How to Grow Your Email List (With Content & Inbound Marketing)

Email lists are important because they give you direct access to the people who support your brand. When used correctly, email marketing is a great tool to build your brand image. You have the opportunity to build a relationship with customers whilst providing value through exclusive content, tips and even discounts.

What is an Email List?

An email list is a collection of email addresses a business typically collects from customers. Customers or potential customers can opt-in to receive occasional emails from a company. GDPR rules in the UK mean that it is very important for customers to provide their consent before the use of their personal information. So, even if a customer has bought an item from you, you cannot send them email marketing unless they choose to opt-in.

Having a network of email addresses can help improve your outreach.

Gated Content

When a user clicks on your website, they can usually browse free content. But they may also come across gated content. Gated content is content that requires users to provide their information in exchange for access. You can include a form on your website where users can sign-up to receive the free gated content.

Create a Lead-Generation Offer

Now, you may be wondering why you would create content that people cannot see. The purpose of gated content is to generate leads and eventually more sales. Gated content is targeted content that provides an audience with more value than the general content they can find elsewhere.

Your marketing team will typically use content to raise brand awareness and draw new customers or clients in. With gated content, you’ve already attracted the customer and are working to engage them and build trust.

Call-To-Action Button

When a user clicks on your website, they will be met with a CTA or pop-up. The CTA gives them the option to provide their information in exchange for some exclusive content. The CTA can also take users to a landing page that provides them with more detailed information on the offer.

You can also choose to add a CTA to your social media platforms. For example, you can include a CTA button on your Facebook page. This sends users to a sign-up form or landing page where they can opt-in to your email list. A CTA button is very convenient for users.

Instagram allows you to include important information in the bio section. You could write an eye-catching CTA that encourages users to sign up. Include the link on your profile so users can simply click. Use the CTA text to explain and emphasise the value of your offer to users.

Use calls-to-action to encourage visitors to opt-in for more information and support!

Free eBook

According to Hubspot, 90% of people prefer downloading a PDF to reading content on a web page. Most people like being able to access useful resources online. What’s even better is being able to access these resources for free!

Converting visitors into leads is a crucial part of inbound marketing methodology. Create free content to entice readers, for example, an informative blog. Then, create more detailed content and place it in a downloadable eBook for subscribers. You can include a CTA on the blog page that encourages users to download this content.

eBooks are slightly longer than your average blog but are fairly easy to write as you can index your other content. They also give your brand authority and build trust with your audience. Usually, eBooks are used in the awareness and consideration stage of the buyer’s journey.

Free Webinar

Hosting an online webinar is a great way to build relationships and trust with your customers. Webinars are an opportunity to showcase your expertise and industry knowledge. They also allow you to put a face to your brand and connect with customers.

To register for a webinar, users will typically have to provide an email. When a person registers for your webinar, it is a good indication that they have a high interest in what you are sharing. According to HubSpot, “webinars have a high perceived value, which makes your audience more likely to fill out that form”.

Final Thoughts

You should now have a good overview of some of the many ways to grow your email list. It’s good to understand why email lists are important and how you can use them to grow your business. Use inbound marketing to make it as easy as possible for customers to sign-up.

Whilst these tips are important, it’s equally important to make sure your emails are up-to-scratch. There is little point in directing customers to emails that are not informative and do not provide value. Work with your marketing team to make sure all aspects of your email marketing strategy are a good use of your team’s resources.

For more information about growing your email list, contact Floodmaker.