Opt-in email lists are an engaging way to increase subscribers’ curiosity or interest in your business. The key part to opt-ins is that potential customers are given the option of subscribing to a mailing list. Subscribers must, therefore, willingly give their information – usually, name and email – to join.
Mailing lists are a great way to keep customers engaged with your business and give your brand a competitive edge, as they allow you to reach potential customers on a routine basis. These regular check-ins will give you a leg-up against competing businesses, so long as you hold the interest and loyalty of subscribers.
If you’re looking to increase your opt-in email list through your content, here are eight tips for doing just that!
Consider what your email looks like day-to-day. We all know how clogged our inboxes can get between junk files and spam mail. It’s difficult and time-consuming to keep it all organized. This is often the first thing potential subscribers will consider when presented with another bare-bones offer to sign up for an email list; it’s just one more thing to add to their already crowded inbox.
Put simply, potential subscribers aren’t just going to give out their contact information for nothing. So, to get potential subscribers to agree, you need to offer them something they can’t refuse when they sign up for your mailing list.
Consider offering a discount or special offer when they sign up. For example, “Sign up for our mailing list and get 20% off your first order!” The offer doesn’t necessarily have to be a discount, though. It could also be a free gift, free gift-wrapping or shipping, a buy one get one deal, special bundles, or even an eBook. Whichever you choose, the important thing is that it should pertain and appeal to your target audience.
Pop-ups and top bars are the two most effective and unique ways to engage potential customers. Using either or both of these to present an opt-in sign-up offer will show the best results compared to sidebars or footers. Users are not usually accustomed to seeing content in pop-ups and top bars, so these unconventional tools are a much more creative way to gauge the attention of potential subscribers. Pop-ups are incredibly successful, as they completely interrupt and disturb a user’s search, redirecting their attention to something else.
Credibility or “social proof” needs to be emphasized in your pop-up opt-in offer. What this means is your offer should include some sort of example of a customer experience that reflects satisfaction with your products or services. This could be anything like positive customer comments or feedback (on Yelp or a similar platform) or any reviews or testimonials left directly on your site.
Including social proof through customer feedback not only demonstrates credibility but builds trust between potential subscribers and your brand. Emphasizing the credibility of your products and services and creating a sense of trust right from the get-go is a crucial step in enticing potential subscribers to sign-up for your emails.
If the special offer that comes with your opt-in sign-up is time-sensitive, this will create a sense of urgency with potential subscribers to act fast.
It’s a game of psychology, as it’s a natural reaction for people to develop a stronger desire for something that is in short supply or time-sensitive. When something is rare – especially if it saves a consumer time and money, like a special offer or discount – consumers will want it more.
So, create a sense of urgency by making this special offer and opportunity to sign-up time-sensitive. For example, “Sign up now and get 20% off your first order. Hurry! This offer is only good for 24-hours.”
When it comes to the presentation of opt-ins, timing is everything. Presenting an opt-in pop-up too quickly or too late will impact the user response. If you throw a pop-up at potential customers immediately after they enter your site, it is likely they will close out of it, as they haven’t had the chance to explore your site yet. If the pop-up appears too late, you miss your window of opportunity.
So how do you gauge when the time is right? First, you have to understand the behavior of your users and their intent when navigating your site. Determine what they are searching for, as this will help you pinpoint their interest. Then, assess how your current pop-up offers are performing. If they are doing well, your timing is probably on point. If not, you should adjust based on traffic to your pages and what users are searching for within them. Another option is to A/B test some time options to see which performs the best.
Creativity goes a long way, so the presentation of your opt-in offer needs to stand out. Get creative with your design and content. Start with a simple yes or no question to entice curiosity, include a graphic or visual, or even a gif that is relevant and relatable to your target audience. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it reflects the uniqueness of your brand and pertains to your target audience.
The easier it is for subscribers to sign-up, the better. Don’t ask for too much information; keep it straightforward. For example, only ask for their name and email address or even consider a single-step sign-up process. The more complicated and prolonged the sign-up process, the less likely an individual will subscribe.
Finally, make sure to research competitors to ensure that your sign-up incentive is unique and competitive. Otherwise, you won’t be as likely to see as high of a conversion rate as you could. So do something different than your competitors, but make sure whatever it is, it’s likely to deliver results.
If you’re looking to increase opt-ins from your email content and improve brand recognition for your business, contact Zero Gravity Marketing. Our team of experts is experienced in all things marketing, and we can help your business see the best results.