here:

Connect with us on Instagram at @sparkmediaconcepts!

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