How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups Online and Offline

With the explosion of TikTok, Twitter, and other short-form content platforms, are email newsletters still relevant?

Surprisingly yes! In fact, newsletters are more common among young audiences — 95% of Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X are newsletter subscribers. 90% of Americans are subscribed to at least one newsletter, and 74% have signed up for at least 10.

These numbers clearly demonstrate that email newsletters continue to thrive.

Why? Because newsletters can:

• Create engaged audiences.
• Lead to paid subscriptions.
• Re-engage and retain your audience.

To expand the reach of your newsletter, first, you must build a list of email subscribers. But how do you get people to open your email so you can increase your newsletter signups?

In this blog post, you will learn how to increase your newsletter signups and attract and retain newsletter subscribers that can drive engagement and conversions for your business. 

Table of Contents:

• What is a Newsletter Subscription?
• Benefits of Starting a Newsletter and Building a Subscriber Base
• How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups
  • 1. Optimize Your Website for Newsletter Signups
  • 2. Increase Your Newsletter Signups with Social Media
  • 3. Optimize Your Emails and Expand Your Subscriber Base
  • 4. Offer Incentives for Subscribers
• More Tips on How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups
• Nurturing Your Email List Post-Signup
  • Create Content That Retains Subscribers While Attracting New Ones
  • Incentivize Sharing Among Existing Subscribers
• Offline Strategies for Increasing Email Subscribers
  • Trade Shows
  • Offline Events
  • Seminars and Workshops
  • Brick and Mortar Outlets
• FAQs – How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups
  • How can I make my newsletter more effective?
  • How do I convince people to subscribe to my newsletter?
• Conclusion

What is a Newsletter Subscription?

A newsletter subscription is a list of people who have signed up to receive emails from a particular business, organization, or individual. These emails might include company updates, news, informational content, and more. It’s an effective way to keep in touch with customers regularly.

Storydoc surveyed 1,173 Americans about their email habits.

Benefits of Starting a Newsletter and Building a Subscriber Base

If you’re not yet taking advantage of email newsletters, here are a few reasons why you should start now.

Increased Visibility and Brand Awareness

Email newsletters are a great way to increase visibility for your brand or business.

By regularly sending out content that is relevant to your target audience, you can build trust and establish yourself as an authority in the industry.

This will help you stand out from competitors who are only relying on traditional advertising.

Additionally, when people share your newsletter on social media, it spreads awareness of your brand even further!

Direct Communication

Email newsletters provide a direct channel of communication between a business or individual and their audience. 

Unlike social media or other platforms, emails are delivered straight to the recipient’s inbox, ensuring higher visibility and a better chance of engagement.

Improved Customer Relationships

A well-crafted email newsletter can help improve customer relationships by providing valuable information that they’ll appreciate receiving in their inboxes each week or month.

Whether it’s tips on how to use a product more effectively or insights into upcoming trends in the industry, these types of emails give customers something to look forward to while also updating them with what’s going on in your company or industry.

Plus, if you include calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout the newsletter such as discount codes or links back to your blog articles, this can encourage readers to take action which could result in increased sales opportunities for you.

By providing valuable and relevant content, you can keep your subscribers engaged, which can lead to increased brand loyalty and customer retention.

Personalization

With email newsletters, you can segment your audience based on their interests, demographics, or behavior. This enables you to tailor content specifically for different groups, resulting in higher relevance and engagement.

More Traffic

Newsletters are an effective way to drive traffic to your website, blog, or other online platforms. By including links to your latest content or offers, you can encourage recipients to visit your website and explore further.

Build Relationships

Consistent communication through newsletters allows you to build and nurture relationships with your subscribers. It creates a sense of community and trust, making it more likely for recipients to become customers or advocates of your brand.

Feedback and Insights

Through email newsletters, you can encourage recipients to provide feedback or participate in surveys. This can offer valuable insights into your audience’s preferences, needs, and pain points, helping you refine your marketing strategy.

More Leads and Sales Opportunities

An effective email newsletter strategy can also generate leads and sales opportunities for businesses looking for new ways to reach potential customers without spending too much money upfront.

Adding CTAs like “Sign up now” at strategic points throughout each issue of the newsletter makes it easy for readers to convert if they find value in what you offer.

Promotion and Sales

Email newsletters can be used to promote products, services, or special offers. By highlighting exclusive deals or limited-time promotions, you can encourage subscribers to make purchases.

Reduced Cost

Compared to traditional advertising methods, email newsletters are relatively low-cost, making them an attractive option for businesses with limited marketing budgets.

Automation

Many email marketing platforms offer automation features, allowing you to set up and schedule newsletters in advance. This saves time and effort while ensuring consistent communication with your audience.

Measurable Results

Email marketing platforms provide analytics that allow you to track the performance of your newsletters. You can see open rates, click-through rates, and other valuable data, which helps you understand what content resonates best with your audience.

Your brand can enjoy all of these benefits by simply putting out an online newsletter every week or every month. 

Screenshot from Tidio

So how to increase your newsletter signups?

Here are four easy ways to do it.

How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups

Getting more email subscribers requires a combination of strategies designed to attract and engage your target audience. 

Here are four effective methods how to increase your newsletter signups:

1. Optimize Your Website for Newsletter Signups

Optimizing your website for newsletter signups is key to growing your email subscriber list. You can do this by creating a signup form that’s easy to find on the homepage or other important pages of your website. Use a simple and attractive design that stands out but complements your website’s overall aesthetics.

Incorporating links to the newsletter signup form in various locations on your website, like the footer or sidebar menu, can also help boost subscription numbers.

Make sure you have a clear call-to-action (CTA) prominently displayed on your website so visitors can see where they can sign up for your newsletter.

A super simple CTA, including a sign-up form, from Nuzzle. Source: Wordstream

Make it as effortless as possible for people to join your email subscriber list by having a straightforward, uncomplicated sign-up form that only requires essential details such as name and email address. Don’t attempt to acquire too much data all at once which could put off potential subscribers.

Consider using pop-up forms to encourage people to subscribe even when they don’t buy from you right away.

Promote your email subscriptions through blog posts or articles about related topics. This will help attract more subscribers who may not have heard of you before.

By following these steps, you can make it easier for visitors to join your mailing list — whether they are casual browsers looking for interesting content or repeat customers who are eager to learn more about your products.

2. Increase Your Newsletter Signups with Social Media

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for increasing newsletter signups. Through your social media accounts, you can expand your reach and gain access to a wider audience of potential newsletter subscribers.

You can post links that take viewers back to a landing page where they can enter their email addresses into a sign-up form.

An alternative is to add a CTA on your profile prompting people to subscribe to your mailing list.

Add a link to subscribe to your newsletter in your social media profiles. Source: Later

The first step is to create dedicated accounts on different social media platforms that you plan to use. Make sure these social media accounts are properly set up with links back to your website or blog articles so people have easy access to your subscription forms.

Once your accounts are set up and optimized for maximum visibility, start posting content related to topics covered by your newsletters. This will help build interest among potential subscribers while also helping establish yourself as an expert in the field.

Post an invitation on Twitter or LinkedIn to get your current followers to join the newsletter mailing list.

Incorporate visuals whenever you can in your posts. Images and videos usually get better engagement than plain text on social media networks.

3. Optimize Your Emails and Expand Your Subscriber Base

Cold emailing can be a great tool for boosting newsletter sign-ups.

First, try segmenting different groups of people based on their interests or preferences so that each person receives tailored messages specific to them.

Using a catchy subject line is essential if you want people to open your email and read the contents. Keep it short but sweet and offer value like “Get 50% off Your Next Purchase Now”.

Personalizing content can also be a great way to increase sign-ups and retain existing subscribers. Addressing them by name makes them feel valued as individuals rather than just another email address on a list.

If you have a long email, break up large chunks of text into shorter paragraphs with plenty of white space so readers can easily scan without straining their eyes.

Making your email attractive is key to getting more newsletter signups and retaining subscribers. The design of your emails should be eye-catching, easy to read, and professional-looking.

Incorporate visuals such as images or videos into the body of your emails to draw interest and keep the reader engaged. Make sure these elements are optimized for mobile since most people read their emails on their phones. Optimize the size of your images so they load quickly and properly on smaller screens.

Also, consider using color schemes that match your brand identity. This will help build recognition among potential subscribers when they see an email from you.

End your email with a strong call to action, and the best way to get people to sign up is to offer them an incentive to do so.

4. Offer Incentives for Subscribers

People like freebies, so if you want them to take action, offer them something worth their time when they receive emails from you. Providing something of value in exchange for signing up will help boost signup rates significantly.

Offering incentives for newsletter subscriptions is a great way to grow your subscription base. Rewards, discounts, vouchers, coupons, or access to exclusive content like webinars can be a powerful way to encourage more people to join your mailing list.

First, consider what type of incentive would be attractive to your target audience. If you’re selling products or services online, offering a discount code might be the best option. On the other hand, if you’re running an informational website with no physical goods for sale, providing exclusive content could be more effective in enticing subscribers.

Second, make sure that whatever incentive you offer is easy for users to access once they sign up for your newsletter. If the process of getting your incentive is too complex, a lot of people may not take part in subscribing or even call you a scam.

Third, promote your subscription offers on social media. For example, create posts highlighting the benefits of subscribing along with screenshots of the reward they will receive upon signing up.

Lastly, track the progress of each promotional campaign using analytics tools like Google Analytics or HubSpot’s Campaign Tracking feature. This will allow you to determine which types of incentives work best with different audiences and optimize future promotions to drive new subscriber signups.

Screenshot from Mailmunch

More Tips on How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups

• Offer Valuable Content: Provide a compelling reason for visitors to subscribe to your newsletter by offering valuable content. It could be exclusive articles, tips, guides, or access to special promotions.
• Emphasize The Benefits of Subscribing: Your potential subscriber needs to know what they’ll gain by giving their precious contact details away. This could include exclusive deals or insights related directly to their interests.
• Optimize Landing Pages: Create dedicated landing pages that focus on the benefits of subscribing to your newsletter. Highlight the value proposition and include a clear call-to-action (CTA) button to encourage signups.
• Add Opt-ins at the End of Articles: The end of articles is prime real estate for opt-in forms as readers who reach this point are likely engaged with your content.
• Use Pop-up or Slide-in Forms: Employ well-timed pop-up or slide-in forms to capture visitors’ attention when they are most engaged with your content. However, ensure they are not intrusive and provide an easy way to dismiss them.
• Cut Down on Unnecessary Fields: If you want to grow newsletter subscribers, cut down on unnecessary fields in your signup form. All you really need at first is an email address and maybe a name if personalization matters to your brand. Asking for too much information might even deter people from signing up.
• Email Signature: Include a link to your newsletter sign-up form in your email signature, ensuring that every email you send acts as a potential invitation for others to subscribe.
• Display Social Proof: To encourage more people to sign up for your email list, display social proof such as the number of subscribers or testimonials from satisfied subscribers. Testimonials and social proof are trust-builders, which means you’ll earn even more newsletter signups.
• Segmentation and Personalization: Personalizing your CTA button not only engages users but also significantly increases email subscriptions. Clearly communicate how you will use subscribers’ information and ensure you deliver relevant content based on their interests and preferences.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure that your sign-up forms and newsletters are mobile-friendly, as an increasing number of users access emails and websites through their mobile devices.
• Guest Blogging and Collaborations: Write guest posts on other blogs or collaborate with influencers or businesses in your niche. Include a call-to-action in these posts to drive traffic back to your website’s newsletter signup form.
• Exit-Intent Pop-ups: Implement exit-intent pop-ups that trigger when a user is about to leave your website. Use these pop-ups to entice visitors to subscribe before they go.
• Run Contests or Referral Programs: Organize contests or referral programs where subscribers have a chance to win prizes or receive exclusive benefits by referring others to sign up for your newsletter.
• Reward New Subscribers Immediately: Everyone loves instant gratification. Offer something as soon as they hit ‘Subscribe’ – like access to premium content or discount codes.
• Test and Optimize: Continuously test different sign-up form designs, placements, and incentives to determine what works best for your audience. Use analytics to monitor the performance of your sign-up forms and adjust your approach accordingly.

Once you have built a sizable fan base, the next step is how to keep them subscribed to your newsletter. This is where an awesome content marketing strategy comes in. You need to keep turning out great content, issue after issue, so that your readers have something to look forward to every time they see your email in their inbox.

Watch how you can create an amazing newsletter in just 16 minutes with BrandWell:

Nurturing Your Email List Post-Signup

So, you’ve successfully grown your email list.

Congratulations.

But the journey doesn’t end there.

The real challenge is keeping these subscribers engaged and interested in what you have to say or offer.

Create Content That Retains Subscribers While Attracting New Ones

To keep those hard-earned subscribers, focus on creating unique content that resonates with them.

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it when dealing with diverse audiences. You need to segment your lists based on buyer personas for more targeted communication.

If some of your lists are becoming stale, don’t worry. You can reinvigorate them using opt-in campaigns designed specifically for this purpose.

Incentivize Sharing Among Existing Subscribers

Your existing subscribers could be a gold mine waiting to be tapped.

An effective strategy would involve encouraging forwarding or sharing emails among existing contacts.

Offline Strategies for Increasing Email Subscribers

We’ve discussed the digital world, but let’s not forget about good old-fashioned offline methods on how to increase your newsletter signups.

Trade Shows

An excellent place to start is trade shows. Entrepreneur recommends this strategy as an effective way of collecting email addresses.

At trade shows, you can take advantage of the opportunity to connect with individuals already interested in your industry – making it a mutually beneficial experience.

Screenshot from HubSpot

Offline Events

Beyond trade shows, consider hosting your own in-person events. Remember: every person you meet could be another subscriber.

Seminars and Workshops

Think of seminars or workshops related to what you do. These can provide value while also giving attendees a reason to sign up for more content via your newsletters.

Aim at creating experiences so memorable they’ll want more – right into their inbox.

Brick-and-Mortar Outlets

If you have physical stores, don’t overlook them. Incentivize customers by offering discounts on future purchases if they join the mailing list. This method makes growing those email lists extremely easy without much effort.

These are just some of the easy ways you can build your email subscriber lists outside of cyberspace where social interactions still rule supreme. Who knew increasing email subscribers would include going back to basics?

FAQs – How to Increase Your Newsletter Signups

How can I make my newsletter more effective?

To make your newsletter more effective, focus on creating content that is valuable and engaging to readers. Start by researching topics that are relevant to your target audience and create compelling headlines.

Utilize SEO tactics such as keyword research, meta descriptions, internal linking, and backlinks to optimize the visibility of your content.

Additionally, use visuals like infographics or videos for a greater impact on readers.

How do I convince people to subscribe to my newsletter?

To encourage people to join your mailing list, you need to demonstrate the advantages of subscribing. Showcase what readers can expect from your content such as exclusive offers, helpful advice, and industry insights.

Highlight any incentives they may receive for signing up such as discounts or early access to new products.

Make sure that the subscription process is simple and straightforward so potential subscribers don’t get frustrated by a complicated sign-up form.

Finally, use SEO techniques like keywords in emails and landing pages to increase the visibility of your online newsletters and attract more subscribers organically.

Conclusion

Staying in touch with customers through a newsletter subscription is an effective way to keep them engaged and informed.

If you want to increase your newsletter signups, leveraging social media platforms, optimizing your website, creating engaging content, and offering incentives are all great ways to attract new subscribers.

Applying the right approach can guarantee more individuals will subscribe to your newsletters and remain subscribed for a long time.