by ShaunQ
13 replies
Hi everyone, I have decided to start trying to build a list. I have read lots about this and just want to clarify something regarding email marketing and blogging.

I am going to start blogging and have an email capture form in the sidebar offering a freebie to try to build my list. Of course I want both the blog post and emails to be high quality, but every now and then you'll right a "gem" of an article. Is this best served being emailed to your list or posted on your blog? Basically should you prioritise your list or blog for your best work?

My thought was the blog, as good content would likely be shared which could potentially build the list. However I don't want the list to feel there is more value in my blog than the emails. Any thoughts?!

On a side note, as a newbie I am trying to create a list in a non IM niche so I can learn the trade and eventually start targetting IM once I know what I am doing. It baffles me that so many newbies attempt to crack the IM niche before they even know what they are doing and surely this shows in the info they provide their blog/list. Could this be a reason why so many people fail early on?
#bulding #list
  • Profile picture of the author Abul-Hussain
    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    Hi everyone, I have decided to start trying to build a list. I have read lots about this and just want to clarify something regarding email marketing and blogging.

    I am going to start blogging and have an email capture form in the sidebar offering a freebie to try to build my list. Of course I want both the blog post and emails to be high quality, but every now and then you'll right a "gem" of an article. Is this best served being emailed to your list or posted on your blog? Basically should you prioritise your list or blog for your best work?

    My thought was the blog, as good content would likely be shared which could potentially build the list. However I don't want the list to feel there is more value in my blog than the emails. Any thoughts?!

    On a side note, as a newbie I am trying to create a list in a non IM niche so I can learn the trade and eventually start targetting IM once I know what I am doing. It baffles me that so many newbies attempt to crack the IM niche before they even know what they are doing and surely this shows in the info they provide their blog/list. Could this be a reason why so many people fail early on?
    You're touching on many topics here.

    I generally use email to let my list know of a new blog post. After all, they can't share a blog post on Facebook and Twitter direct from just my email.

    Your blog has to maintain its quality. See it this way, your blog is your Shop and your email software as a Megaphone to advertise the shop. They both work hand in hand, but the best content should definitely be on your blog.

    I'm glad you're working in a non-IM niche. Many people fail to realise that there are massive markets that exist outside of IM. As for the Newbies that try to fake it, they usually get caught out

    Abul
    Signature
    Author | Speaker | Digital Marketing Coach

    I help ordinary people achieve extraordinary results online. Get in touch to see how we can help you build a 6 figure business.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158088].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    I am going to start blogging and have an email capture form in the sidebar offering a freebie to try to build my list.
    This method's been very good for me.

    (It's been better for me than squeeze pages, in fact, whenever I've split-tested it, and that's several times in several niches).

    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    every now and then you'll right a "gem" of an article. Is this best served being emailed to your list or posted on your blog? Basically should you prioritise your list or blog for your best work?
    I always take the view that it doesn't have to be either/or.

    I'll post them on my blog first and have them indexed there, and then have them syndicated as widely as possible in front of the highly targeted traffic I want to attract to my site, and then eventually put a copy of them in Ezine Articles as well (hoping other publishers will find them there and re-publish them a bit more) and I'll use the same material - with very little rewriting - in my autoresponder series as well.

    I'm running the "risk" that at some point, a few of my subscribers are going to notice, and get an email from me and think "Hey, hold on a minute, haven't I read this one before?". If that does ever happen, I don't really care anyway, because it's never caused me a problem that I'm aware of.

    I don't think it matters much. I want to use my very best content as widely as possible. Elsewhere to attract people to my site, on my site (first!) for SEO purposes, and in my autoresponder for my subscribers to read.

    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    as a newbie I am trying to create a list in a non IM niche so I can learn the trade
    Very wise.

    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    and eventually start targetting IM once I know what I am doing.
    Why do you want to do that? (I've never wanted to). It's much harder!

    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    It baffles me that so many newbies attempt to crack the IM niche before they even know what they are doing and surely this shows in the info they provide their blog/list. Could this be a reason why so many people fail early on?
    Yes, very much so. I'm quite convinced it's the single commonest mistake people make, and the single biggest reason for their failure.

    I don't even understand why people want to do it later.

    It's so unnecessary, so difficult and so competitive. Not for me, at the moment, anyway. And I've been saying that for 4 years.

    By the way, Shaun, you might have seen this thread already - but if not, it may interest you: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6123982
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158139].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    To add to what Abul said. Sometimes I'll put my full blog post in an email broadcast, and won't link back to my blog. I'll link out to whatever sources I'm referencing in my blog post of course. Whatever I feel will bring value to my subscriber.

    Why do I do this? It's seems counter-intuitive right? Wrong. If your subscribers see that you will link to anything that brings value to them, regardless if it benefits you directly, it builds trust. They know that you have their best interest in mind first and foremost. Not your bottom line.

    This helps your open rates and click rates for when you DO decide to plug a product, service or blog post on your site.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158141].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Abul-Hussain
      Originally Posted by Steve Longoria View Post

      To add to what Abul said. Sometimes I'll put my full blog post in an email broadcast, and won't link back to my blog. I'll link out to whatever sources I'm referencing in my blog post of course. Whatever I feel will bring value to my subscriber.

      Why do I do this? It's seems counter-intuitive right? Wrong. If your subscribers see that you will link to anything that brings value to them, regardless if it benefits you directly, it builds trust. They know that you have their best interest in mind first and foremost. Not your bottom line.

      This helps your open rates and click rates for when you DO decide to plug a product, service or blog post on your site.
      Excellent tip from Steve on differentiating yourself from your competitors.

      Email marketing is generally in decline due to the number of junk flying around, so you need to make sure that your subscribers are tuning into you!

      Abul
      Signature
      Author | Speaker | Digital Marketing Coach

      I help ordinary people achieve extraordinary results online. Get in touch to see how we can help you build a 6 figure business.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158167].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Big Al
    My thought was the blog, as good content would likely be shared which could potentially build the list. However I don't want the list to feel there is more value in my blog than the emails. Any thoughts?!
    I think I know what you mean. If your blog is that good then why subscribe to your email list?

    But from my own behaviour... if I see a blog post I like then I'll join that persons list so I can get me some more of that good stuff AND get notified when you email or post something new.

    Now I'm on your list it's up to you how to best make the most of my attention and keep me reading.

    Do you put all of the content in the email (and on the blog) or do you put it on the blog and email me a teaser with a link. Depends. Something to play about with and see which works best for you and your subscribers.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158156].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    Another tip. Let's say you received a high open rate for a particular broadcast email. You know your list is interested in this topic. After a couple weeks pass, I'll go ahead and add that message to my autoresponder series at just the right spot so that it's not sent out to the same subscribers again, but sent only to newer subscribers.

    Make sense?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158164].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Originally Posted by ShaunQ View Post

    On a side note, as a newbie I am trying to create a list in a non IM niche so I can learn the trade and eventually start targetting IM once I know what I am doing. It baffles me that so many newbies attempt to crack the IM niche before they even know what they are doing and surely this shows in the info they provide their blog/list. Could this be a reason why so many people fail early on?
    Yes. I applaud you for entering into a small niche and trying to tap out alot of profits from your market.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7158275].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ShaunQ
    Thanks for your help. Hopefully my blog would help me build my list, but I was also planning on trying to drive traffic to a blog/squeeze page to build the list further.

    If anyone has experience of this perhaps you could advise. If I were to purchase a solo ad would it be worth sending them to my blog and hoping they sign up or would it be more profitable to send them straight to a squeeze page and then in my emails I can introduce them to my blog once they are already on my list? I was thinking the latter makes more sense.

    If you were to have a separate squeeze page to your blog would you buy a different domain to host the squeeze page?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7165590].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    I have found creating good content and putting it on your blog works very well and then you can email parts of your list and send them there to read it

    your blog should be acting as a pre sell and a relationship building tool not just to sell and bombard people with affiliate links

    remember this does work in any niche not the just the IM niche

    Paul
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7166302].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ebusinesstutor
    Great idea to stay out of the IM niche. It is saturated with newbies all trying to make money in the niche instead of looking for one with less competition.

    I use email to tell my list when there is a new blog article, so the blog and my list work hand in hand. My free resource articles position me as an expert in the Internet marketing field and make my products and coaching services more attractive.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7167086].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author tiroberts
    It’s so much easier to come up with content to email your list when you’ve been blogging regularly.

    I currently release 2 blog posts a week, plus a link round up. I email my list 3x’s a week. Two of the three emails are simply notifications of my new blogs posts. And the 3rd is my weekly link roundup. BAM! Email & content done!
    Signature
    Need More Traffic To Your Blog Or Website? HIRE ME TO SEND IT!!

    My Latest Blog Post: How to Invest $0 Into Your Blog & Still Generate $2k+ Per Month
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7167157].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Raimundas M
      I do very similar thing like tiroberts.

      As soon as I post something new on my blog, I email my subscribers. And from what I'm seeing, they love it.

      By doing this I shoot 3 birds with one stone.
      1. I engage my subscribers and build relationships.
      2. I now have an article that can be found through google ( more traffiic to my blog and more people sign up to my list)
      3. At the same time I can soft sell products by including the affiliate link at the end of the article. And it works brilliant.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7167792].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author OmarNegron
    You are definitely on the right track, like many have already mentioned, making well written posts will benefit you even if it takes the attention from the emails. But since you will be notifying them by email of a new blog post that should be fine.

    At the same time you need to be creative and think of other ways you can provide value to your list by sending an email that is not just redirecting to a blog post. This can be a weekly quote, a weekly article you came across with that has some amazing information people in your list should be aware of.

    When you start to think your creative juices will start to flow and magical things will happen. You can even have a video series on the topic your niche is about.

    The sky is the limit and once you reach that plateau there are no limits my friend.

    -Will
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7170027].message }}

Trending Topics