Email Marketing

45 Proven Tactics To Growth Hack Your Email List Like A Ninja (With Examples)

Have you heard these phrases before?

“The money is in the list.”

OR

“Every $1 spent on email translates into $44 in ROI on average.”

If you haven’t, you’re probably new to the list building game. These phrases have become so common they’re almost unofficial slogans for promoting list building.

But that is all they are: catchphrases.

They don’t help people tasked with the enormous responsibility of growing an email list. Where do you start? What tactics are worth trying? These are the burning questions which require good answers.

Truth be told, there is no right answer. If you want to succeed in building a list, what you need is an action plan. One-off tactics won’t give you a 10,000+ email list. You have to be creative, resourceful and spread your seeds far and wide.

I’ve compiled a MASSIVE list of proven list-building tricks, tips, hacks, and tactics into this one ultimate guide.

Feel free to follow along and try the ones you feel would work best for your business. I’d love to hear which ones build your list more effectively. Let’s dig in!

Why Bother With An Email List?

I talk to many business owners. These are the questions I hear all the time:

“Why do I need an email list?”

“What’s the point?”

“I thought email was dead.”

Email Graveyard

Here’s what I tell them:

 An email list gives you total control. It lets you share messages and build relationships with an audience that is engaged and attentive. It allows you to nurture a lead into a loyal customer.

Think of your email list as a directory of people who can make a measurable impact to your bottom line.

The common objection I hear next: “But that’s what social media is for!”

Yes, it’s true that social media has increased its standing in the arena of lead outreach. But you don’t want to rely on social media alone.

Social platforms are not personable (contrary to popular belief). More importantly, you have to abide by the rules set by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

What if your page or content is flagged? There’s no leeway or grace period. Your content will simply be taken down and all your efforts will have been wasted. Scary isn’t it? Your ability to share messages with your “followers” can disappear and there’s nothing you can do about it.

With an email list, you’re in control. You set the rules. Your ability to communicate with prospects and existing customers will never be compromised.

What You’ll Need To Get Someone To Give You Their Email

Remember the last time you shared your email with a business?

You probably hesitated. Maybe it took a few visits to the page or exposures to the ad to decide to commit.

Why?

Because people have been burned again and again by brands spamming their inbox to the point of annoyance and frustration. Nobody enjoys (or wants) that.

When people become annoyed, they also become cautious.

Nowadays, convincing someone to hand you their email involves enticing them with something they absolutely need (or can’t do without).

What is that something?

Epic content.

Epic content is anything that your audience finds useful, inspiring, or engaging. It can be an informative eBook, an infographic, or anything really.

Here’s an example of what epic content looks like:

Typically, epic content complements existing content on your site such as a blog post or an educational video which people can consume for free.

You want to give people a chance to realize the value you can provide. Once they’ve had a taste of your free content, bring out your epic content which is also a powerful lead magnet.

For example, let’s say you write a post about how to create viral content.

To capture emails, you can create a ‘cheat sheet’ that lists proven tactics they can start using right away.

Remember, epic content means something is valuable. Don’t confuse it for content that is super-long or unnecessarily complicated.

Here are a few examples of lead magnet formats you might use:

If your targeting is on-point, even a 5-question quiz can give you emails. You don’t need a 30,000-word eBook to grow an email list. The goal is to be original, innovative, and create something your audience really wants.

When you’ve done that, make sure to ‘gate’ your lead magnet so you can capture emails with it.

Reminder: Gated content is any material that requires readers to complete a form in order to access it. Because you’ve created something so valuable, prospects will readily share their email with you so they can get their hands on it.

Let’s review some ways to “gate” lead magnets for email acquisition

1. Provide content-upgrades on your blog posts

 A content-upgrade is a resource created specifically to complement a blog post.

They work (convert) surprisingly well because they provide additional value to a reader right when (and where) they need it the most.

You’ve already helped them for free, but your content upgrade promises to deliver something even better. An email is a small ask in exchange.

Let’s look at a few examples of lead magnets served as content upgrades:

2. Host a webinar

Webinars are high-value content upgrades. After all, wouldn’t you prefer to watch a lecture than read a 50-page eBook covering the same material?

Since they are so magnetic, webinars can grow your email list considerably faster than other formats of content upgrades.

Here’s an example of an email growth machine webinar

To optimize sign-up rates from a webinar, be sure to inform people when and where they take place. Also, mention there’s a limited number of seats available to really rev people into action.

3. Create “subscribers only” newsletters

Have an engaged blog audience?

Don’t take them lightly!

You can capitalize on people’s keen interest in what you have to say by creating a newsletter for “subscribers” only.

A subscriber is anyone who agrees to give you their email in advance for access to your newsletter delivered to their inbox.

If you do generate subscribers only newsletters, be sure not to devalue its content by sharing it anywhere else. Make it exclusive to subscribers so there is an incentive for someone to subscribe.

 

4. Build stand-alone landing pages

You may need more room to convince people to accept your offer. In these cases, use landing pages.

Effective landing pages tease prospects with what they’ll learn but save the best revelations for those who choose to opt-in.

When a potential customer reads your landing page, they should feel that sharing their email is the only logical choice.

For best landing page practice, read our post on squeeze page optimization.

5. Build a forum or community

This tactic doesn’t demand a lead magnet but still delivers comparable results.

A forum or community gives like-minded people a place to connect and interact with each other. This is why there’s no shortage of niche-specific forums and communities online. They’re effective at drawing people in.

And if you browse a few forums, you’ll notice a recurring pattern. You need to create an account using your email to join.

Hold on… But How Do I Ask Someone For Their Email?

I’m sure a handful of you are asking this. Or to put the question another way, how do I present my opt-in form?

You’ve created the resource, set up the gated channels to serve it, so this step shouldn’t be so hard. But it’s where most marketers get cold feet.

Well, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that both static forms and pop-ups (yes you read that right!) remain the most effective options.

They are direct, to the point, and get the job done.

If anything, repeated tests have proven their effectiveness.

Of course, you’ll have to experiment to find which pop-up format works for you.

Here are a few styles worth exploring:

6. Static opt-in forms

Unlike their counterpart, static forms don’t actually “pop-up” on a page. Instead, they are fixed in certain locations (top, middle, or bottom) of your page as it loads. You’ll frequently see them used on blog pages.

Static forms are a great way to subtly nudge readers to give you their email while they consume your content.

Note: You can also test dynamic opt-in forms that scroll along with the user.

7. Feature boxes

A feature box is a full-width opt-in box placed above the fold (the section of the web page the user can see without scrolling).

Since the feature box occupies prime real-estate, opt-in rates are high.

8. Smart bar 

Some of the previous options are pretty aggressive. If you want a craftier approach, you may want to try smart bars. These are similar to feature boxes but have a few notable differences.

Smart bars are not as large as other opt-in boxes but they remain fixed and visible at the top of the page even as visitors scroll.

9. Welcome mats

Welcome mats are pseudo full-screen landing pages. They load moments after someone lands on what seems to be a normal content page.

To return to the content, visitors must interact with the welcome mat.

Welcome mats work best when your offer is self-explanatory and doesn’t require copious amounts of copy.

You only have one shot with the welcome mat.

Since people came to your page for the content, you don’t want to make them feel like they’ve been duped or fallen victim to the old bait-n-switch. If they do, they’ll be gone before you can blink.

Even if they stick around to read the content, they’re not going to reload the page to give you their email.

While used predominantly on homepages, you can apply welcome mats anywhere on your site. They can be powerful in the right circumstances but should be used with caution.

10. Create a pop-up

Everyone knows about pop-ups. I bet they’ve made you want to pull your hair out on many occasions!

To make sure they deliver results, never create uninspiring or templatized pop-ups like in the example below.

Pop-ups need to be captivating and catch the reader’s eye immediately.

Focus on crafting a compelling headline that makes people stop and want to read more. An easy way to do this is to social proof your message.

Once you have someone’s attention, follow with persuasive copy and an actionable call to action (CTA) to encourage interaction.

Here are some pop-up formats worth experimenting with:

11. Timed pop-ups

If you know how much time visitors spend on your page you can use this information to build pop-ups that ‘appear’ at the right moment. 

Set a delay that makes sense for your business.

Ideally, these pop-ups should appear after visitors have had ample time to become invested in your brand or offer. But don’t delay too long. Your pop-up should appear only after enough time has passed for the visitor to make up their mind.

12. Percent-read pop-up

Percent-read pop-ups are also linked with user behavior.

This time though, we’re going to show a pop-up only if visitors browse enough of a page.

How much is enough?

That depends on your business model and niche.

What’s important is that you know when visitors drop off on your site. This will give you a guide on the percentage of scroll-depth to use when triggering the pop-up.

For example, visitors on a coupon site might drop off after as little as ten percent of scroll-depth.  Visitors on a B2B SaaS page, by contrast, might fall off the wagon after sixty percent scroll-depth.

There’s no right or wrong percent-read value here. The key is to know your audience’s behavior.

Both are ideal if they get visitors to stop, reconsider, and opt-in.

13. Exit Intent pop-ups

Exit-intent technology monitors movement of visitors on a page.

It tracks movements to determine when someone is about to your leave website. Some indicators include scrolling too fast or pointing near the back button.

Note what happens when a visitor on this page scrolls too close to the close tab icon.

Why would you want to show a pop-up in this scenario?

You’ve got nothing to lose!

These people have consumed your content and are deciding to move on. Maybe they didn’t like what they saw or missed your other opt-in opportunities.

Regardless, showing a pop-up at this stage is a last-ditch effort at adding a site-visitor to your list. You may still change their mind.

When creating exit-intent pop-ups, ask yourself why someone would leave your site?

Most of the times, it’ll either be because they didn’t find what they were looking for or they didn’t understand your value proposition.

It’s, therefore, a good idea to make sure you integrate one or more of the following elements in these pop-ups:

Here’s a great example of an exit-intent offer that focuses on immediate value.

What If You Don’t Have Information To Share?

Packaging valuable information behind gated content is one way to build an email list, but it’s not the only way. Yup, that’s right. You can build an email list even while you’re making sales.

Here’s how:

14. Exchange discounts for emails  

Discounts mean saving money. Who doesn’t enjoy that? It makes you feel all fuzzy and warm. We’re psychologically-wired to feel that way because we all want to seek pleasure and avoid pain. It’s this same wiring that makes you feel sad when you miss out on an awesome sale.

Use this to your advantage.

Most people will be more than happy to share their email if they get some immediate gain or pleasure from it.

When people give you their email, make sure to actually give them a discount as promised.

You can easily measure the impact of a discount on email sign-ups.

Assign a unique discount code for opt-ins and track how often it’s being used.

15. Capture emails during checkout

 Are customers buying from you? There’s no better time to ask someone for their email! You won’t find a group of people less resistant to giving you their contact information than soon-to-be customers.

After all, you’ve already convinced them to give you their money. Asking for their email pales in comparison.

Drop an email field in your checkout process.

There’s some disagreement on the effectiveness of this strategy. Many marketers advise against it, arguing that it can discourage purchase completion.

A way around this is to make the process of opting-in optional, justifying its inclusion by informing customers you want to send them a receipt or share shipping details.

Alternatively, you can wait until after people buy from you, creating a loyalty program in which existing customers can sign up for exclusive offers.

16. Give free trials of your product

Discounts work wonders for impulse purchases.

Discounts on products that require significant investment are a hard sell. No one wants to risk losing big money investing in something that turns out to be a bad decision. For example, 50% off on a $100 product sounds like an attractive offer. Increase that price to $2000 and suddenly it doesn’t look so appealing.

There is a workaround though.

Give prospects the chance to try out your product for free (or a low-price).

For example, Ahrefs lets prospects try their service for $7 for 7 days.

 

Click on “start my trial” and you’re quickly prompted to share your email.

Note: This trick can also work for impulse purchases by tempting buyers with a freebie of the same or related item.

Sumo Jerky utilizes this trick with powerful results.

A Quick Recap Of Our Findings So Far

And just like that, we’ve reached halftime! You’re now halfway through this guide.

So far, we’ve gone over the reasons why someone would be willing to share their email and the ways you can capitalize on it. This is a great starting point.

But it’s only scratching at the surface of what’s possible.

To grow your email list at hyper-speed, we need to look beyond targeting website visitors.

We must turn to social media.

Growing Your List With Social Media

You’re already converting website visitors into email subscribers.

However, your website isn’t the only place where people interact with your brand.

Social media is another channel where interactions between brands and its followers happens every day.

Here are some reasons why people choose to follow a brand:

It’s hard for brands to get through to their fans. Social media is noisy.

Unless you post when someone is browsing their profile, they probably won’t see your update. It only takes a matter of minutes to be drowned-out by thousands of other voices talking about similar products.

As a result, users of social media still prefer email as the primary mode of communication.

Case in point: a survey by MarketingSherpa found that 75% of social users would like a brand to communicate with them through email instead of social.

Put another way, your followers are literally begging you to contact them via email.

Despite this, you can still acquire a TON of emails through social media, if you know how.

Let’s explore list-building tactics across popular social platforms.

Facebook

Facebook is ‘home base’ of the social world. Almost everyone online has a presence on it (a little over 2 billion users to be precise). To build your email list with Facebook, you’ll need a business page.

If you don’t have one, create one (like right now).

Consumers don’t trust brands without a Facebook page. Without one, there’s no easy way for people to determine whether you’re trustworthy.

Once you get a page up and running, here’s how you grow your list with it:

17. Add a signup CTA on your cover image

Facebook is a text-based platform. While you can use links to guide followers to a sign-up page, it’s not the best option. Some people will miss it while others intentionally ignore it.

It’s no secret that Facebook users don’t like links. They disrupt the user experience and lead people away from the social site.

So, what can you do?

Utilize the ‘sign-up’ CTA option given by Facebook. It’s a big, shiny, clickable button that appears on the cover image. No one is going to miss it or be offended that it’s there.

See if you can spot the CTA on SumoMe’s Facebook page.

When someone clicks on “sign up,” they’ll be taken directly to your site to enter details.

18. Add a ‘subscribe now’ tab to your page

Similar to the CTA option, you can also add a “subscribe” option on your page.

You can see this on Litmus’ Facebook page.

What makes this option different?

When someone clicks ‘subscribe,’ Facebook lets them complete your form right there on your business page.

 

 

19. Link out to content upgrades

Because social media is noisy, it’s important to post regularly. No one gets excited about following a brand with a dead profile.

But don’t just post to tick items off your to-do list either!

Put some thought into your content strategy. Some people will navigate to your profile manually and if all they find is garbage they’ll take their email elsewhere.

Make sure you’re posting high-quality informative content (text, infographics, or video). In the description of these posts, share a link to your content upgrade.

Frank Kern uses this trick in many of his posts.

A text-link works in this situation because it’s not intrusive. You’re not asking anyone to click your link.

Instead, you’re providing it as an option to help people learn more about something you’ve just educated them on.

Helpful Tip: If you’re offering discounts, rewards, or any other incentive in exchange for emails, make a post to let followers know about it. These users won’t even have to type out their email. Making them enter through Facebook gives you access to their Facebook email.

20. Post in FB groups

While your business page is important, there are other opportunities on Facebook.

For example, Facebook groups. Like forums, these are places where like-minded people can interact. There’s a group for almost everything imaginable.

A good strategy is to join in on the conversations in relevant groups. Post helpful responses and link out to your opt-in offers when relevant.

Be cautious when doing this.

If members feel you’re plugging links, you’ll be banned. Remember, the secret is to provide value first and then share your link.

21. Run Facebook ads

Don’t limit your reach just to your existing Facebook followers.

You can pay to play too.

Facebook lead ads provide a way to get in front of people who aren’t followers of your brand but who may be interested by your offer.

Use Facebook’s targeting options to reach these people.

Another option is to upload your existing email list (if you have one) as a custom audience.

Facebook will build a lookalike audience for you so that your ads reach a similar group of people.

Twitter

Setting up a Twitter profile is easy. Upload your logo, name your handle, fill out your bio section and you’re ready to go.

Unlike other social platforms, you can’t just broadcast messages on Twitter. You’ll have to engage in active conversation.

Once your Twitter machine is firing, here’s how to optimize it for list building:

22. Link out to an opt-in page in your bio

Adding helpful links in your Twitter bio makes sense.

But for some reason, brands choose to include a link that takes followers to their homepage.

They’re wasting a HUGE opportunity.

What you should be doing is directing visitors directly to your opt-in offer. If you’re going to use a link shortener, add some context to the link with copy.

If you really want to use your domain name in the link, use plugins like Pretty Link.

Notice how links in Amy Porterfield’s Twitter bio use her domain name?

23. Add sound bites to your signup pages

 Remember how Twitter is about conversation? Well, it’s only fitting then to encourage people to talk about your newsletter or lead magnet.

An easy way to do this is add ‘sound bites’ near your opt-in offers. These are pre-composed tweets that people can share on their profile with the click of a button.

You can create sound bites easily with a tool like ClickToTweet.

 To get people to share them, be sure to make your soundbites interesting. Fun or intriguing quotes work well.

24. Use lead generation cards for tweets

 Let’s play a game.

Take a look at this tweet from Aweber…

…and then compare it with this one from Really Good Emails:

Feel the difference?

The latter is souped-up with multimedia and a stand-out CTA.

It was made using Twitter cards.

While there are many types of cards, pick the lead generation one. This version is the best way to draw extra attention for email capture.

Hint: For extra impact, pin this tweet to the top of your Twitter profile.

Instagram

Instagram is the world’s most popular visual network. With 800 million active users, it’s miles ahead of its next biggest competitor, Pinterest.

High-quality visuals dominate here.

And while you may think this environment isn’t suitable for list-building, there are countless ways to grow your email list through Instragram.

Shall we take a look at a few?

25. Link out to your signup page

This is the same trick we used over on Twitter. So, you know what to do.

Add a link to your signup page in the bio section of your Instagram profile.

A link on the bio section of Instagram has significant pulling power.

Why?

It’s the only place on the profile where you’re allowed to post a clickable link.

People will naturally pay more attention to it.

26. Deliver timely reminders 

Visual content doesn’t mean you need real images all the time. Anything visual will drive engagement.

That includes graphics which ask people to perform a desired action.

Once they open up the post, make sure you clearly define the next steps.

Post these reminders with moderation (not every day!).

YouTube

Consider the following stats regarding YouTube:

If you’re creating content for YouTube, the potential for exposure is immense. But how do you convince passive viewers to give their email? By linking to your signup page wherever YouTube lets you.

Let’s explore these places:

27. Add links in your video description

The video description is the first place viewers look for more information about a video. You are writing something here, right?

In the description, find a way to naturally include a link to your signup page.

This is easy if you create video content that relates to the resource for which you’re asking someone to provide their email.

28. Add links in the ‘about’ tab

 Raving fans of your channel want to know more about you and in their quest to learn about you, some will find their way to your ‘about’ page.

When they do, be sure to tell them a captivating story. More importantly, use this space to share all your important links.

Amongst them, include a link to your signup page.

29. Add a CTA button in the channel header

Much like Facebook, YouTube lets you add a clickable CTA button to your channel’s header. No prize for guessing where clicking that CTA should lead people!

30. Use annotations

Some people may feel that hints scattered around the profile are too indirect. Well, fear not. YouTube gives you the option to add clickable CTAs directly onto videos with annotations.

 

It doesn’t get more direct than this!

Note: Annotations only work for the desktop version of YouTube.

You can control when an annotation appears while a video is playing. The best time is undoubtedly when content on your video lends itself to the offer on your signup page.

31. Use cards for mobile

 To use annotations on mobile, you’ll need to use the cards feature.

32. Run YouTube ads

 We’ve optimized your profile and content for signups. Now, let’s turn our attention to reach.

Like any ad campaign, first sort out who you’re going to target with your video ad.

Create your video ads to include annotations, cards, and a link to your signup page in the description.

Here are your placement options:

33. In YouTube’s SERPs

 For maximum exposure, you’ll want to create an ad for YouTube’s search feature.

Having a video rank above organic results for a popular keyword can put your offer in front of a ton of new people. Once they click-through, your annotations and description will do the rest.

To improve click rates, use a compelling title and thumbnail image.

34. Before a video plays

Do you like an ad to load before your video plays? No one does.

These ads are hard to get right. The key is to create something that doesn’t make people feel the need to skip.

You only have a few seconds to hook someone.

If you get them to commit past that, the rest is smooth sailing.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a list builder’s playground. People use this network for the sole purpose of building new connections and relationships with brands, employers, and colleagues.

The result?

People aren’t opposed to communication over email. Actually, they prefer it.

Here are some ways to use LinkedIn to your advantage:

35. Contact your connections (via email)

Everyone has connections on LinkedIn.

But did you know that you also have access to their email address?

You just have to know how to extract it.

It’s super easy and takes no more than 30 seconds and a few clicks.

In your profile, look for the “export LinkedIn connections” option under “my network.”

Then, just click on “export LinkedIn connections.”

LinkedIn will give you a nice spreadsheet that includes everyone’s email.

We’re going to send each person on this list an email. Ask them politely if they’d be interested in receiving messages from you.

Note: Don’t add them to your list without their explicit permission.

36. Share links in LinkedIn groups

LinkedIn groups operate the same as any other social community.

Join groups related to your industry, provide value to members, and share links to your signup page when relevant.

If your brand is well-established, create your own group and post relevant links.

Pinterest

Pinterest isn’t taken seriously when it comes to growing an email list.

With a user-base made up of predominantly older women, marketers don’t realize its potential.

How would you get through to someone when they’re more interested in sharing images of arts and crafts, wedding gowns, and food?

Is it even possible to list build here?

Of course it is.

Here’s how you can do it:

37. Pin your offer to your bio

Like anywhere else, a link in the bio is the first place to start.

Even though Pinterest doesn’t allow live clickable links here, it’s not stopping people from using this trick, probably because it works so well.

See if you can spot the link on Melyssa Griffin’s profile.

38. Share your offer as a pin

Remember how we used graphics to inform Instagram users about your content upgrade? This works on Pinterest too!

Create a pin that shows people exactly what they’ll get if they give you their email. You don’t need to get fancy either.

For example, if you’re offering a checklist, show the first few points to get people wanting more.

SlideShare

Believe it or not, SlideShare is a social network.

It has over 70 million users.

SlideShare lets people share professional content with the world. It’s practical for people looking to establish themselves as an authority in a niche.

It’s also useful for growing an email list.

39. Add a link to your offer

 SlideShare used to let users add lead generation forms within presentations.

Unfortunately, this feature has been discontinued.

However, you can still use this trick by including a direct link to your signup page.

Don’t just drop your link in without context though. Build up to it.

Tease readers about how you have more in-depth information regarding the subject matter in the slides leading up to your link.

Niche Community Websites

Much like social groups, niche community websites are ‘hangout’ spots for like-minded people.

Examples of such sites include Reddit, StumbleUpon, and Digg.

There is one difference though.

Users of niche websites actively vote on what content is visible to the public. This self-voting system allows these platforms to keep the best content pinned to the top.

Let’s see how to grow your email list on these channels:

40. Share a link to your signup on reddit

For Reddit to work, you must be an active redditor.

If you come out of the shadows to promote a business, redditors are going to hate you.

In a community where self-promotion is frowned upon, there’s no shortcuts. Reddit requires you to be genuine and helpful.

But if celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bill Gates can make time for Reddit, so can you.

Start by identifying the subreddits related to your niche. Spend a few weeks to months commenting and building up your “authority.”

Once you’ve gained trust of fellow redditors, start adding links to your opt-in offers in your posts and comments.

Notice how this post genuinely explains value of their offer before sharing a link.

This can still be risky though.

If you want to be sure you don’t get banned for sharing links, just ask people’s permission!

41. Answer questions on Quora

Quora is a well-respected Q&A site.

Helpful answers here can rank on SERPs.

If you’re savvy, you’ll include a link to your signup somewhere in your answer to capitalize on this free exposure.

For example, the author of this comment revisited her answer to include a link to a lead magnet after noticing traction in her original response.

Ideally, you would only answer questions on topics you already have signup offers for.

However, there’s nothing stopping you from reverse engineering.

42. Share in slack communities

Slack is a popular tool for team-management. But you’re not limited to interactions with colleagues. Like countless other social networks, Slack also has groups and communities.

To find relevant groups, use Slack List.

From there, follow the same steps as anywhere else.

Engage, post helpful comments, and link out to your signup page.

43. Become a podcast guest

Video might be king but 67 million Americans still tune into podcasts every month.

If you’re invited onto a popular podcast, don’t forget to plug your offer. But do it nonchalantly! Generally, the best time is when hosts ask you where listeners can learn more about you.

Spell out a link to your signup page verbally and make sure the URL is easy, so listeners don’t forget.

You can also ask the host to include links under the podcast.

44. Guest post on other sites

I’m sure you’re already guest posting on other sites for backlinks and SEO.

Add list building to your catalog of reasons.

This isn’t anything revolutionary. Just replace the link to your homepage with one to your signup page in the author description.

This author on SmartBlogger wrote a guest post about Facebook ads.

Click it and you’re taken to…a signup page!

For effectiveness, the signup offer should be a content upgrade to the post you wrote.

Don’t underestimate how many people actually click on these links especially on popular and authoritative sites.

45. Craigslist

 I know what you’re thinking. Craigslist? Really?

It may sound rough or desperate but that didn’t stop Airbnb from using the platform as a springboard for growth in its early days.

Here’s what you need to do:

Head over to the service pages best related to your niche.

Go through the listings and single out those looking for help.

 

Send each person a personal mail informing them how you can help and include a link to your signup page in case they need more convincing.

Digesting This Buffet Of Information

There’s a lot to take in this post, and I haven’t even covered EVERY known tactic under the sun. So, how can you make the most of this guide?

Build a process.

Growing an email list is an ongoing activity. You’ll want to test and optimize tactics repeatedly unless you want growth of your list to stagnate.

Use this guide to build out a framework of ideas to experiment with.

Maybe, you’ll even be inspired with some ideas of your own.

Over To You

You’ll remember at the beginning of this guide we talked about list-building slogans. There is truth to “the money is in the list” mantra.

Every business owner knows they need to prospect for customers. But for some reason, marketers focus all their attention on organic, paid, and social campaigns.

Yes, these channels do work, but you never really “own” them.

A change in the algorithm can tank exposure of your message.

This is why you need an email list. Fortunately, anyone can do this with the right mindset and toolkit.

So, get out there and get those signups!

 

About The Author: Ryan Eldridge is Chief Strategist at Squirrel Digital Marketing, a data-driven growth marketing company and digital marketing agency. He is also CEO and Co-Founder of Nerds on Call, a computer repair company servicing clients throughout California and Oregon. He appears regularly on CBS, CW and FOX on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, More Good Day Portland, and Fox 2 in Oakland, offering viewers insight into tech news and marketing. See Ryan in action at ryaneldridge.tv