You may have heard that an email list is your #1 asset as a blogger.
In this post I’ll explain why growing an email list is so important and I’ll show you how to get started.
So what’s the big deal with email?
So, kind of like with social media, email is a great way to directly communicate with your audience and let them know that, yep, you’re still here!
But unlike with social media, your list can’t get deactivated or shut down just because Facebook decides it doesn’t like you.
Another big plus for email lists is the sheer amount of people who use email and check their email frequently. I don’t know about you, but I check my email at least 2-3 times a day, if not more.
To compare with Facebook again, there are 1 billion active Facebook users… compared to over 3 billion email users on Earth!
Lastly, the odds are on email for getting buyers to make a purchase.
According to this article on OptinMonster.com, 66% of consumers say they have made a purchase from an email, while only 20% say they’ve made a purchase from a Facebook promo.
Ready to start your email list?
Yay! Let me tell you about email service providers (also known as ESP’s).
So there are a few of them out there, some free, some not so free.
MailerLite
My favorite free option is MailerLite. MailerLite costs nothing up to 1000 subscribers, so it’s a great place to start out. It also stays relatively inexpensive once you get past 1000 subscribers, and has lots of great tools like automations, autoresponders, and more. Setting up MailerLite is easy, although you could get turned down for an account if your site is too new. But if your site is totally set up and definitely seems to have a clear, not-spammy purpose, I’d try it out!
ConvertKit
The next option is what many people consider to be the best option for bloggers. ConvertKit isn’t free but it has some amazing features that almost build your list for you. If you join ConvertKit, you’ll get access to expertly-designed landing page templates and opt-in forms, as well as all the automation and auotoresponder tools you would expect.
Newsletter
Lastly, another option for email is the WordPress plugin, Newsletter. With this plugin, you’re sending emails right from your blog’s server, and you can manage your list and send emails right from your WordPress dashboard. The premium version of this plugin costs a one-time fee of $65 and allows you to use autoresponders and integrate the plugin with the free WordPress shop plugin, WooCommerce. I personally LOVE this plugin, although it can be a bit less user-friendly than the other services I mentioned. Try out the free version and see what you think!
Email Lists – Final Thoughts
I hope this post helped you learn a bit more about why email lists are extremely valuable to bloggers, and are ready to get started!
If you have any questions about starting an email list (or using one you already have), please feel free to leave a comment below and I can try to help you out.