Clients hire me to help them build their communities and connect with peers and prospects on social media. But our early conversations about Facebook and Twitter inevitably turn to email marketing: How do I convert my website visitors into email subscribers?
Like many good questions, there are many answers. The Internet is full of suggestions, and I have compiled my favorites into four broad groups: 1) visibility and placement of conversion opportunities, 2) language of conversion opportunities (how they are written), 3) content upgrades for conversion, and 4) collaboration for conversion.
1) Visibility and Placement:
- Create a solid CTA (call to action): something that is “fun, engaging, and immediately describes its usefulness.” (source)
- Offer more opportunities to opt-in: in blog posts, via content upgrades in blog posts, in the footer, on discrete individual pages, with your contact form.
- Make a good button: colorful, appealing, with a CTA that is more attractive than “sign up.” (source) Tests have shown the color yellow to be particularly effective. (source)
- Use your email signature: link to your newsletter signup page in your email signature (and have co-workers do the same). (source)
- Consider a scrolling sidebar box: such as the scroll box from SumoMe. (source)
- Use SumoMe in general.
- Try a HelloBar at the top of your page. (source)
- Create landing pages to link from social media and even to use as your homepage. (source)
- Use praise/testimonials as part of your opt-in to entice signups.
- Add a pop-up opt-in: opinions are mixed on this strategy (many find pop-ups annoying, but it’s worth trying). If you use one, make it short, quick to read, and “use (ideally) one form field asking for an email address.” Also, make sure to include a “big, easy-to-click X to close out the box for those who refuse.” (source)
2) Language:
- Mention subscriber-only benefits: words such as “exclusive” might do the trick. Remind users what they’re getting by signing up! (And, conversely, what they could be missing…) (source)
- Use the word “free”: a reminder that the benefits of signing up for your newsletter are free is a trigger for many people. (source)
3) Content:
- Include a content upgrade in every blog post. (source) Lead magnets include a free ebook, guide, checklist or similar.
- Create content upgrades by asking:
- Instant offer for first-time subscribers (called a “lead magnet”): “sign up now and get this.” (source)
- Offer a course: send a new lesson every day for a week. (source)
- Provide a sneak peek: provide part of a resource, and ask for signups to receive the rest. (source)
- Host exclusive giveaways: post them to social media encouraging folks to sign up to receive the product or service. (source)
- For a roundup of excellent content ideas, check out XOSarah!
4) Collaborate:
- Webinars: collect email addresses before viewers attend a webinar. Cohost with someone to access their audience!
- Guest posting: write a guest post for another website and create a lead magnet that will bring readers back to your site. (source)
Unsure what to write to your subscribers once you have them? XOSarah is a business woman I greatly admire, and she wrote an excellent post with 5 ideas for your email updates:
5 ideas for a brilliant email newsletter for your blog or business
Some claim that email marketing is dead, but I don’t agree. Writing directly to your audience’s inbox is more intimate than social media. There are many email updates I look forward to receiving – yours could be the next one!
Have you already tried these suggestions? How did they work for you? Which ones will you try next?
