When users visit your small business blog, they read your blog post, get the valuable information they need, and then move on. Most of them never come back again, which means you don’t get the opportunity to build a relationship with them for sales and marketing purposes.
This is why turning your blog readers into email subscribers is important.
When someone subscribes to your email list, you connect with them on a more personal level. This means you aren’t relying only on social media or search engines.
Having someone who is part of your target audience subscribe to your email list is gold. You can promote your products and services, and hopefully some of these contacts will convert to sales.
But having a blog reader subscribe to your email list isn’t easy. It requires some strategies, which I will share with you below.
1. Build Trust with Your Audience
Trust is the bedrock of every successful email list because people don’t give their email address to websites they don’t trust. They want to avoid spam, scams, or phishing emails landing in their inboxes.
The easiest way to earn the trust of your audience and have them give you their email address even while you sleep is by delivering helpful and valuable content. Publish blog posts that solve their problems, make explanations simple and concise, and share helpful tips they can implement right away.
Also, remember to be honest when telling them what they will gain when they join your email list.
2. Offer a Valuable Lead Magnet
A valuable lead magnet works like a charm when it comes to turning blog readers into email subscribers. A lead magnet can be anything you offer in exchange for an email address. It can be a free checklist, free ebook, free consultation, or any other free offer that is related to the problem your business solves.
People enjoy freebies and they are more likely to subscribe to grab their free copy once they trust your website.
3. Use Simple and Visible Opt-In Forms
Set up a simple and visible opt-in form at a corner of your webpage. This makes it easier for your audience to join your email list. All email marketing platforms have opt-in forms you can embed in your site to collect emails.
No coding experience is required. Simply design the opt-in form using a drag and drop builder, then copy the code and paste it into the back end of your website. If you manage your blog on WordPress, it’s very simple to do.
4. Use a Strong CTA
Having a simple opt-in form isn’t enough – you need a strong and enticing call to action (CTA) button to get someone to join your email list.
Examples are “ Receive Blog Posts Directly In Your Inbox” or “ Join Our Email List – We Don’t Spam” or “Sign Up to Receive Special Discounts.”
And if you have a lead magnet, CTAs like “ Download Your Free Checklist” or “ Book A Free Consultation” or “Get Your Free Ebook” work like charm.
5. Use Exit Intent or Pop-Up Forms
Exit intent and pop-up forms are worth trying if a sign-up form doesn’t get you enough email sign-ups.
Have the pop-up display when a user is about to leave your blog. A user that enjoyed your content may enter their email address, especially if the pop-up form at exit offers a freebie.
From my experience, the conversion rate is usually high because it pops directly on their screen, unlike the right bar sign-up form that requires them to navigate to the bottom or middle of the article for those reading on mobile phones.
These are simple ways to turn blog readers into email subscribers. Having blog visitors join your email list means you can build long-lasting relationships with them, sell your products and services to them, and even have them refer their friends and family to your company and/or email list.
Photo by Miguel Ángel Padriñán Alba on Unsplash
