With active subscribers, your newsletter can help you nurture leads, drive conversions, and build a loyal community around your brand. However, growing a robust newsletter subscriber base is often easier said than done. The challenge lies not only in attracting new subscribers but also in maintaining a healthy list.
Remember, your email database isn’t permanent or fixed. Some contacts will become inactive, while others opt out over time. This makes the entire process feel like a constant uphill battle, where the losses often offset your gains in subscribers.
But it’s not all bad news! There are measures you can take to consistently attract new subscribers, keep your existing ones engaged, and manage the inevitable fluctuations in your email list.
15 ways to grow newsletter subscribers
Have you been wondering how to grow newsletter subscribers and retain a dedicated audience? Let’s explore 15 proven techniques:
1. Create the content your audience desires
First on our tips on how to increase newsletter subscribers: Create content your audience loves. Content that resonates deeply with its audience is at the core of any successful email newsletter. However, this is not just something you jump right into. You need to start by understanding the type of content your audience truly wants to get their attention and keep them coming back for more.
So, start by researching what your audience cares about, what challenges they face, and what solutions they seek. You can conduct surveys, analyze your past newsletter engagement metrics, and even review feedback from your existing subscribers to gain insights into their preferences.
Once you’re certain of the type of content your audience wants to see, it’s time to create the content. Here are key tips on how to grow newsletter subscribers through content:
- Provide value: First, ensure your newsletter content offers value to the readers. Whether it’s actionable advice, industry insights, or an in-depth analysis, it shouldn’t be something they can just easily get elsewhere.
- Focus on niche topics: Covering niche topics that aren’t widely discussed can set your newsletter apart from the competition. By addressing specific, targeted issues within your industry or area of expertise, you will build authority and attract a dedicated audience that’s eager for specialized content.
- Diversify your content formats: Different people consume content in different ways. While some might prefer in-depth articles, others enjoy infographics, videos, or quick tips. Offering a mix of content formats will keep your newsletter engaging and cater to the varied preferences of your audience.
- Personalize your content: If you already have data on your subscribers’ preferences, use it to personalize the content they receive. Personalized content makes subscribers feel valued, leading to higher engagement rates.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content until you find what resonates most with your audience. However, maintain a consistent voice and style that aligns with your brand identity.
2. Cover the latest trends and events
Knowing how to get subscribers to your newsletter means knowing how to keep up with the times.
Staying relevant is crucial to growing your newsletter subscribers because people shun content that’s stale. When your newsletter becomes a go-to source for timely, up-to-date information, you naturally attract a broader audience eager to stay informed.
So, cover the latest trends and events in your industry.
To have the most impact, ensure you are among the first to report on these trends and events. So, set up alerts, follow key industry influencers, and monitor relevant news outlets to ensure you’re always on top of what’s happening.
Also, don’t just report the news. Instead, offer your unique perspective. Remember your subscribers are looking for added value that sets you apart from other newsletters hitting their inboxes.
You can analyze how these trends and events impact your industry. Provide in-depth analysis, forecast future developments, and share actionable advice, like the example below does. Doing this adds more value to your content and positions your newsletter as an authority in your field.
Additionally, you can have an edition where you invite industry experts to contribute their thoughts on the latest trends, as in this Google newsletter example.
Featuring guest opinions or interviews with these experts will add credibility to your newsletter. It will also allow you to tap into the expert’s audience, expanding your newsletter reach further.
3. Choose clean and attractive designs
Those who know how to grow a newsletter subscriber base will tell you the design is just as important as the content. A clean, attractive design can significantly enhance the reader’s experience, which will boost newsletter engagement levels and attract new subscribers.
What are clean and attractive designs?
Pay attention to simplicity and readability. Avoid newsletter designs with cluttered layouts. Choose those with a clean, organized structure that guides the reader through the content. The designs should also allow for ample white spaces around your content to achieve that clean look that enhances readability.
Additionally, they should have a clear content hierarchy with headers, subheaders, and bullet points, like in the example above. These elements make it easy for readers to scan the newsletter and quickly grasp the main points without feeling overwhelmed.
Visual elements like images, graphics, and infographics also make your newsletter more engaging and attractive. So, ensure your newsletter design allows you to incorporate them.
If you’re not a design expert or simply want to save time, consider using GetResponse’s free newsletter template designs.
These professionally designed templates are visually appealing and optimized for readability and mobile devices. Our drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to tweak the layout, add your content, and incorporate your brand elements, helping you create well-designed newsletters in minutes.
4. Optimize for mobile
With 41.9% of email views coming from mobile phones, optimizing your newsletter for mobile users has become key to getting new subscribers. If your newsletter isn’t mobile-friendly, you also risk losing a significant portion of your audience. Readers will abandon a newsletter that’s impossible to navigate on their phones.
To optimize your newsletter for mobile users, use a responsive design. This design ensures your newsletter automatically adjusts to fit the screen of any device, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, or desktop. As a result, images, text, and buttons resize appropriately, providing a seamless reading experience across all platforms.
Opt for a single-column layout that stacks content vertically, making it easier for readers to scroll through the email. Also, use legible font size for your body text and heading. You typically need to use larger fonts for smaller screens.
Design your clickable elements like buttons and links with mobile phone touch screens in mind. Make sure your call-to-action buttons are large enough to be easily tapped with a finger. Additionally, space out links and buttons to prevent accidental clicks, which can frustrate users.
Modern email newsletter software, like GetResponse, offers mobile-optimized templates that adapt to various screen sizes. These templates make it easy to create mobile-friendly newsletters without extensive coding knowledge.
5. Use strong lead magnets
Ask anyone who knows how to build newsletter subscribers for advice, and they’ll probably tell you this first: Focus on your lead magnets.
A lead magnet is a valuable piece of content or an incentive you offer to potential subscribers in exchange for email addresses. Great examples of lead magnets include eBooks, guides, checklists, free courses, discount codes, templates, and webinars.
Now let’s discuss how to get newsletter subscribers consistently through lead magnets.
The more appealing and relevant your lead magnet is to your target audience, the more likely they are to subscribe. So, ensure you deeply understand your target audience’s needs. What are their pain points?
Your lead magnet also needs to offer real and immediate value. It could be in the form of downloadable resources or exclusive actionable tips that help your audience solve a specific problem, like this one:
It’s a given that lead magnets are one of the most effective strategies for growing your newsletter subscribers. That means, on their own, you can already expect excellent results. Now imagine what would happen if you went out of your way to maximize their impact. It’s safe to say you’d generate even better results from your email list growing efforts, right?
That said, how can you maximize the impact of your lead magnets? Easy.
Promote them across multiple channels. You can include them on your website, through pop-ups, slide-ins, dedicated landing pages, or within relevant blog posts. You can also promote them through social media, paid advertising, and any other platforms where you’re certain your target audience is active.
6. Create a dedicated newsletter sign-up page
The primary purpose of a dedicated sign-up page is to eliminate distractions and drive users toward a single goal–subscribing to your newsletter. Focusing on one clear and compelling CTA increases the likelihood of website visitors following through and signing up. That’s why experienced marketers who already know fully well how to increase subscribers to newsletter emails never forgo this strategy.
See how this newsletter sign-up page does this. It sticks with one CTA and doesn’t include unnecessary links to other web pages to avoid distracting visitors from signing up.
Keep your sign-up form straightforward, as in the example above, to avoid frustrating potential newsletter subscribers. Usually, just an email address and a name is sufficient. The less the information you ask for on your newsletter sign-up form, the better.
Besides that, ensure your sign-up page clearly communicates the benefits of subscribing to your newsletter. What will your audience gain by signing up? Specify it, whether it’s exclusive content, valuable tips, updates on the latest trends, or access to special offers.
Additionally, include social proof to encourage credibility and earn new visitors’ trust, which will boost your conversion rates. Key examples of social proof are testimonials from current subscribers, the current number of subscribers, case studies, and partner logos.
7. Incorporate multiple sharing options
By making it easy for your current subscribers to share your content, you tap into their networks and attract new readers interested in what you have to offer.
One of the most straightforward sharing options is to include social media sharing buttons within your newsletter. This will encourage subscribers to share the content they find valuable with their social media followers.
Your social sharing buttons should be prominently placed, at the top or bottom of your newsletter. Link to major social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Another great option is the ‘Forward to a Friend’ or ‘Share with a Friend” link or button.
By including this option, you encourage your current subscribers to share your newsletter with someone they know might be interested. This personal recommendation often carries more weight than a social media post because it’s a direct endorsement from a friend they most likely trust.
8. Promote via social media and other channels
Social media is one of the most effective tools for promoting your newsletter. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow you to reach a diverse audience and drive traffic to your newsletter sign-up page.
But don’t just include a link to your sign-up page in your posts. Give your followers a sneak peek of what they can expect from your newsletter, too. Share snippets, exclusive insights, or highlights from your latest edition as visual content. Such content piques social media users’ curiosity and can encourage them to subscribe to your newsletter for full access.
On a platform like X, you create threads that share valuable insights you’ve covered in your newsletter. Then, pitch your newsletter as a way for your followers or social media users to get more of such content, as the example below does.
Besides social media, there are several other digital channels you can use to promote your newsletter, including:
- Website: Include sign-up forms on your homepage, sidebar, and within a relevant blog post.
- Email signature: Incorporate a link to your newsletter sign-up page in your email signature. This is a simple yet effective way to promote your newsletter in every email you send.
- Guest blogging: Writing guest blog posts for other blogs in your niche is an excellent way to reach new audiences. You can use this opportunity to include a link to your newsletter signup page in your author bio or within the content.
- Online forums: Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and niche-specific forums are also great for promoting your newsletter. However, don’t just pitch your newsletter out of the blue. Instead, participate in discussions where you offer valuable insights, then include a link to your newsletter where relevant.
Don’t overlook the potential of offline promotion. If you host or attend industry events, speak at conferences, or have a physical store, you can promote your newsletter in these settings. This will complement your digital efforts and help you reach audiences who might not be as active online.
9. Collaborate with influencers and other newsletters
Partnering with other newsletters or influencers can be a mutually beneficial way to grow your subscriber base.
Cross-promotion with other newsletters works best if they cover topics related to your own but don’t directly compete with you. For example, if your newsletter focuses on digital marketing, partner with a newsletter that covers social media trends. The key is to find newsletters that offer complementary content, so the partnership feels natural to both audiences.
With the right partners, you can go ahead and use effective cross-promotion strategies that help you grow your newsletter subscribers. They include exchanging newsletter mentions, creating joint content or co-authored special editions, and running joint giveaways and contests–which we’ll discuss later.
Check out how The Pineapple Collaborative partnered with Caviar to share their editorial series “The Restaurant”.
To find the ideal influencers to collaborate with, find those who are active in your industry or niche and have a strong engagement rate with their followers. You can use the search feature on social media platforms or tools like BuzzSumo.
Once you’ve identified suitable niche influencers, work with them to create content that promotes your newsletter. Whatever this content is, ensure it highlights your newsletter’s value and includes a clear CTA that encourages more email subscriptions.
10. Giveaways and contests
Learning how to grow newsletter subscribers doesn’t have to be hard. You can start by leveraging easy-to-organize giveaways and contests. The psychology behind giveaways and contests is simple: People love the chance to win something for free. By offering a prize, you create a sense of excitement that motivates them to take an action like subscribing to your newsletter.
To effectively use giveaways and contests to grow your newsletter subscribers, start by choosing the prize. Your prize should be something that isn’t only valuable but also relevant to your target audience. For instance, a digital marketing agency can offer a free consultation, a premium online course, or exclusive access to marketing tools.
Next, set a clear deadline for the giveaway or contest, and regularly remind your audience as the deadline approaches. Limited-time offers create a fear of missing out (FOMO), which can encourage people to act quickly and subscribe before the opportunity ends.
To further extend your reach, encourage participants to share the contest with their networks. In fact, you can make this step part of your entry requirements. For instance, you can ask participants to like and comment on your social media posts, and then share the contest on their social media platforms.
11. Conduct surveys
Conducting surveys is an interactive way to engage your audience while simultaneously gathering valuable insights about them. This is data that can guide you on how to grow your newsletter subscribers.
For instance, your survey data can help inform your newsletter content strategy. This way, you can invest in more valuable content that keeps your audience engaged and more likely to remain subscribed. The content may also turn them into brand ambassadors, who help grow your newsletter’s reach.
However, in general, people don’t like filling out surveys. So, ensure you package yours in a way that entices people to take them.
Keep your survey short, focused, and easy to complete. It should ideally take your participants less than 8 minutes to complete.
Use a mix of question types, such as multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions, to make your survey more interactive. The variety will also help you collect both quantitative and qualitative data. For example, you could ask questions like:
- What type of content would you like to see more of in our newsletter (with multiple choices)?
- On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with our current newsletter content (1 = Not satisfied at all, 10 = Extremely satisfied)?
- How often would you like to receive our newsletter (with multiple choices)?
- Is there a specific topic or issue you’d like us to cover more in our newsletter?
Finally, offer a great incentive. When participants see a tangible benefit to completing the survey, they are more likely to take it.
12. Encourage community contributions
Leveraging community contributions or user-generated content (UGC) is crucial for two key reasons.
- UGC is often seen as more relatable and trustworthy than branded content. It resonates more with your audience. As a result, they are more likely to perceive your newsletter as a credible information source worth subscribing to.
- It builds trust and loyalty among your readers. When people see their contributions are valued and featured, they’re more likely to remain engaged and recommend your newsletter to others. This sense of community and involvement can help you get newsletter subscribers easily.
To encourage community contributions, directly ask your readers to submit various forms of content. They include photos, videos, testimonials, success stories, tips, or creative works related to your newsletter’s theme. For instance, check out these design tips from a user featured by 99designs in their newsletter.
You can also leverage social media platforms to collect UGC. Encourage your followers to tag your brand in their posts or use a branded hashtag when sharing content. Then, pick the best submissions and feature them in your newsletter.
Alternatively, run UGC campaigns that encourage your audience to create and share content around a specific theme. For instance, if your newsletter focuses on fitness, you could ask your target audience to share workout routines or transformation stories.
Promote your campaigns on various marketing channels, and offer incentives like a feature in the next issue or a small relevant prize, to encourage participation.
13. Be regular and consistent
Consistency is key to retaining and growing your subscriber base. When you stick to a regular publishing schedule, it becomes a part of your subscribers’ routine. This reliability and predictability boosts, not just open rates, but also subscriber loyalty. These loyal subscribers are the ones who are more likely to promote your email content to others.
Creating a great content calendar is one of the most practical ways to ensure consistency. The calendar enables you to plan your newsletters weeks or months in advance–you map out the topics, themes, and special content for each issue.
This preparation helps you avoid last-minute scrambles, ensuring you always have content ready to go. However, choose a realistic schedule and newsletter frequency that allow you to comfortably send out your newsletter without compromising on quality.
The other key solution is automation. With email automation software like GetResponse, you can schedule your newsletters to ensure they’re sent out at optimal times for maximum engagement and on time, even if you’re busy or unavailable.
It also allows you to plan and send drip campaigns or sequences that keep your email subscribers engaged without requiring constant manual effort.
Overall, being regular and consistent is a great strategy to implement as a brand. When you know how to get more newsletter subscribers this way, you can enhance your brand image, too.
14. Clean your email list
A clean email list not only improves your deliverability and engagement rates but also enhances the overall effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. By focusing on quality over quantity, you ensure your emails reach those genuinely interested in your content. These are the people who are more likely to share your newsletters with other potential new subscribers.
Plus, many email marketing platforms charge based on the number of email contacts you have. So, keeping a clean list means you’re not paying for inactive or uninterested subscribers, allowing you to maximize your marketing budget and get a better return on investment.
Audit your email list regularly—ideally every few months. The process involves reviewing your subscriber data, identifying any patterns of inactivity, and making necessary adjustments.
15. Monitor results and tweak your strategy
Here’s how to grow newsletter subscribers easily: Monitor your newsletter performance. Metrics help you understand what’s working and what isn’t. With this knowledge, you can make adjustments to optimize your email strategy to retain newsletter subscribers. For instance, you can optimize aspects like your content strategy, send times, and newsletter design.
And when your subscribers are happy, they’ll likely continue spreading the good word about your newsletter to other potential readers.
Some key metrics you should monitor include:
- Open rates: Indicate how many subscribers open your emails. They show how effective your subject lines are and overall interest in your newsletter content.
- Click-through rates: Show the percentage of subscribers who click on links within your email. It’s a crucial metric for assessing how engaging and relevant your content is.
- Conversion rates: Measure how many subscribers take a desired action after clicking a link.
- Bounce rates: Track undeliverable emails, helping you identify issues with your email list, such as outdated or invalid addresses.
- Unsubscribe rates: Show how many people opt out of your emails, providing insight into whether your content continues to meet subscribers’ expectations.
- Spam complaints: This metric monitors how often your emails are marked as spam, which can impact your sender reputation and deliverability.
Remember, what works today might not work tomorrow. So, ensure you continually monitor and refine your approach to meet the evolving needs of your audience.
Conclusion
There you have it: 15 key strategies and best practices that guide you on how to grow newsletter subscribers.
Start by creating great content for your target audience. Then, ensure you cover the latest trends or events, choose a great newsletter design, optimize for mobile users, use strong lead magnets, and create a dedicated signup page.
To boost engagement and your newsletter’s reach, promote your newsletter on various marketing channels, use multiple sharing options, and collaborate with influencers or other newsletters. Also, host online contests, conduct audience surveys, encourage user-generated content, maintain a consistent schedule, and regularly clean your email list.
Don’t forget to consistently monitor your newsletter’s performance and optimize your strategy to achieve sustained growth. Best of luck!