How to Get More Email Subscribers in 2023

Here’s my step-by-step playbook for growing a massive (and engaged) subscriber list.

Step 1: Have Engaging (Good) Content

To attract and retain a captive audience, your newsletter must deliver value.

Ensure your content is informative, interesting, helpful, and relevant to your target audience.

This should be steps 1, 2, and 3. But we’re not here to talk about this today.

Step 2: Have a Dedicated Newsletter Sign-up Page

This seems like a no-brainer but is often overlooked.

Your website should have a readily accessible and eye-catching sign-up page where visitors can quickly and easily subscribe to your newsletter.

Make the sign-up process simple and fast – the less friction, the better.

​My newsletter sign-up​ page consists of:

• A signup form at the top explaining what a new subscriber will get (and the community they are joining).
• Reviews from my subscriber base (social proof is king, right?).
• Old newsletters I’ve put out (I want to show that I’m providing value before they even sign up).

Step 3: Create Several Places Throughout Your Site to Sign Up

Don’t limit your sign-up opportunities to just one page.

Scatter sign-up forms throughout your website – in your blog posts, footer section, product pages, etc.

Make sure they’re visible and appealing.

Here are a few areas I have our signup form throughout my site (without being too invasive).

​On the Home page​

​In the Footer of my site​

​On the right-hand side of every blog post​

Step 4: Create Targeted Lead Magnets

After you’ve laid the foundation by providing several areas for new subs to sign up, it’s time to set up some lead magnets.

Lead magnets are free resources or incentives you provide in exchange for a visitor’s email address.

Templates, on-demand videos, online training, etc.

The key is to make your lead magnet so irresistible that visitors wouldn’t think twice about giving you their email address.

I think they explain it pretty well:

Step 5: Start Getting Active on Social Media

Don’t underestimate the power of social media.

Use your social channels to promote your newsletter and lead magnets.

Engage with your followers, join relevant conversations, and share snippets of your newsletter content to pique interest.

I believe the best social is done in-house by the business owner.

There are large brands (Wendy’s, McDonalds, etc.) that have pretty solid social followings.

SMB owners aren’t going to attract that much attention through their brand’s Twitter/Facebook page.

Instead, YOU (the business owner) should be actively publishing (engaging) content on YOUR social media and building a following.

This has a massive impact for several reasons:

• People connect with people, not faceless brands; your personal touch can make your audience feel more connected and engaged.
• Secondly, as the owner, you deeply understand your business’s reputation, brand vision, and values that can be authentically communicated on social media.
• Thirdly, personal branding is powerful; it aids in establishing trust, demonstrating your expertise, and enhancing your business’s reputation.
• Finally, your presence on social media can (and will) attract the type of email subscribers you’re looking for.

Remember, when writing social content, spend 80% of your time writing thought-provoking, helpful/valuable content and 20% asking people to sign up for your newsletter.

Step 6: Use Content Marketing

I put this step last because it takes the longest to work (but could have the most significant impact).

Here’s how it works.

1. Build out a blog on your site if you don’t already have one
2. ​Start writing informative and valuable blogs​ that relate to your industry. Use SEO best practices to make your content discoverable.
3. Create a content calendar and commit to regular posting. Consistent, quality content is key.
4. Within your blog posts, include a call to action encouraging readers to subscribe to your newsletter for more content.
5. Promote your blog posts on your social media channels and encourage your followers to share your posts. The more your content is shared, the more potential for new subscribers.

Content marketing is an effective tool for building your subscriber list because it positions you as an authority in your industry.

It also provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate the value of your content directly to potential subscribers.

It’s a longer-term strategy, but your email list will grow as your content library grows.

Step 7: Encourage Email Sharing

The BEST form of marketing is (and will always be) word of mouth.

When you create something of value, people will naturally share it with their friends and family.

If you’ve made it this far, you could practice this right now (and copy this playbook for your newsletter).

Step 1: Please forward this newsletter to a friend/colleague

Step 2: Send them over to my ​sign-up page​ when and if you discuss it further