This post is designed to get your most burning email marketing questions for bloggers answered. Discover why email marketing is essential for bloggers and how to make it profitable for you.
This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase using an affiliate link I may get a few bucks, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. To learn more, read the Affiliate Disclosure.
Bloggers and online business owners of all types can benefit from putting email marketing to work. It’s still a bit of a mystery for some bloggers though, and can seem overwhelming. The following ten questions are the most often asked by bloggers I know (including my coaching clients). Let’s clear up some confusion, end the overwhelm, and get you making money with your list!
What is email marketing?
Let’s start with one of the most basic email marketing questions bloggers want answered. What is email marketing? Email marketing is a targeted way to reach your readers, directly in their email inbox.
It’s simple really. You put a form on your website inviting a reader to join your list. Once on your list, subscribers receive emails from you. Called broadcasts or newsletters, they are emails you’ll send your list on a regular basis.
The email marketing service you choose collects and manages your subscriber list. By using an email marketing service your list is compliant with anti-spamming laws. It has better overall reach than if you were trying to email hundreds of people from your own gmail account. It’s professional, industry standard and offers numerous features that help your blog grow as a business.
Why do bloggers need to use email marketing?
Email marketing allows bloggers to connect with readers in a personal way and turn them into loyal fans.
Let’s walk through the process. You write your blog posts and implement SEO best practices to attract readers. People find your blog post, read it and take an action.
That action might be closing your site and moving on, or reading another post on your site. Or they see your sign up form and enter their email address.
As they click “Submit” on your signup form, they go from random reader on your blog to engaged subscriber who wants more.
By joining your list, readers connect with you in a more intimate way. This intimacy gives you a wonderful opportunity to connect and be of service. With every email you send, you further share your personality and expertise. Your subscribers get to know, like and trust you, growing into your raving fans.
When you share a link to a blog post, your subscribers will be back on your blog. Your subscribers will be the first to want your new products and follow your affiliate recommendations. They’ll be first to sign up for your live webinar events and giveaways.
Your email list is the most powerful tool in your marketing strategy as a blogger. Your subscribers are your true fans.
No matter how good your SEO, how solid your social media following, there’s nobody out there like your subscribers. When you own your list, your reach is not vulnerable to the whims of Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
When readers share their email address with you they become the people most likely to buy what you sell. That’s the power of email marketing for bloggers.
What email marketing service is best for bloggers?
ConvertKit is my favorite email marketing service (and I’ve used a bunch over the years). ConvertKit is what I use and what I always recommend to bloggers who want to grow and make money.
The ConvertKit Free Plan includes everything you need to get started, for up to 1000 subscribers. With the Free Plan you can build a list, send newsletters (aka broadcasts), and tag and segment your subscribers. You can also create beautiful signup forms and landing pages, send free downloads, and even sell digital products or services.
ConvertKit has a free WordPress plugin that makes it easy to add your sign up forms and landing pages to your site.
When you’re ready, you’ll upgrade to the ConvertKit Complete Plan for full access to automations and integrations. The Complete Plan will allow you to create sequences and funnels. You can also integrate with top ecommerce, course creation and webinar platforms.
The bottom line is email marketing is a must have for your blogging business, if you’re serious about making money.
For a full review and comparison of ConvertKit with other email marketing systems I’ve used, read Best Email Marketing Services for Bloggers.
How do I get subscribers on my list?
The first step to growing an engaged email list is to know who readers are and who your ideal subscriber is. You can get clear on this necessary step with my free Niche Smarts for Bloggers Workbook.
Once you know who your readers and ideal subscribers are, and you know what they want most, you will create your first lead magnet. Also known as a freebie or list incentive, this is the free gift you offer to entice readers to enter their email address and join your list.
The most effective lead magnets will provide value to your reader and be directly related to solving a problem or filling a need they have. Some great ideas for freebies are workbooks, checklists, planners, ebooks and templates. For example…
Free Niche Smarts Workbook
Once you’ve got a lead magnet ready to go, you’ll create signup forms and a landing page for your website. Then you can share the link to that freebie landing page across social media, Pinterest, at the end of videos, in Clubhouse rooms and everywhere else you find your ideal subscribers.
ConvertKit lets you create unlimited sign up forms and landing pages, deliver your freebie download, send unlimited broadcasts and even sell digital products. It’s free up to 1000 subscribers. Start your Free ConvertKit Trial now!
How do I write good subject lines for my emails?
Once you have a list started, you’ll need to start sending them broadcasts. Sometimes called Newsletters (but it’s really not a good description, but who on earth wants to read a newsletter anyway? 🙄) your broadcasts are emails you’ll use to create connection with your subscribers, share promotions, recommend affiliate products and above all, provide value directly related to their top interests and needs.
Your email subject lines can make or break all of your efforts. Too many time I’ve seen a blogger craft a really solid broadcast and then throwaway the subject line with something like “Newsletter for April”. Ouch! Nobody is going to open that, except maybe your mom. Maybe.
Start by looking in your own inbox and notice the subject lines that catch your eye. Which emails are you likely to open, and which are you likely to delete? Make note of the best subject lines from the lists you’re on and practice applying that style to your own email broadcasts.
Find more tips on how to write catchy subject lines, and get more emails opened in this post >> How to Increase Your Email Open Rates: Tips for Bloggers.
How can I make money with email marketing?
Did you know that bloggers with an email list earn over 400% more than those who don’t? Read that again. Over 400% more!! 🤯 Is that statistic an exaggeration? Honestly, I don’t know for sure, but based on my experience is rings true. I didn’t conduct my own research, I read that stat from a trusted course creator. But honestly, even if the reality is 100% more, I’m here for it!
Hubspot reports the average ROI on email marketing is around $38 for every $1 spent, or an incredible 3800% ROI. And the numbers only climb from there.
Email marketing is even more critical if you’re in a competitive niche. While you never want to skip over implementing solid SEO as part of your marketing strategy, your list can be growing and earning for you even while you slowly creep your way up Google’s ranking algorithm.
OK, you’re convinced email marketing can make you some money. But how?
You start with targeted subscribers, you nurture that relationship by giving them all the value you can in the form of quick wins, tips and free resources, knowledge and how-to’s, and your good humor and personality. Then, you offer your own products, services and affiliate recommendations.
As your subscribers get to know, like and trust you, they’ll be eager to follow your recommendations and purchase what you love. And they’ll be grabbing up your own products, or hiring you as their coach or service provider. That’s where the money is.
Even without your own products or services, you can make money as a blogger with affiliate marketing. Read Affiliate Marketing Basics for Bloggers Who Want to Make Money and get started asap.
How often should I email my list?
Your email frequency will vary based on your niche, your comfort level with sharing personal stories related to your readers’ needs and how often you have a special event or free offer to promote. At a minimum, you should aim to schedule an email broadcast twice each month.
Less than twice a month, and your subscribers will lose interest in what you have to say. Writing inconsistently increases your unsubscribe rate and lowers your open rates.
Remember, email marketing is about building and nurturing a relationship with your readers. Nurture your list by staying in touch and sharing value regularly, and you’ll have a loyal following.
Experiment to see what works for your subscribers. Aim for weekly email broadcasts, never less than monthly and expect to send extra emails some weeks when there’s something special to share.
On the other hand, don’t overdo it. Notice the email broadcasts you get from the bloggers you follow. What’s a frequency that works for you as a subscriber? Some folks go overboard, and if I see their name in my inbox multiple times a week, I’m very likely to unsubscribe. The only exception is if I’m already a big fan of their work, and they only do the heavy campaigns occasionally.
What if I haven’t written to my list in months?
Many bloggers start a list early and then get distracted by the other hundred things your new blog needs. That’s OK, it happens!
So if it’s been a few months since you sent an email to your list, you need to ease back in. Don’t start emailing them multiple times a week all of a sudden. And do not start emailing them about sales and promotions without warming them up!
You don’t need to write a long apology or explanation about why you haven’t written. It’s not a great use of time, and it can often come across as super awkward. Nobody really cares, honestly, unless it pertains to them directly.
Expect a few unsubscribes when you start emailing your list again, and be grateful for everyone who leaves your list. Your goal is engaged subscribers who want what you have to offer. After an absence from their inbox, some of your subscribers will have forgotten who you are. Others will no longer be interested in what you have to say.
Others will welcome you back in, but you’ll still need to ramp up slowly before you settle into a weekly email broadcast routine. Don’t write less than twice a month if you want to stay relevant.
Be interested in your subscribers’ feedback about email frequency. Analyze your email open rates to get an idea of what email frequency works best for your audience.
What should I write about in my emails?
This is one of the most common email marketing questions bloggers want answered.
With every email you send, you build a relationship with your subscribers. That relationship helps them get to know you, like you and trust you. As that trust builds, your readers will be ready to purchase your products, services or affiliate recommendations.
So what goes into your email broadcasts is content that serves your subscriber first. Write in a storytelling style that helps your reader get to know you. Don’t just send an email that says you have a new blog post. Those emails are totally impersonal and they waste a huge opportunity to connect on a more meaningful level.
Write your emails with an intimate feel, as if you’re writing to a friend with a hot tip you know they’ll love. As you start to email your readers, they will reply and get back in touch with you. Pay attention to what they’re saying and use those questions and comments to craft your emails.
Let your audience tell you what they want
Google Analytics will provide plenty of information about where your blog readers come from, what page on your blog they landed on and where on your site they joined your list. That data along with demographical information gives you a good sense of who your readers are and what attracts them.
Your readers’ actions tell you a lot. Pay attention and you’ll know which of your blog posts are most popular, which freebies get the most subscribers, and which affiliate recommendations get the most interest. Also pay attention to what kinds of emails you write that get opened the most.
Join Facebook groups and Clubhouse rooms where your ideal readers hang out. Take note of the questions they ask, the advice they’re seeking and the kinds of recommendations they respond to.
You can also ask your readers directly what they are most interested in receiving from you. You can ask your readers to fill out a simple little survey. It’s quick and easy to create with Google forms. You get some good data and you get your readers to interact. Asking for their input lets your readers know you value them too.
The better you know your readers, followers and subscribers, the more effective your email marketing efforts will be.
Read What to Send Your Email List: Email Marketing Tips for Bloggers and check out The Hot List. This course includes an ebook with 52 writing prompts for your email broadcasts, plus a ton of other incredible content.
What’s the best course to learn email marketing?
This is one of those email marketing questions from bloggers that is easily answered! The best course to learn email marketing is Krista Dickson’s The Hot List.
How would it feel to have an email list filled with targeted subscribers who were not only happy to hear from you, but excited to buy from you too?
Krista Dickson’s excellent course, The Hot List, is designed to help bloggers and course creators build a successful business with email marketing.
There’s only one thing more gut-wrenching than logging into your email list platform and seeing that you’ve gained a total of zero new subscribers this week… and that’s logging into your business bank account and seeing the same goose-egg starting back at you, but with a dollar sign in front. 👀 Not exactly what you envisioned when you started your business, is it?
Krista Dickson, The Hot List
When I first opened this course I was blown away! It’s insane how much high quality content and valuable bonuses she’s included!
The Hot List is an online self guided course you can follow at your own pace. It covers:
- how to create an optin freebie your readers want
- the six most irresistible freebie ideas
- the 5 C’s of high converting landing pages
- creating tripwires that make you money while you sleep
- the secrets of successful sales funnels
- how to plan 30 days of content in 10 minutes
- 52 binge-worthy newsletter prompts
- how to craft must-open subject lines
- using social media and Pinterest to grow your list
- how to monetize your list and make money
The Hot List has bonuses too!
Krista also includes this boatload of awesome income-changing bonuses:
- a vault of video tutorials for every tool you’ll need to grow a profitable email list
- spellbinding sales page template with plug-n-play copy hacks that’ll have your offers flying off the virtual shelves
- a behind-the-scenes look at her email sales funnel from her own business, written by a professional copywriter
- 70+ design templates in Canva and Adobe format to help you create freebies your readers will love!
This course covers everything you could ever want to make email marketing a gold mine for your business. With videos, tutorials, swipe files and templates, you get every angle covered.
If you’re serious about making money as a blogger and online business owner, you need to learn email marketing. You also need to learn how to create lead magnets, build sales funnels and set up tripwires. You’ll need to understand how to nurture your list and inspire engagement from your subscribers. You’ll need solid sales pages that convert.
You could take 2-5 different courses to master all of this. Plus you’ll want to buy a nice set of templates and swipe copy. Or you can grab The Hot List by Krista Dickson and get all of that in one package! Seriously, I was stunned when I saw how much good stuff she packed in here. And you buy it once, and you’ve got access for life. 🤯
This course is perfect for you if you’ve started a list, but it’s not growing well or making any money.
It’s also excellent for the serious beginner, who hasn’t started email marketing yet. If you want to get it right from day one, this course is for you! Grab your Free Trial for ConvertKit first and then get yourself enrolled in The Hot List.
What are your top questions about email marketing?
I hope this post answered some of your most burning questions about email marketing for bloggers, but if I missed the one you really want to know, ask me in a comment below.
If you’re tired of flying solo and would love some one-on-one support to start building your list and making money working from home, schedule a consultation to learn more about my Mom Boss Coaching program.
More Posts You’ll Love
- Why Email Marketing for Bloggers Matters (and How to Start for Free)
- 7 Effective Ways for Bloggers to Connect with Readers
- Best Email Marketing Services for Bloggers
- What to Send Your Email List: Email Marketing Tips for Bloggers
- Affiliate Marketing Basics for Bloggers Who Want to Make Money
- How to Increase Email Open Rate: Tips for Bloggers
Heather Cottrell is a single mom blogger, business coach and marketing professional. She started her first business and blog in 2005 as a health coach, and years later evolved into a WordPress web designer and business coach for women wellness coaches. In 2020 Heather launched Single Mom Bloggers to help stressed moms create freedom with a blog or business to make money working from home. Learn more about Heather Cottrell here and at HeatherCottrell.com.
This is really informative!
Glad you found it helpful!