WP - What approach do you take to getting email subscribers?

[Nat]

What mailer do you guys use/prefer? (especially for starting out)

Do you prefer to embed a sign-up form under each post? Or a pop-up? Or leave a box in the sidebar?

I realize that there are definitely ways to incentivize email sign-ups like free eBooks, giveaways, etc. However, for just general visitors to your website, what do you do?

 

[envy]

All 3. Preferably with a lead magnet like you said (ebooks, giveaways, etc)

 

[Nat]

All 3. Preferably with a lead magnet like you said (ebooks, giveaways, etc)

All three on each page? Pop-up, sidebar, and at the end of the post? Seems a little much to me, but I'm no expert. I think that a pop-up and a box at the end of a post (or during the middle) could be effective with a lead magnet.
What provider would you recommend?

 

[animalstyle]

In my experience, what matters is rarely what I think, but what I try and the data ultimately says works. That being said you also need to think about your audience when implementing your methods. What quality and volume of traffic do you see on your site?

 

[Nat]

In my experience, what matters is rarely what I think, but what I try and the data ultimately says works. That being said you also need to think about your audience when implementing your methods. What quality and volume of traffic do you see on your site?

Just getting started, so, very little organic traffic at the moment. Still haven't decided on an emailing service either.

 

[animalstyle]

Put your energy into getting something setup to collect emails, and focus on traffic.

 

[Nat]

Put your energy into getting something setup to collect emails, and focus on traffic.

So, before picking an email marketing service, how would you suggest collecting emails (and names)? I'm not sure what format the mailing services need the data in.

 

[animalstyle]

I would just pick something. Mailchimp for instance is free initially which sounds like it would work for you. You could also do something as simple as just saving them to your database, if you don't have any traffic its not like youre going to be fighting to manage a large list. Just get something set up and keep moving

 

[Ryuzaki]

I think you have to make a decision and keep moving! Knowing your goal, such as you're describing in this thread, will help you make the appropriate choice.

"Which mailer should I use?"
- Are you only going to attract email users on your site or elsewhere as well?
If elsewhere then you want to find one that will let you import users. Some force them to re-opt-in, which is B.S. but it stops a lot of spammers.

- Are you going to want one that lets you do a certain amount of mailing for free?

- Are you going to want one that lets you set up an auto-responder sequence? (I would)

"Where should I place the opt-in box?"
- Where you place it is going to change the quality of your list. Do you care? If you're doing mass volume mailing you might.
Tricksy stuff like pop ups, content lockers, and all that might get you more sign-ups, but they might also sign-off too. But then again, with a lead magnet like a killer e-book, maybe not.

- Pop-unders should basically be a no-go in my opinion in 2015 unless you're in something like adult.

- Under each post is going to provide you with quality in your list, since they are the ones either reading the entire post or at least scrolling through and skimming.

"How/Should I incentivize?"
- Yes.
- What are the bosses of your vertical doing? Match & Exceed them.
- This is definitely for the general visitors too though. You magnetize them to convert them from general to a warmer target. By the time they go through your auto-response sequence and everything else, they should be hot and ready to buy. Or for a content site, at least not mind seeing that you mailed them your top 10 best posts of the week.


There's an obvious danger in copying others in the vertical and assuming they've tested, when they very well just copied someone else. The only true answer is to slap something up until you have a good amount of traffic flowing, then change it and see which performs better. Split testing! But you have to have something up first, anything up, and some traffic. Make sure the horse is before the cart.

 

[Misogynist]

I'm using Thrive Leads.

I have an "exit intent" pop that shows up on the first visit and every 10 days thereafter.

I have an opt-in form in the side bar.

I have an opt-in form that fades in after the 10th paragraph on every post.

I have an opt-in form at the end of every post.

It might seem like overkill, but my list grows by the day. (I give away an ebook for the visitor's first name and email.)

 

[Nat]

Thrive looks really good, once I make a profit, I'm considering re-investing in their entire yearly package, $147 I believe.