You’ve probably heard a million times how important an email list is for your digital success. The repetition makes sense, it’s true. Digital giants like Seth Godin, Ryan Holiday, Marie Forleo, and more are all advocates of the talk-of-the-town email list. It has a better ROI and conversion rate compared to other forms of marketing.

But how do you start? If you’re new to this, how will you begin building your list from scratch? If you’re stuck at 100 subscribers, how can you get more people to opt-in? This post will show you the strategies for you to build and grow your list.

6 Strategies to Increase Email Opt-in

1. Create valuable and compelling content

There is no getting around it. You have to give them a reason to opt-in in the first place. You have to show that you are capable of providing value straight to their inbox.

Establish your expertise through helpful videos, infographics, and articles. Let your visitors see that you have the answers to their pain points.

2. Implement Live Chat to Generate Leads

Live chat is one way to provide value to your users in real time. It allows you to get to know exactly how you can help your visitors and give them the right service or product they are looking for.

You can capture live chat leads by integrating it with an email marketing automation software. Aside from that, a study shows that a live chat feature also increases the chance for a visitor to return to the website by 63%.

3. Use Popup Forms

Popup forms can be super annoying if abused. But if used properly, they can increase the opt-in rate for up to 1000%!
The key is to find the sweet spot for your website. There are many kinds of popups which you may experiment on your website.

Sumo has analyzed 2 billion popups and here are some of their findings:

• Popups with better context have better conversion rates.
• The best popups have delayed appearance.
• The highest converting popups provide value.
• Exit popups should have a highly valuable offer.

The exit popup below from Marie Forleo’s website offers a free audio training. It provides valuable content in the right context.

4. Create Compelling CTAs

Creative and compelling CTAs will drive visitors to opt-in. Internet users see hundreds of CTAs while browsing the web; “subscribe now” won’t cut it. You need a strong message that will compel users to take action.

Here are two great examples of unique and appealing CTAs from Netflix and Toms:

5.  Capitalize on Social Media Ads

Social media can bring your opt-in form in front of a highly-targeted audience. This is a great strategy if you’re just building up your brand and you’re starting your list from zero.

There are several platforms you can choose from. Pick the one where your target audience is mostly hanging out and invest the most in it. If you’re not sure, spread a thin budget across many platforms and see which one has the greatest conversion.

For ads to work out well, you need to provide something of value in exchange for their email list, also known as gated content or lead magnet. Let’s talk about gated content more in number 6.

6.  Publish Gated Content

An email address is a personal detail. No one will give it to you just like that. You have to give them a reward for subscribing.

The content you provide, of course, must be in line with your product and your target clients. Guides, e-books, checklists, video pieces of training, and free trials are some examples of gated content.

You can use place the lead magnets on social media ads and on your website. You can also use it as a popup form. Remember to use a compelling CTA when publishing your gated content.

A “Free Life Assessment” is a great lead magnet for a life coach like Tony Robbins.

Conclusion

Create as much valuable content as you can. Use live chats, popup forms, compelling CTAs, and gated content. Take advantage of the power of social media. Combine the six strategies above and watch how your subscribers multiply.

After growing your email list to your target number, you now need to maintain that list and convert them into clients by sending valuable content. You can do that easier with the help of an email automation software. Increasing email opt-ins and nurturing them is just like every other aspect of your business, it should be all about your client.

Read more:

Minimalist Marketing Guide: Writing Simple Yet Effective Emails

7 Tips for a Successful Customer Retention through Newsletters

5 Reasons Content Marketing Can’t Live Without Email Marketing