Tips for Growing Your Email List Through Social Media
Email marketing is still a top choice in the marketing world. The problem? Getting the email addresses in the first place. Using social media can make the difference.
Email is a great tool for getting information about your sales, products, and specials in front of your target audience in a predictable and affordable way. Unfortunately, people get way too many emails and they are suspicious of businesses asking for access to their email inboxes.
Don’t trick people into joining your email campaign. The CAN-SPAM Act is more than twenty years old now, so there’s no excuse for bad, spammy behavior. Besides, recipients will just opt out or at the very least, tune you out. Even more detrimental, you will leave them with a negative view of your business because no one wants to feel conned. So, how do you go about signing up people to your email campaign in an honest way? Provide the right content to the people who want it.
Social media can be your greatest asset in this task. First, define what your content is. Are you emailing sales and specials for subscribers? Are you sharing informative content and articles on specific subjects? Whatever your content is, promote it on social media channels.
Maybe this week you want to share an article called, “Using Social Media to Build Your Email Marketing List.” Create a great graphic for that article. Jump on all of your social media channels to share that title and graphic, along with a little teaser post and the appropriate hashtags. What do people have to do to read that great article? Sign up for your newsletter.
Know what content or incentives your customers are searching for so you can provide it. Work it into your social media plan. Instead of giving all of your articles away for free, make a few of them “members only.” Hold a flash sale for only email subscribers but promote it on social media. Publish an ebook that is provided free to new subscribers. Promote everything on social media – and consider backing up your organic posts with some ads.
Social media is like having a megaphone. It’s public, it’s a platform, and when you post something, it is shouted to the masses. Use that tool to get in front of the right people and give them the link to your email signup.
Get creative! Create a series of graphics or plan a sales and specials campaign. Offer insider knowledge – there’s so much you can do! Use the social media megaphone to your advantage to support the growth of your email marketing.
If someone is on your email list, that means they are already familiar with your business and are a now warm lead, which is easier to work with than a cold lead. And people do still sign up for emails, as long as they are getting something they want. All you have to do is figure out what they are willing to trade their email for.
Looking for help coming up with incentives, content, or technical assistance? The Sprocket team is ready to be your marketing partner. Contact us today to learn how we can work together.
Photo by cottonbro studio
This article is an update to “Using Social Media to Build Your Email Marketing List” dated 7/28/2016.
Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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