A primary focus of every blog, no matter what the niche, no matter what the ultimate goal, should be email list growth.
Let's think about this for a second…
- Creating Content
- Trying to get people to read our content
The first one is easy, it's our purpose in life as bloggers to create content. If you struggle with creating content then blogging might not be the best occupation for you…
However, getting people to read our content… That's the tough one. That's where the professional bloggers really separate themselves from the amateurs… That “T” word we all try so hard to act like we don't care about but desperately yearn for every second of every day… TRAFFIC.
We all want more traffic.
So we Tweet and we post on Facebook and start discussions on Google+ and add comments in LinkedIn Groups and pin things to Pinterest and add our posts to StumbleUpon and Digg and BlogEngage and BizSugar.
Then we start guest posting wherever we can and do blog commenting campaigns all over the Internet.
Next we doing video tutorials of tips and tricks we learn and post them on YouTube.
Finally… We start a Podcast and give everything we know away for free 30 minutes at a time.
And traffic rolls in.
It's nice to see your traffic numbers increase… But with all this activity you'd think the numbers would be higher?
You're working so hard, you're Pat Flynn Everywhere and it just doesn't seem like you're gaining traction.
The problem is… You AREN'T gaining traction because you have NO EMAIL LIST!
The Importance of Email List Growth
You work so hard to get new traffic… But what about the people who've already been to your website?
To grow traffic quickly and consistently the traffic you've already gotten to visit your website must be returning for more in addition to all the new traffic you generate.
Does that make sense? Here's an example:
Say I'm the very first person to visit your website and I like what I see. I subscribe by email. Then the next article you write I'm notified by email and I come back.
Now you write a second article that attracts one new person.
Traffic post #1 = 1 (just me)
Traffic post #2 = 2 (me and a new person)
Let's say the new person likes what they see and subscribes by email as well.
Now your post #3 will have me, the new person from post #2 and any new traffic you get on post #3…
Do you see the snowball effect when you make email list growth a priority?
As your email list grows… so grows your blog traffic!
If you don't get me to subscribe to your email list (or some other subscription like RSS) then there is no guarantee, even though I enjoyed your content, that I'm ever going to return to your blog…
So you continually have to work hard to get the same amount of traffic.
Free eBooks Drive Huge Email List Growth
Giving away information (Think FREE) is a great way to get the attention of potential blog subscribers…
Your blog readers are lazy.
They might be interested in subscribing but the simple act of entering their email address prevents them. However, throw in a reasonably well designed eBook with some good solid information and the barrier comes crashing down.
Email list growth becomes almost guaranteed.
I just did this with my new free eBook the No BS Guide to a Successful Blog.
I created this eBook using the Anthologize plugin for WordPress and Fiverr.com.
Total cost $5.
The eBook itself is a collection of blog posts that I am very proud of and tell a no nonsense story about the mental side of blogging success.
The title is a little vulgar, (actually Ms. Ileane edited the real title just in case your little sister is reading this blog post) it's a little raw and very to the point… Meaning, it attracts attention.
There was a time when I didn't think giving away a free eBook in exchange for subscribing to an email list was a good idea. After a few months I can tell you that I didn't know what the heck I was talking about when I wrote that blog post.
Email list growth is crucial to your success as a blogger and giving away a free eBook is probably the easiest and most secure way of growing that list.
The Rub
Think of the free eBook you give away in exchange for an email list subscription as the reader's introduction to your material…
You want huge email list growth? Sure you do…
Introduce your audience to how awesome you are with a Free eBook. If they like the eBook, they'll stay on the email list… And keep coming back to your content over and over again.
Then your traffic with explode and money will rain from the sky…
And you will be happy.
Thank you and Good luck!