The competitive online world has revealed just how powerful a solid email list can be. Having your emails in your readers' inboxes increases awareness and engagement. Plus, advertisers value an active and engaged audience.
But the challenge for publishers is creating effective, user-friendly ways to acquire subscribers, while also establishing multiple ways to continually engage with them in their inboxes.
To acquire new email subscribers, digital publishers and media organizations are streamlining the sign-up process by personalizing the experience, leveraging lead magnets, utilizing interactive content, promoting across platforms, and ensuring consistent quality.
Simple, strategically placed prompts ensure an optimal experience
It should be easy to get subscribers to sign up for your email list. If the sign-up process is confusing or intrusive, it can turn off potential subscribers. To make the sign-up process smoother and more friendly, publishers are keeping strategic placement, simplifying the process, and building trust in mind.
A website is a publisher's first impression. Strategically placed pop-ups on sign-up forms and exit intent pop-ups provide a smooth experience and multiple opportunities to collect required information. And when it comes to on-site sign-up forms, successful publishers only ask for mandatory fields like email address and name.
Assuring subscribers that their data is secure by citing GDPR compliance and other data protection standards, plus ensuring an easy opt-out process, will make them more likely to feel comfortable providing you with their information.
By tailoring our offerings based on our readers’ preferences, we deliver a satisfying, personalized experience.
Digital publishers have evolved to be much more than online replicas of print editions. With a wealth of content options, readers crave a personalized touch, and strategic segmentation can help meet this need.
When subscribers can select their favorite topics from a website, publishers can deliver content that interests them. This, along with leveraging email marketing platforms that track how readers engage with content, allows publishers to tailor their offerings based on these insights to better match subscriber preferences. By customizing content suggestions to match readers' interests, publishers can create a more engaging and satisfying reader experience.
Exclusive access and previews capture your readers' attention
In today's digital environment, great content alone is not enough. Publishers need something special to grab readers' attention. One powerful strategy is to use lead magnets such as exclusive previews, webinars, or other events.
Who doesn't love being ahead of the curve? Giving your readers a sneak peek is a great way to grab their attention. Whether you have a must-read report or an in-depth article that's sure to get people talking, a little teaser can go a long way to garnering their attention.
Another way publishers can differentiate themselves is by hosting exclusive webinars and events with industry professionals. Providing subscribers with early access makes these events must-attend and positions the publisher's platform as a go-to source for expertise and community.
Interactive content is the primary method of first-party data collection
As third-party cookies are phased out, publishers can create interactive content to collect email addresses and other direct insights.
For example, if your publisher partners with a real estate company, you could create a quiz called “Design Your Dream Home” that includes a question asking readers if they plan to sell their home in the next six months. Similar quizzes can be created for any industry. Not only is a quiz a fun and engaging experience for your visitors, it's also a direct channel for collecting important data.
Publishers can also leverage other platforms and partners to conduct real-time polls on current events and industry preferences, providing valuable insights into their audience's needs. To turn this into another channel for collecting contact information, publishers can provide email updates on the results of the polls, as well as relevant exclusive content.
Decades later, email remains a powerful force, especially when it comes to advertising revenue. Larger email lists mean more readers and engagement, attracting advertisers who value an active audience. Cross-platform promotion through social media, collaborations, and offline events can further grow this list and its influence.
By sharing eye-catching posts on social media, publishers can reach a whole new audience of potential email subscribers. A broader email list allows them to pitch advertisers to a larger audience, effectively boosting advertising rates and revenue.
Another way media companies can reach new audiences is by working with popular influencers in your industry and promoting their email lists on platforms and services that target different demographics. Plus, in-person interactions still have power. Encouraging email signups in person with a special launch, discussion panel, or fun local event can be a big hit.
Continuous improvement and listening to feedback leads to consistent quality
A robust email list is a way for digital media companies to increase advertising revenue, but it's not just about getting more subscribers; it's about keeping them engaged and active.
Publishers need to know what resonates with their readers, and digging deep into metrics can help them understand what content resonates with readers.
Metrics are only one influencing factor. The proven way to improve, and perhaps the most accurate, is direct feedback from your subscribers. Whether they're singing your praises or suggesting changes, take that feedback seriously. Doing so will help keep your publisher's content aligned with what your readers really want.
These tactics are important, but publishers need to be careful about what technology they use to communicate with their audience. Designed for publishers with a focus on the unique needs of publishing and media brands, email marketing and audience development solutions provide companies with seamless technology integrations, flexible editorial workflows, and tools for audience growth to ensure these tactics work most effectively.
Courtesy of Upland
